How to Use the Calorie Calculator for Weight Loss
This calculator helps you determine your daily caloric needs for weight loss by first calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and then your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), accounting for activity levels. The result is adjusted for a calorie deficit of 500 kcal/day to achieve a weight loss of about 1 pound per week.
Formulas:
- Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:
- For Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 × weight in lbs) + (12.7 × height in inches) - (6.8 × age in years)
- For Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 × weight in lbs) + (4.7 × height in inches) - (4.7 × age in years)
- Katch-McArdle Formula: BMR = 370 + (21.6 × lean body mass in kg) (if body fat percentage is known).
After calculating BMR, we apply an activity factor to determine TDEE, then subtract 500 kcal/day to calculate the target calories for weight loss.
Example:
For a 30-year-old male weighing 180 lbs, 70 inches tall, with a light activity level (1.375), the calorie needs for weight loss would be:
BMR = 66 + (6.23 × 180) + (12.7 × 70) - (6.8 × 30) = 1918.6 kcal/day
TDEE = 1918.6 × 1.375 = 2636.1 kcal/day
Calorie Target for Weight Loss = 2636.1 - 500 = 2136.1 kcal/day