Everything is worked out on this page. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
| Activity | kcal/day |
|---|
| Mifflin-St Jeor age, sex, height and weight | |
| Katch-McArdle lean body mass; needs body fat % |
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is roughly what your body burns at complete rest. Mifflin-St Jeor estimates it from sex, age, height and weight: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women. Katch-McArdle uses lean body mass instead (370 + 21.6 × lean kg), so it only works if you know your body-fat percentage, and it's only as good as that number.
Maintenance (TDEE, total daily energy expenditure) is BMR times an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active). Most people overestimate their activity; if unsure, pick the lower level.
The goal number adds or takes away about 7,700 kcal per kilogram per week (about 3,500 per pound), spread over seven days. That is a rule of thumb, not a law: real weight change also depends on water, muscle and how your body adapts. Treat every figure here as a starting estimate, track what actually happens for a few weeks and adjust.
Body mass index is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. It's shown with the standard adult WHO ranges. It says nothing about muscle, body fat or health on its own, and it isn't meant for children or pregnancy.
The food lookup uses USDA FoodData Central (public domain): Foundation Foods, SR Legacy and the FNDDS survey foods, about 13,600 foods in all, with values per 100 g and USDA's own portion weights. It is downloaded from this site the first time you search and then searched on your device. Missing values mean USDA didn't measure that nutrient, not that it's zero.
No. These are population formulas and averages. If you're pregnant, under 18, have a medical condition or want to eat much less than your maintenance, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian first.