Calorie Calculator

Total Daily Energy Expenditure — all the calories you burn in a day. TDEE = BMR (at-rest calories) × activity factor. A sedentary 30-year-old man with BMR 1,700 has TDEE ≈ 2,040 (1,700 × 1.2). A very active person with the same BMR has TDEE ≈ 2,933 (1,700 × 1.725).

Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) by default — the most accurate for general adults per a 2005 meta-review. Customize mode shows Harris-Benedict (1984 revised) and Katch-McArdle (uses lean body mass) as comparisons. If you know your body fat %, Katch-McArdle is more accurate for very lean or very muscular bodies.

Activity factors are approximate — the difference between 'lightly active' (1.375) and 'moderate' (1.55) is large. Most people overestimate their activity. If you sit at a desk all day, walk to the metro, hit the gym 3 days a week, you're 'lightly active' not 'moderate'. When in doubt, use a lower factor and adjust based on real-world results.

The default split is 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat — a balanced starting point. Higher protein (30-35%) helps preserve muscle during weight loss. Lower carbs (20% or less) is the keto approach. Endurance athletes often go higher carbs (55-65%). Use the dedicated Macro Split Calculator for a fully-customizable split.

Three common reasons. First, water weight fluctuates 1-3 kg over a week due to sodium, glycogen, hormonal cycles — track the 7-day average, not daily numbers. Second, the activity factor may be too high — drop one level and reassess. Third, calorie tracking is hard — restaurant meals are routinely under-counted by 20-30%. Weigh and log everything for one week to recalibrate.

It can help. Average to the same weekly target, but eat more on workout days (TDEE + 200) and less on rest days (TDEE - 200). This gives your body more fuel when training and a small deficit when sedentary. Many serious lifters and athletes use this approach.

Local UAE-made products are required to display calories per ESMA regulations and they're usually accurate to within ±10%. International imported products are subject to the same checking. Restaurant calorie counts (especially Dubai's casual dining) are often understated by 20-30% because of cooking oil, hidden sauces, and portion sizes that exceed the listed serving.