*how to calculate your calorie requirements

i've spent way too much time confused by random calorie calculators online that give wildly different numbers. so i dug into the actual science behind it. turns out, it's not that complicated once you understand the formula.

the formula: mifflin-st jeor equation

this is the most widely used and accurate formula for calculating your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is basically the calories your body burns just to keep you alive if you did nothing all day.

for men:

BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5

for women:

BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161

what you need to know

BMR = calories burned at complete rest (if you literally did nothing all day)

TDEE = total daily energy expenditure (BMR adjusted for how active you are)

your TDEE is what actually matters for weight goals.

activity level multipliers

this is where most people get confused. "active" means very different things to different people. here's the standard breakdown:

• sedentary ×1.2 — desk job, little to no exercise
• lightly active ×1.375 — light exercise 1-3 days/week
• moderately active ×1.55 — moderate exercise 3-5 days/week
• very active ×1.725 — hard exercise 6-7 days/week
• extra active ×1.9 — very hard exercise, physical job

be honest with yourself here. most of us overestimate how active we are.

example calculation

let's say you're a 24-year-old guy, 70 kg, 175 cm, and moderately active.

step 1 — calculate BMR:

BMR = (10 × 70) + (6.25 × 175) − (5 × 24) + 5
BMR = 700 + 1093.75 − 120 + 5
BMR = 1,678.75 kcal/day

step 2 — calculate TDEE:

TDEE = BMR × 1.55 (moderately active)
TDEE = 1,678.75 × 1.55
TDEE ≈ 2,602 kcal/day

step 3 — adjust for your goal:

• maintain weight → ~2,600 kcal/day
• lose weight (~0.5 kg/week) → ~2,100 kcal/day (TDEE − 500)
• gain weight (~0.5 kg/week) → ~3,100 kcal/day (TDEE + 500)

the takeaway

your TDEE is your "maintenance calories." adjust up or down from there based on what you're trying to achieve.

key points:

• BMR = your baseline needs at rest
• activity multiplier = accounts for daily movement and exercise
• TDEE = what you should actually care about
• for weight loss, aim for TDEE − 500 kcal/day
• for weight gain, aim for TDEE + 300-500 kcal/day

don't overcomplicate it. track your intake for a week, see how your weight responds, and adjust from there. that's the real answer.