{
  "slug": "calorie",
  "title": "Calorie Calculator",
  "heading": "Calorie Calculator",
  "category": "fitness-health",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/calorie",
  "summary": "How many calories you need per day for your goal.",
  "description": "Estimates daily calorie targets for maintenance, weight loss, and weight gain using Mifflin-St Jeor + activity factor.",
  "formula": null,
  "dateModified": "2026-10-03",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=calorie",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "units",
      "label": "Units",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "imperial",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "metric",
          "label": "Metric (kg, cm)"
        },
        {
          "value": "imperial",
          "label": "Imperial (lb, in)"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "sex",
      "label": "Sex",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "male",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "male",
          "label": "Male"
        },
        {
          "value": "female",
          "label": "Female"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "age",
      "label": "Age",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 30,
      "unit": "years",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 120
    },
    {
      "id": "weight",
      "label": "Weight",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 170,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "height",
      "label": "Height",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 68,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "activity",
      "label": "Activity level",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "light",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "sedentary",
          "label": "Sedentary (little exercise)"
        },
        {
          "value": "light",
          "label": "Light (1–3 days/wk)"
        },
        {
          "value": "moderate",
          "label": "Moderate (3–5 days/wk)"
        },
        {
          "value": "active",
          "label": "Active (6–7 days/wk)"
        },
        {
          "value": "athlete",
          "label": "Very active / athlete"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "maintain",
      "label": "Maintain weight",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": "calories/day",
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "mildLoss",
      "label": "Mild loss (~0.25 kg/wk)",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "loss",
      "label": "Weight loss (~0.5 kg/wk)",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "extreme",
      "label": "Extreme loss (~1 kg/wk)",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "gain",
      "label": "Weight gain (~0.5 kg/wk)",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Units: Imperial (lb, in)",
      "Sex: Male",
      "Age: 30 years",
      "Weight: 170",
      "Height: 68",
      "Activity level: Light (1–3 days/wk)"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Maintain weight: 2,345",
      "Mild loss (~0.25 kg/wk): 2,095",
      "Weight loss (~0.5 kg/wk): 1,845",
      "Extreme loss (~1 kg/wk): 1,345",
      "Weight gain (~0.5 kg/wk): 2,845"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter units.",
      "Enter sex.",
      "Enter age (years).",
      "Enter weight.",
      "Enter height.",
      "Enter activity level.",
      "Read your maintain weight on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "units": "imperial",
        "sex": "male",
        "age": 30,
        "weight": 170,
        "height": 68,
        "activity": "light"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "units": "imperial",
        "sex": "male",
        "age": 30,
        "weight": 170,
        "height": 68,
        "activity": "light"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "units": "imperial",
        "sex": "male",
        "age": 30,
        "weight": 170,
        "height": 68,
        "activity": "light"
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Population formulas describe averages; individual bodies vary, especially at the extremes of height, age, or muscle mass.",
    "Results do not account for medical conditions, medication, or pregnancy.",
    "Use this as a directional reference, not a diagnosis — talk to a clinician before acting on it."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the calorie calculator work?",
      "a": "Estimates daily calorie targets for maintenance, weight loss, and weight gain using Mifflin-St Jeor + activity factor."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "6 values: units, sex, age, weight, height, and activity level. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the maintain weight result mean?",
      "a": "calories/day It is returned as a whole number and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Population formulas describe averages; individual bodies vary, especially at the extremes of height, age, or muscle mass."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone tracking a health or training target and wanting the standard formula applied correctly, without a signup or an app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/bmr",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/tdee",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/bmi"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Calorie Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/calorie)"
}