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Calorie Calculator

Calculate your BMR and TDEE using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, and find recommended calorie intake for your goal.

Input Information

Result

Enter values and click Calculate.

Calculate the energy your body burns in a day!

This calorie calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). BMR is the minimum energy your body unconsciously spends to maintain life, while TDEE is the actual daily energy expenditure including your activity level.

Based on TDEE, you can plan diets for weight maintenance, loss, or gain, making it useful for dieting, muscle building, and health management goals.

Following Korean Nutrition Society guidelines, it provides recommended calorie intake by activity level. It is an essential health tool for anyone—office workers, students, those starting to exercise.

Term Glossary

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
The minimum energy spent on heartbeat, breathing, cell renewal, etc. to sustain life. Calories burned at rest, the baseline for diet planning.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)
Total daily calorie expenditure found by multiplying BMR by an activity factor. Used for weight maintenance/loss goals.
Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
A formula estimating BMR using sex, age, height, and weight. The most accurate BMR method in modern nutrition.

📋 How to Use

  1. 1
    Enter body info → input sex, height (cm), weight (kg), and age (years)
  2. 2
    Select activity level → choose your daily activity level
  3. 3
    Set goal → choose loss/maintain/gain and target weekly weight change
  4. 4
    View results → check BMR, daily calorie expenditure, target calories, and estimated duration

📝 Worked Examples

Example 1: 30-year-old male, 175cm, 70kg, moderate activity, lose 0.5kg/week

BMR = 1683 kcal, TDEE = 2609 kcalTarget = 2609 - 500 = 2109 kcal/day

Estimated duration: approximately 14 weeks

Example 2: 25-year-old female, 160cm, 55kg, light activity, lose 0.5kg/week

BMR = 1304 kcal, TDEE = 1793 kcalTarget = 1793 - 500 = 1293 kcal/day

Estimated duration: approximately 11 weeks

Mifflin-St Jeor Equation and TDEE

Step 1: Calculate BMR

Male: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) - 5 × age(yr) + 5Female: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) - 5 × age(yr) - 161

Step 2: Calculate TDEE

TDEE = BMR × activity factor

  • 1.2: Sedentary (little or no exercise)
  • 1.375: Light activity (1-3 times/week)
  • 1.55: Moderate activity (3-5 times/week)
  • 1.725: Active (6-7 times/week)
  • 1.9: Very active (2+ times/day)

Step 3: Target-based Calorie Intake

  • Weight Loss: TDEE - 500kcal (target 0.5kg/week loss)
  • Maintain: TDEE (maintain current weight)
  • Weight Gain: TDEE + 500kcal (target 0.5kg/week gain)

Key tips for using the Calorie Calculator

1. Don't eat below your BMR

Eating below BMR can lower your metabolism and make weight loss harder. For healthy loss, reducing TDEE by 300~500kcal is appropriate.

2. Choose a realistic activity factor

Picking a high activity factor without actually exercising overstates TDEE, leading to unintended overeating—choose based on your real activity level.

3. Raise your BMR with strength training

More muscle means a higher BMR. Increasing skeletal muscle through regular strength training burns more calories even at rest, helping with weight management.

4. Get enough protein

To maintain muscle while dieting, aim for 1.2~1.6g of protein per kg of body weight. Protein has a high energy cost to digest and increases satiety.

5. Recalculate regularly

Whenever your weight or activity level changes, recalculating BMR and TDEE and updating your diet plan is effective.

6. Follow Korean Nutrition Society guidelines

Build a balanced diet based on KNS recommended daily nutrient ratios: Carbohydrates 50~65%, Protein 7~20%, Fat 15~30%.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

QWhat is the minimum daily calorie intake?

Men: ~1500 kcal, Women: ~1200 kcal minimum. Below this, nutritional deficiencies and metabolic slowdown occur.

QHow fast should I lose weight?

Safe rate: 0.5-1 kg per week. Faster loss risks muscle loss, gallstones, and weight regain.

QWhat should my carb/protein/fat ratio be?

General: 45-65% carbs, 10-35% protein, 20-35% fat. Higher protein (1.6-2.2g/kg) helps preserve muscle during deficit.

QCan I diet without exercise?

Possible but harder. Diet alone creates deficit, but combining with exercise preserves muscle mass and improves body composition.

QWhy do plateaus occur?

Metabolic adaptation: body reduces energy expenditure as weight drops. Solution: recalculate TDEE, adjust intake, vary exercise.

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