Protein and calorie calculator
This protein and calorie calculator sets a daily calorie target and a macro split from your weight, height, age, sex and activity level, tuned to a cut, maintenance or bulk goal. It starts from your basal metabolic rate, scales it up for how active you are day to day, then adjusts calories for your goal and splits protein, fat and carbs so training and recovery both have what they need.
Daily calories
2760kcal
How it works
BMR is estimated with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (Mifflin 1990), the most widely validated resting-metabolism formula for adults of normal weight, using weight, height, age and sex. Multiplying BMR by an activity factor from sedentary (1.2) up to athlete (1.9) gives total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), the calories burned in an average day including training.
Calories then shift from TDEE by goal: roughly 15% below for a cut, unchanged for maintenance, and about 10% above for a bulk, moderate margins chosen to limit fat gain or loss rate rather than chase the fastest possible change. Protein is set per kilogram of body weight, higher on a cut to protect lean mass and lower on a bulk, within the 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg range widely used in sports-nutrition guidance for people who train.
Fat is set at a flat 0.9 g per kilogram of body weight for hormonal health, and carbs take whatever calories remain once protein and fat are accounted for, so they flex the most with activity level and goal.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should I eat to build muscle?
A modest surplus of roughly 10% above your TDEE, paired with adequate protein and progressive resistance training, supports muscle gain while limiting fat gain. Eating far above that mostly adds fat rather than speeding up muscle growth, since muscle can only be built at a limited rate regardless of how much extra food is available.
How much protein do I need per day?
Most people who train regularly do well between 1.6 and 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, with the higher end more useful during a calorie deficit to protect muscle mass. This calculator picks a point in that range based on your goal.
Is TDEE accurate for everyone?
TDEE from a formula like Mifflin-St Jeor is a population estimate and can be off by 10% or more for any one person, since it doesn't measure your actual metabolism or daily movement. Use it as a starting point and adjust calories up or down based on how your weight actually trends over two to three weeks.
Related tools
- Training load simulatorProject fitness, fatigue and form from a weekly training load plan, free, with a chart of CTL, ATL and TSB over as many weeks as you like.
- FFMI calculatorCalculate your fat-free mass index from weight, height and body fat, free, with lean mass, a normalized score and a five-step band.
These values are training estimates. They are not medical advice.
Overload tracks your nutrition and weight together
Log meals and Overload compares your intake against your calculated target as your weight trend updates, adjusting the picture week by week. Free on iOS and Android.