Your calorie needs. In 30 seconds.
Enter a few values and see what your body needs and what fits your goal. No sign-up, your values stay in your browser.
Sex (for the estimation formula)
How active are you?
Your goal
Your result
6 more entries and your daily need appears here.
- Sex
- Age
- Height
- Weight
- Activity
- Goal
You create your account, the values are already filled in.
How we calculate
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates your resting energy from sex, age, height and weight. Your activity factor turns it into total energy use.
Resting energy = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5 (men) or − 161 (women). For "Other" we take the mean.
To lose weight we subtract the daily deficit of your pace. A kilo of body fat is roughly 7,700 kcal. To gain, we add 12 percent.
This is an estimate, not medical advice. With a medical condition, pregnancy or an eating disorder, please talk to a doctor.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the calculator?
It estimates with an established equation. Your real needs depend on muscle mass and daily life, among other things, and can differ. Watch your weight for two to three weeks and adjust your intake then.
What is the difference between resting and total energy use?
Resting energy is what your body needs at rest. Total energy adds daily life and training. It shows how much you eat to maintain your weight.
Why does the calculator never show less than 1,200 or 1,500 kcal when losing weight?
Foodisco sets a floor when losing weight: 1,200 kcal for women, 1,500 kcal otherwise. We would not suggest less without medical supervision.
Does Foodisco save my entries?
No. The calculation runs in your browser, your values are not sent to us. Only when you take the result into Foodisco do the values sit on your device, so the sign-up can fill them in.