How many calories should you eat in a day? Enter a few details below to estimate your daily calories, then use our restaurant menu pages to plan a meal that fits.
Daily Calorie Calculator
Estimate the calories you burn in a day, then see targets to lose, keep or gain weight.
Your body burns about 0 calories a day at rest. Eating three meals a day, your maintenance number is roughly 0 calories per meal. Check calories on our restaurant menu pages before you order.
Weight-loss targets are shown at no lower than 0 calories a day. Going lower is not advised without a doctor’s care.
Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and standard activity factors. Results are estimates for healthy adults, not medical advice. Not for pregnancy or anyone under 18.
How this calculator works
It estimates your resting energy use with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, one of the most widely used formulas, then multiplies it by your activity level. Eating about 500 calories less than your maintenance number each day is a common way to lose about 1 pound a week.
Using your number when eating out
- Split your daily calories across your meals. For 2,100 calories, that is about 700 per meal.
- Check the calories on any restaurant menu page before you order.
- Use the meal calculator on each menu page: tap + next to items to see your total price and calories.
- Drinks and sauces count. A medium soda can add 200 to 400 calories.
Example meals around 600 calories
- Chick-fil-A 8 ct Nuggets (250) with a side salad and diet drink.
- McDonald’s Egg McMuffin (310) with a hash brown and black coffee.
- Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi (490) with a house salad.
- Texas Roadhouse 6 oz Sirloin (250) with green beans (100) and a house salad.
This calculator gives a general estimate and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or dietitian for personal guidance.