Most people know that calories matter, but very few know how many they actually burn in a day. The calculator below gives you a realistic starting estimate. Enter your age, sex, height, weight and usual activity, pick the equation you want, and you will see your resting energy needs, your daily maintenance calories, and what changes if you want to lose or gain weight. A food energy converter follows it, and then come the formulas, tables and explanations behind every number.
Calorie Calculator: Estimate Your Daily Calorie Needs
A calorie is simply a unit of energy. Your body spends energy every minute of the day, even while you sleep, and the food and drink you consume is the fuel that pays for it. This calculator estimates how much fuel you need so your weight stays steady. If you want to lose or gain weight, it also shows how far above or below that number you would need to eat.
Choose US or metric units, fill in the fields, and press Calculate. The settings panel lets you switch between Calories and Kilojoules and pick which BMR formula runs behind the scenes. If you choose Katch-McArdle, you will also need your body fat percentage.
How to read your results
Two numbers matter most. Your BMR is the energy you would burn lying still all day. Your maintenance calories are that number multiplied by an activity factor, and they represent roughly what you can eat each day without gaining or losing weight. Everything else, such as the goal table and the zigzag schedules, is simply maintenance calories adjusted up or down.
Calories in
Energy from food and drink:Fat: 9 kcal per gram
Alcohol: 7 kcal per gram
Protein: 4 kcal per gram
Carbohydrate: 4 kcal per gram
Calories out
Energy your body uses:Resting metabolism (BMR)
Digesting and absorbing food
Movement: exercise plus everyday activity
Food Energy Converter
Nutrition labels in the United States list Calories, while many other countries print kilojoules, and some science textbooks use small calories or joules. The converter below switches between the four units you are most likely to run into. Type a number, choose the unit you have and the unit you want, and the answer updates right away.
One detail trips people up. The "Calorie" on a food label is a kilocalorie, which equals 1,000 of the small "calories" used in chemistry. The converter defaults to the thermochemical definition, 4.184 joules per calorie, which is the one used for food labeling. Some references use the International Table value of 4.1868 instead. The gap is about 0.07 percent, which makes no practical difference for food, but you can switch the definition under the tool if you want to match a particular source.
The BMR Equations Behind the Calculator
Basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is the energy your body needs at complete rest to keep you alive: breathing, circulating blood, repairing cells, and running your brain and organs. Researchers have built several prediction formulas by measuring how much oxygen people use at rest and then fitting an equation to the data. The calculator offers three of them. They give similar answers for most adults, but each has a different history and a different best use.
Mifflin-St Jeor (1990)
Built from 498 healthy adults. Often the first choice in dietetic practice.Uses weight, height, age, sexRevised Harris-Benedict (1984)
An update of a 1919 equation. Tends to run a little higher than Mifflin-St Jeor.Uses weight, height, age, sexKatch-McArdle
Built on lean body mass, so body fat percentage is required.Uses weight and body fat %Mifflin-St Jeor Equation (Men and Women)
Published in 1990 by Mifflin, St Jeor and colleagues, this equation was developed from indirect calorimetry measurements on 498 healthy adults aged 19 to 78, including both normal-weight and obese participants. The authors found it predicted resting energy better than the original Harris-Benedict equations, which overestimated measured values by about 5 percent in their sample. A later systematic review by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found it was the most likely of the common equations to land within 10 percent of measured resting energy, which is why many dietitians reach for it first.
Here is a quick example. A 35-year-old woman who is 165 cm tall and weighs 68 kg gets 10 × 68 + 6.25 × 165 − 5 × 35 − 161, which comes to about 1,375 calories. If she exercises lightly one to three times a week, multiplying by 1.375 puts her maintenance level near 1,891 calories.
Revised Harris-Benedict Equation (Men and Women)
James Harris and Francis Benedict published their original equations in 1918 and 1919, using measurements from roughly 240 healthy adults. In 1984, Roza and Shizgal reanalyzed the data and updated the coefficients, which is the version most calculators mean today. The authors reported a precision of about 14 percent in normally nourished people, and noted it was unreliable in malnourished patients. It is still widely used in clinics and in older textbooks.
Katch-McArdle Formula
The first two equations ignore body composition. They assume that two people of the same size, age and sex burn about the same amount at rest. In reality, lean tissue such as muscle and organs burns far more energy than fat does. The Katch-McArdle formula, popularized in the exercise physiology textbook by McArdle, Katch and Katch, estimates resting energy from lean body mass alone.
It can be more accurate for lean or muscular people who know their body fat percentage from a reliable measurement. If your body fat figure is a guess, though, the extra precision is imaginary, and Mifflin-St Jeor is the safer pick.
Same person, three answers
To see how much the choice matters, take a 43-year-old man who is 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs 187 pounds and carries about 20 percent body fat. Mifflin-St Jeor gives a BMR of roughly 1,702 calories, Revised Harris-Benedict gives about 1,797, and Katch-McArdle gives about 1,836. After applying a moderate activity factor of 1.465, his maintenance estimate runs from roughly 2,490 to 2,690 calories. That spread of about 200 calories is normal, and it is a good reminder to treat any single number as a range.
Those multipliers are conventions, not laws of nature. They are commonly used in nutrition practice to translate resting energy into a full-day estimate. Most people overrate their activity level, so if you are unsure, choose the lower option. In the tool, "light" means about 15 to 30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity a few times a week, "intense" means 45 to 120 minutes, and "very intense" means two hours or more.
Calorie Counting as a Means for Weight Loss
Counting calories works for many people because it replaces vague intentions with a number. The basic idea is easy to state: if you regularly take in fewer calories than you burn, your body draws on its stored energy and weight drops. If you take in more, weight rises. The practical side takes a little more care.
- Estimate your maintenance calories. Use the calculator above and treat the result as a starting estimate.
- Pick a moderate deficit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes a pace of about 1 to 2 pounds per week as steady and more likely to last, which usually means eating roughly 500 to 1,000 calories below maintenance.
- Choose a way to track. A phone app, a spreadsheet or a paper notebook all work. Weighing food on a cheap kitchen scale for a couple of weeks teaches you portion sizes faster than anything else.
- Review every week, not every day. Body weight swings with water, salt and digestion. Weigh yourself under similar conditions, such as first thing in the morning, and look at the weekly trend.
- Adjust gradually. If nothing has changed after two to three weeks, trim a little more or add a walk. Small corrections beat dramatic ones.
The 3,500-calorie rule is a rough guide, not a promise
You will often read that a pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories, so a 500-calorie daily deficit means one pound lost per week. That math is a handy approximation for the first few weeks, but it overstates what happens over months. As you lose weight, your body needs fewer calories to move and maintain itself, so the same deficit produces a smaller and smaller gap. Kevin Hall and colleagues showed in a 2011 Lancet paper that body weight responds slowly to a change in intake, with a half-time of about a year. Their rule of thumb for an average overweight adult was that every change of about 24 calories per day eventually moves weight by about 1 kilogram, or 2.2 pounds. In other words, results arrive more slowly than the simple rule suggests, and plateaus are normal rather than a sign you are failing.
It also helps to know what weight loss does not capture. Losing too quickly tends to cost muscle along with fat, and muscle loss lowers your resting energy needs. Rapid scale drops in the first week are often water. If you plan to lose more than two pounds a week, or you have a medical condition, work with your doctor or a registered dietitian nutritionist first.
Calorie counting has side benefits too. Many people are surprised by how much a handful of nuts, a splash of oil or a large coffee drink adds up. Seeing the numbers can make portion choices easier. For others, tracking becomes stressful or obsessive, and that is a good reason to stop. A method you can live with is better than a perfect plan you abandon.
Zigzag Calorie Cycling
Zigzag calorie cycling means eating different amounts on different days while keeping the weekly total the same. The theory is that the body adapts to a steady low intake by burning less, so varying intake might blunt that adaptation. It also makes social life easier: a larger dinner on Saturday is simply balanced by lighter days earlier in the week.
Here is how it looks for someone aiming at 14,000 calories per week, which averages 2,000 a day. In the first schedule, two weekend days run higher and five weekdays run lower. In the second, intake climbs gradually through the week and peaks on Sunday. Both schedules land on exactly the same weekly total.
The honest evidence is mixed. A randomized trial called MATADOR found that alternating periods of larger deficits with periods of eating at maintenance led to more fat loss per unit of energy cut, but it also took longer and was not a clear overall win. Other studies have not shown that cycling beats a steady deficit for most people. So think of it as a scheduling tool, not a metabolic trick. If it helps you stay consistent, it is worth using. If it makes planning harder, a steady intake works just as well. The calculator builds both schedules for your own numbers and flags any low day that drops below commonly used minimums.
How Many Calories Do You Need?
The honest answer is that it depends on your size, age, sex, muscle mass, activity, health and even how much you fidget. Federal guidance gives broad ranges. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimate that most adult women need roughly 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day, and most adult men roughly 2,000 to 3,000, with the lower end for people who are sedentary or older and the higher end for people who are active and younger. Those ranges come from the 2020–2025 edition. The 2025–2030 edition, released in January 2026, puts greater emphasis on whole foods and limiting highly processed foods, so check the current guidance if you plan your meals around it.
Age matters because resting energy tends to decline slowly over adulthood as people lose muscle. Height and weight matter because larger bodies cost more to run. A 25-year-old, 6-foot-tall man who trains daily might need well over 3,000 calories, while a sedentary 70-year-old woman who is 5 feet tall may do well on 1,500 to 1,600.
The other side of the coin is eating too little. Very low intakes make it hard to meet nutrient needs, and the body responds by holding on to energy. Harvard Health Publishing has long cited about 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 for men as general floors for unsupervised dieting. Those are not goals. They are lines you should not cross without a clinician guiding you.
Who should be extra careful
This calculator is built for healthy adults. It is not designed for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, or teens under 15, or for people with diabetes, kidney disease, thyroid disorders or other conditions that change energy use. If you have a history of an eating disorder, counting calories can do more harm than good, so talk with a qualified professional before using any calorie tool. Resources are available through the National Alliance for Eating Disorders at allianceforeatingdisorders.com.
Calories: Different Kinds and Their Effects
A calorie is a calorie in the lab, but the foods that supply them behave very differently in your body. Here is what shapes that difference.
Where calories come from
Fat provides about 9 calories per gram, alcohol about 7, and protein and carbohydrate about 4 each. Dietary fiber contributes only around 2, because much of it is not digested. Those standard conversion factors, known as the Atwater system, are what labels are built on.
The cost of digesting food
Your body burns some energy just to digest, absorb and store what you eat, an effect called the thermic effect of food. It is often around 10 percent of intake, though it varies. Protein costs the most to process, commonly cited at roughly 20 to 30 percent of its calories, compared with about 5 to 10 percent for carbohydrate and 0 to 3 percent for fat. The gain is real but small, so it is no reason to eat only chicken breast.
Energy density and fullness
Foods differ widely in calories per bite. A cup of strawberries has about 50 calories, while the same volume of granola can top 400. High-calorie foods are not automatically bad. Nuts, avocado, olive oil and whole grains are calorie-dense and nutritious. The practical point is that foods rich in water and fiber, such as vegetables, fruit, beans and broth-based soups, fill you up for fewer calories.
Processing matters
In a tightly controlled two-week trial at the National Institutes of Health, adults offered a diet of ultra-processed foods ate about 500 more calories a day than when offered minimally processed foods, even though the meals were matched on the nutrients listed on the label, and they gained weight. The lesson is not that every packaged food is harmful. It is that food form, texture and eating speed can nudge intake in ways calorie math does not capture.
Liquid calories and alcohol
Drinks are easy to overlook because they do not fill you up the way solid food does. A 12-ounce regular soda has about 140 calories and a large sweetened coffee drink can run several hundred. Alcohol adds 7 calories per gram, and drinks combine it with sugar or mixers. Water, plain tea and black coffee remain the lowest-calorie choices.
Why labels are estimates
Nutrition labels apply the standard factors to every food, but real digestion differs. Research on almonds, for example, found that the energy people actually absorbed was noticeably lower than the label predicted, partly because some fat stays locked inside cell walls. Cooking, grinding and processing change absorption in other foods. This is one more reason to treat calorie counts as close approximations rather than exact values.
Calories in Common Foods
The table below lists typical values for popular foods. Brands, recipes and portion sizes vary, so check the label on the package you actually buy. Values are rounded and based on typical figures reported in the USDA FoodData Central database. Kilojoules are calories multiplied by 4.184.
| Food | Serving size | Calories (kcal) | Kilojoules (kJ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit | |||
| Apple, medium | 1 (about 6.4 oz) | 95 | 397 |
| Banana, medium | 1 (about 4.2 oz) | 105 | 439 |
| Grapes | 1 cup | 104 | 435 |
| Orange, medium | 1 (about 4.6 oz) | 62 | 259 |
| Pear, medium | 1 (about 6.3 oz) | 101 | 423 |
| Peach, medium | 1 (about 5.3 oz) | 59 | 247 |
| Pineapple chunks | 1 cup | 82 | 343 |
| Strawberries, halved | 1 cup | 49 | 205 |
| Watermelon, diced | 1 cup | 46 | 192 |
| Avocado | ½ medium | 120 | 502 |
| Vegetables | |||
| Asparagus, cooked | 1 cup | 27 | 113 |
| Broccoli, raw, chopped | 1 cup | 31 | 130 |
| Carrots, raw, chopped | 1 cup | 52 | 218 |
| Cucumber, sliced | 1 cup | 16 | 67 |
| Eggplant, cooked | 1 cup | 35 | 146 |
| Lettuce, romaine, shredded | 1 cup | 8 | 33 |
| Tomato, chopped | 1 cup | 32 | 134 |
| Sweet potato, baked | 1 medium | 103 | 431 |
| Proteins | |||
| Beef, ground (85% lean), cooked | 3 oz | 215 | 900 |
| Chicken breast, roasted, no skin | 3 oz | 140 | 586 |
| Tofu, firm | 4 oz | 90 | 377 |
| Egg, large | 1 | 72 | 301 |
| Catfish, cooked | 3 oz | 120 | 502 |
| Pork tenderloin, roasted | 3 oz | 120 | 502 |
| Salmon, baked | 3 oz | 175 | 732 |
| Shrimp, cooked | 3 oz | 85 | 356 |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup | 230 | 962 |
| Black beans, cooked | 1 cup | 225 | 941 |
| Grains, Snacks and Common Foods | |||
| Bread, white | 1 slice | 75 | 314 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp | 102 | 427 |
| Cheddar cheese | 1 oz | 115 | 481 |
| Dark chocolate (70–85%) | 1 oz | 170 | 711 |
| Corn kernels, cooked | 1 cup | 143 | 598 |
| Almonds | 1 oz (about 23) | 165 | 690 |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp | 190 | 795 |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | 119 | 498 |
| Oatmeal, cooked in water | 1 cup | 166 | 695 |
| Pasta, cooked | 1 cup | 220 | 920 |
| Pizza, cheese, regular crust | 1 slice (1/8 of 14 in.) | 285 | 1,192 |
| Potato, baked, with skin | 6 oz | 160 | 669 |
| White rice, cooked | 1 cup | 205 | 858 |
| Brown rice, cooked | 1 cup | 215 | 900 |
| Hamburger, fast-food, single patty | 1 sandwich | 250 | 1,046 |
| Beverages and Dairy | |||
| Beer, regular | 12 oz can | 153 | 640 |
| Cola, regular | 12 oz can | 140 | 586 |
| Cola, diet | 12 oz can | 0 | 0 |
| Wine, red | 5 oz | 125 | 523 |
| Milk, 1% | 1 cup | 102 | 427 |
| Milk, 2% | 1 cup | 122 | 510 |
| Milk, whole | 1 cup | 149 | 623 |
| Orange juice | 1 cup | 112 | 469 |
| Apple juice | 1 cup | 114 | 477 |
| Yogurt, plain, low-fat | 1 cup | 154 | 644 |
| Yogurt, plain, nonfat | 1 cup | 127 | 531 |
One cup is about 250 milliliters, and one tablespoon is roughly 14 grams of butter. Cooking methods change calories quickly: frying, sauces and added oil often matter more than the food itself.
Calorie Sample Meal Plans
These three menus show what roughly 1,200, 1,500 and 2,000 calories can look like in real food. Each one includes protein, fiber and plenty of produce, and each lands within about 10 calories of its target. They are examples, not prescriptions. Your own needs may be higher or lower, and a 1,200-calorie plan is below what most adults need without medical supervision.
| Meal | About 1,200 calories | About 1,500 calories | About 2,000 calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Veggie egg scramble (2 eggs, spinach, 1 tsp oil) (185) Whole-wheat toast, 1 slice (80) Orange, medium (65) Subtotal: 330 | Rolled oats, ½ cup dry, cooked in water (150) Banana, medium (105) Chopped walnuts, 1 tbsp (50) Coffee with a splash of milk (20) Subtotal: 325 | Cheese and pepper omelet (2 eggs, 1 oz cheddar) (270) Whole-grain toast, 2 slices (160) Mixed berries, ½ cup (40) Subtotal: 470 |
| Snack | Plain nonfat Greek yogurt, ¾ cup (100) Strawberries, ½ cup (25) Subtotal: 125 | Apple, medium (95) Peanut butter, 1 tbsp (95) Subtotal: 190 | Almonds, 1 oz (165) Banana, medium (105) Subtotal: 270 |
| Lunch | Turkey-veggie wrap (whole-wheat tortilla, 3 oz turkey, lettuce, tomato) (245) Apple, medium (95) Subtotal: 340 | Lentil soup, 1½ cups (250) Whole-grain roll, small (80) Side salad with 1 tbsp vinaigrette (60) Subtotal: 390 | Brown rice, ¾ cup (160) Black beans, ½ cup (115) Grilled chicken, 3 oz (140) Salsa and lettuce (20) Avocado, ¼ medium (60) Subtotal: 495 |
| Snack | Baby carrots, 1 cup (50) Hummus, 2 tbsp (50) Subtotal: 100 | Plain low-fat yogurt, ¾ cup (115) Blueberries, ½ cup (40) Subtotal: 155 | Plain low-fat yogurt, 1 cup (154) Pineapple chunks, ½ cup (41) Subtotal: 195 |
| Dinner | Baked salmon, 3 oz (175) Steamed broccoli, 1 cup (55) Brown rice, ⅓ cup (70) Subtotal: 300 | Grilled chicken breast, 4 oz (190) Baked sweet potato, large (160) Green beans with 1 tsp olive oil (80) Subtotal: 430 | Baked salmon, 4 oz (235) Quinoa, 1 cup cooked (220) Roasted broccoli with 2 tsp olive oil (110) Subtotal: 565 |
| Day total | 1,195 calories | 1,490 calories | 1,995 calories |
To adapt a plan, swap foods with similar calories, scale portions up or down, and keep an eye on protein and fiber so you stay full. If you are vegetarian, lentils, tofu, eggs and Greek yogurt can replace the chicken and salmon.
Calories Burned from Common Exercises
Researchers estimate the energy cost of activities using METs, short for metabolic equivalents. One MET is the energy you spend sitting quietly, which works out to about 1 calorie per kilogram of body weight per hour. Multiply the MET value by your weight in kilograms and the hours you exercise to get an estimate. The table uses values from the Compendium of Physical Activities, rounded.
| Activity | MET | 125 lb person | 155 lb person | 185 lb person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golf, riding a cart | 3.5 | 200 | 245 | 295 |
| Walking, brisk (3.5–3.9 mph) | 4.8 | 270 | 335 | 405 |
| Strength training, moderate effort | 3.5 | 200 | 245 | 295 |
| Kayaking, moderate effort | 5.0 | 285 | 350 | 420 |
| Softball or baseball | 5.0 | 285 | 350 | 420 |
| Swimming, freestyle, easy to moderate | 5.8 | 330 | 410 | 485 |
| Basketball, general play | 6.5 | 370 | 455 | 545 |
| Soccer, casual play | 7.0 | 395 | 490 | 585 |
| Tennis, general | 7.3 | 415 | 515 | 615 |
| Bicycling, 12–13.9 mph | 8.0 | 455 | 560 | 670 |
| Football, touch or flag | 8.0 | 455 | 560 | 670 |
| Running, 9-minute mile (6.7 mph) | 10.5 | 595 | 740 | 880 |
These are estimates for an hour of steady effort. Intensity, terrain, skill and fitness shift the real number, and fitness watches can be off by a wide margin. Exercise also includes your normal resting burn, so the extra calories above sitting still are smaller than the table suggests. For health, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening work on two days. Exercise supports weight management, but most people find that food choices drive the calorie balance more than workouts do.
Energy from Common Food Components
Every nutrient in your food provides a set amount of energy per gram. The values below are the conversion factors used for food labeling in the European Union, which are widely used internationally. They also explain why a spoonful of oil carries so much more energy than a spoonful of sugar.
| Food component | kJ per gram | kcal per gram | kJ per ounce | kcal per ounce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fat | 37 | 9 | 1,049 | 255 |
| Protein | 17 | 4 | 482 | 113 |
| Carbohydrate (excluding fiber) | 17 | 4 | 482 | 113 |
| Alcohol (ethanol) | 29 | 7 | 822 | 198 |
| Dietary fiber | 8 | 2 | 227 | 57 |
| Organic acids | 13 | 3 | 369 | 85 |
| Polyols (sugar alcohols) | 10 | 2.4 | 283 | 68 |
Notice that fat has more than twice the energy of carbohydrate or protein per gram. That is why small amounts of oil, butter or nuts can add up fast, and why vegetables with lots of water and fiber stay so low.
Putting It All Together
- Use the calculator to find a starting point, and choose Mifflin-St Jeor unless you have a reliable body fat reading.
- Aim for a moderate deficit if you want to lose weight, and expect progress to slow over time.
- Pay attention to food quality, protein, fiber and hydration, not only the calorie number.
- Recheck your numbers after every 10 to 15 pounds of change, since your needs shift as you do.
- Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian nutritionist if you have a medical condition or a large amount of weight to lose.
Calorie Calculator FAQ
How many calories should I eat a day to lose weight?
Start with your maintenance calories and subtract 250 to 500. That usually produces a loss of about a half to one pound a week at first. Do not go below 1,200 calories for women or 1,500 for men without medical supervision.
Which BMR formula is most accurate?
For most healthy adults, Mifflin-St Jeor has the best track record. Katch-McArdle can do better for lean people who know their body fat percentage reliably. Revised Harris-Benedict is a reasonable alternative.
Is a 1,200-calorie diet safe?
For most adults it is lower than needed, and it is hard to meet nutrient needs at that level. It is used only under supervision in some cases. Ask a clinician before trying it.
Why does my fitness watch show a different number?
Watches estimate calories from heart rate, movement and profile data, and they carry their own errors. Equation-based estimates and watch estimates will rarely match, and neither is exact.
Does zigzag calorie cycling work better than eating the same amount every day?
Current evidence does not show that it does. It can make dieting more flexible, which helps some people stick with it.
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Educational use only. The calculators, tables and text on this page are provided for general education and information. They are not medical advice and do not diagnose, treat or prevent any condition. Calorie estimates are approximations and may not suit your situation. Please talk with a licensed physician or a registered dietitian nutritionist before changing your diet or exercise routine, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, take medication, or have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating. Never ignore professional advice because of something you read here.
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Accuracy and sources. We make a reasonable effort to base the content on reputable public health sources and peer-reviewed research listed below, and to keep it up to date. Nutrition science changes, and values for foods and exercise vary, so errors or omissions may still occur. Brand names mentioned are used for identification only. Content on this page is original and written for this site.
Author: Mohammad Ali
Former Medical Secretary, Licensing Officer, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Medical Reviewer: Dr. Kevin Joseph Jerome Borges
Professor of Anatomy, Doctor of Medicine, Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan
References and Further Reading
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247. doi:10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241
- Roza AM, Shizgal HM. The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated: resting energy requirements and the body cell mass. Am J Clin Nutr. 1984;40(1):168-182.
- Harris JA, Benedict FG. A Biometric Study of Basal Metabolism in Man. Washington, DC: Carnegie Institution of Washington; 1919.
- Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(5):775-789. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.005
- McArdle WD, Katch FI, Katch VL. Exercise Physiology: Nutrition, Energy, and Human Performance. Wolters Kluwer (multiple editions).
- Hall KD, Sacks G, Chandramohan D, et al. Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight. Lancet. 2011;378(9793):826-837.
- Hall KD, Chow CC. Why is the 3500 kcal per pound weight loss rule wrong? Int J Obes. 2013;37(12):1614.
- Hall KD, Heymsfield SB, Kemnitz JW, Klein S, Schoeller DA, Speakman JR. Energy balance and its components: implications for body weight regulation. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012;95(4):989-994.
- Byrne NM, Sainsbury A, King NA, Hills AP, Wood RE. Intermittent energy restriction improves weight loss efficiency in obese men: the MATADOR study. Int J Obes. 2018;42(2):129-138.
- Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R, et al. Ultra-processed diets cause excess calorie intake and weight gain: an inpatient randomized controlled trial of ad libitum food intake. Cell Metab. 2019;30(1):67-77.
- Westerterp KR. Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2004;1:5.
- Novotny JA, Gebauer SK, Baer DJ. Discrepancy between the Atwater factor predicted and empirically measured energy values of almonds in human diets. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012;96(2):296-301.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 and 2025-2030. dietaryguidelines.gov
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity: Losing Weight. cdc.gov
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. 2018. health.gov
- Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(8):1575-1581. See also the 2024 Adult Compendium at pacompendium.com.
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the provision of food information to consumers, Annex XIV (energy conversion factors).
- Harvard Health Publishing. Articles on calorie needs and weight loss. health.harvard.edu
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If you have a medical condition, take medications that affect weight or appetite, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, have a history of disordered eating, or need a therapeutic diet, discuss calorie and nutrition targets with a qualified healthcare professional.
Author: Mohammad Ali
Former Medical Secretary,
Health Licensing Officer,
Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Connect on LinkedInMedical Reviewer: Dr. Kevin Joseph Jerome Borges
Professor of Anatomy,
Doctor of Medicine,
Ziauddin Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan
Connect on LinkedInReferences & Primary Sources
- Calculator.net. Calorie Calculator. Used as a feature/reference comparison for calculator structure, formulas, food-energy conversion and educational topics.
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1990;51(2):241–247. PubMed
- Roza AM, Shizgal HM. The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated: resting energy requirements and the body cell mass. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1984;40(1):168–182. PubMed
- Frankenfield D, et al. Research and clinical literature comparing resting energy expenditure prediction equations with indirect calorimetry. See cited studies in the scientific literature and population-specific validation work. Example PubMed study
- NIDDK. Body Weight Planner. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH. NIDDK Body Weight Planner
- CDC. Steps for Losing Weight. Updated January 17, 2025. CDC
- CDC. Adult Activity: An Overview. CDC Physical Activity Guidelines
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030. 10th Edition, January 2026. ODPHP
- USDA Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, nutrient composition database. USDA FoodData Central
- USDA National Agricultural Library. Food and Nutrition Information Center. Macronutrient calorie factors. USDA FNIC
- NIST. Guide / Standard conversion factors for energy. Thermochemical calorie and kilojoule conversion. NIST
- Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2024;13(1):6–12. PubMed
- Compendium of Physical Activities. Walking, running, bicycling, sports and water-activity MET values. pacompendium.com
- Davis CS, Clarke RE, Coulter SN, et al. Intermittent energy restriction and weight loss: a systematic review. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016;70(3):292–299. PubMed
- Cioffi I, Evangelista A, Ponzo V, et al. Intermittent versus continuous energy restriction on weight loss and cardiometabolic outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2018;16:371. PubMed
- Google. Google Publisher Policies, including unreliable/harmful health claims, misleading representation and privacy-related publisher requirements. Google Publisher Policies
Editorial note: This article was independently rewritten and organized for Gulf Care Careers. It does not reproduce the wording or layout of the reference page. Numerical food and exercise values are presented as approximate educational examples, and source databases should be consulted when exact nutrient values are required.
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