Calorie calculator
Estimate your daily calorie needs using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, the gold standard in nutrition. A result tailored to your profile and your goal.
How to calculate your calorie needs
Calculating your calorie needs starts with basal metabolic rate (BMR), the energy your body burns at rest to maintain vital functions: breathing, blood circulation, temperature regulation. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula, published in 1990 and validated by many studies, is considered the most accurate way to estimate BMR. It takes into account your weight, height, age and sex. This BMR is then multiplied by a physical activity coefficient to obtain your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
Calories and goals: losing, maintaining or gaining weight
Knowing your TDEE is the foundation of any nutrition plan. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you expend (calorie deficit). To gain weight, you need a surplus. A deficit of 500 kcal per day corresponds to roughly 0.5 kg of weight loss per week, a pace considered healthy and sustainable. The most common mistake is cutting too drastically: an overly large deficit slows your metabolism and triggers the yo-yo effect.
Basal metabolic rate: what you need to understand
Basal metabolic rate accounts for about 60 to 75% of your total calorie expenditure. It's influenced by muscle mass (the more muscle you have, the higher your BMR), age (it decreases over the years), sex (men generally have a higher BMR) and genetics. Physical activity and the thermic effect of food (energy used for digestion) round out total expenditure. That's why two people at the same weight can have very different needs.
Why use a calorie calculator?
Without knowing your needs, you're flying blind. Many people overestimate or underestimate their calorie intake by 30 to 50%. A calculator gives you a precise starting point. From there, a tool like Kalo lets you track your real intake every day: just send your meals via WhatsApp message, and Kalo analyzes the calories and macronutrients in seconds. No searching through a database, no barcodes to scan.
