Work out your BMR and daily calorie needs with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, adjusted for activity and whether you want to lose, hold, or gain weight.
What is the difference between BMR and maintenance?
BMR is what your body burns lying completely still all day, just keeping you alive. Maintenance adds everything else: walking, working, digesting, and exercise. For most people maintenance is 20% to 90% higher than BMR.
Which activity level should I pick?
Be honest and pick one lower than you think. Most people overestimate. A desk job with three gym sessions a week is "light" or "moderate", not "active". Very active is for physical labour or two training sessions a day.
Is a 500 calorie deficit right for everyone?
It suits most people and gives about half a kilogram a week. A smaller person may need a smaller deficit, which is why this calculator never takes the target below your BMR. Eating under your resting burn costs muscle and is hard to sustain.
Why does the Indian diet note matter?
Because a rice or roti heavy plate usually hits the calorie target easily and misses protein badly. Most Indian adults get well under the 1.6 g per kilogram this page suggests. Adding dal, curd, paneer, eggs, or soya fixes it without pushing calories up much.
Should I eat back the calories I burn exercising?
No, not if you picked an activity level that already includes your exercise. Counting it twice is the most common reason a calorie target stops working. Pick the level once and leave it.
How accurate is this?
Mifflin-St Jeor is within about 10% for most healthy adults, which can still be 200 calories either way. Use it as a starting point, weigh yourself weekly at the same time, and adjust by 100 to 200 calories if the trend is not what you wanted.