Nutrition & energy

Your path to personalized calorie targets.

Estimate how many calories fit your body and daily activity, then save your target with a free account.

By Aziz Mezlini, PhD · Founder & Scientist, Carthalis · Updated 2026-05-25

Estimate your daily calorie target

Pavlidou RMR + PAL on this page for TDEE, then a conservative goal-based adjustment for fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.

Your inputs

We don't store these values until you sign up.

Your result

Fill in your inputs to see your personalised result here. The calculator runs entirely on this page — no signup required to try.

Wellness education, not medical or nutrition advice.

Sign up to use the MET-based engine in the app, plus meal suggestions, planning, and logging against your daily target.

Save your result with a free account

Methodology

  • Pavlidou et al. 2023 — resting metabolic rate equation (Nutrients 15:1165)
  • FAO/WHO/UNU 2004 — physical activity level (PAL) multipliers
  • Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 — body-weight adjustment ranges

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What this number actually measures

A daily calorie target is an educational estimate of how many kilocalories approximate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — resting metabolism plus everyday movement — not a medical prescription.

  • Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

    The calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep you alive. RMR accounts for roughly 60–75% of your total daily burn.

    Formula: Pavlidou equation for RMR calculation

  • Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

    Your complete daily calorie burn including RMR, physical activity, work, digestion, and daily movement — the number most calorie calculators return.

    Methods: A broad activity level on this page; in the app, the activities you actually log.

Example calculation

A 30-year-old woman, 5'6", 150 lbs, moderately active: RMR: 1,450 calories × 1.55 (activity) = 2,248 calories TDEE

Scientific basis: FAO/WHO/UNU (2004) Human Energy Requirements and Pavlidou equation (2023)

Adjusting for fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain

Once you know your TDEE, adjust your daily calorie target for your goal — moderate changes tend to stick better than extreme cuts or surges.

  • Weight loss

    Create a moderate calorie deficit to lose fat while preserving muscle.

    Target: TDEE - 300-500 calories Rate: 0.5-1 lb per week

  • Maintenance

    Balance calories in vs calories out to maintain current weight.

    Target: TDEE ± 50 calories Rate: Consistency

  • Muscle gain

    Create a moderate surplus to fuel muscle growth and recovery.

    Target: TDEE + 200-400 calories Rate: 0.25-0.5 lb per week

  • Common calorie calculator mistakes

    • × Underestimating activity level Most people think they're "moderate" when they're actually "lightly active".
    • × Ignoring body composition Muscle burns more calories than fat — body composition matters more than weight alone.
    • × Not adjusting for goals Using maintenance calories for weight loss or muscle gain goals.
    • × Forgetting lifestyle factors Stress, sleep, and recovery all affect your calorie needs.
How it's calculated, sources and more

On this page vs in the app

The on-page calorie calculator uses Pavlidou RMR with WHO/FAO physical-activity level (PAL) multipliers. In the app, Carthalis adds the energy cost of the activities you log (MET values from the Adult Compendium of Physical Activities).

Methodology sources: Pavlidou et al. 2023 (RMR equation); FAO/WHO/UNU 2004 (PAL activity multipliers). Pavlidou et al. 2023; FAO/WHO/UNU 2004

Calorie estimates are general guidance — consult a clinician for medically supervised diets.

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Common questions

Your daily calorie needs are the energy your body uses in a day — resting metabolism plus movement — adjusted for losing, keeping or gaining weight. The free calculator on this page uses the Pavlidou resting-metabolism equation with WHO/FAO activity levels. In Carthalis, targets update with the workouts you log and come with meal suggestions and meal logging. A planning estimate, not a medical prescription.

Yes. Try the calculator on this page to estimate your daily calorie target using Pavlidou RMR and PAL multipliers. Save your results with a free account; in the app, your estimate updates with the activities you log.

The on-page calculator uses the Pavlidou equation for resting metabolic rate (RMR) and WHO/FAO physical-activity level (PAL) multipliers for total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). It is an educational estimate — not a clinical measurement. In the app, your estimate uses the activities you log.

Recalculate every 4–6 weeks, or when your weight, activity level, or goals change meaningfully. Energy needs drop as body mass declines — adjust targets to stay aligned.

RMR (resting metabolic rate) is calories burned at rest — roughly 60–75% of your total. TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) adds movement, work, and daily activity. Base calorie goals on TDEE, not RMR alone.

A common starting point is TDEE minus about 500 kcal per day (~3,500 kcal per week). Track weekly averages for 2–3 weeks and adjust by 100–150 kcal if progress is faster or slower than planned — general wellness guidance, not individualized medical advice.

For many adults, 1,200 kcal per day is very low and can compromise nutrient intake and adherence. Prefer moderate deficits (300–500 kcal below TDEE) with adequate protein and fiber. Consult a clinician for aggressive or medically supervised plans.

Yes. As body mass declines, energy needs fall. Recalculate TDEE every 4–6 weeks or after about 2–3 kg (5–7 lb) of change to keep your target aligned with your current weight and activity.

No. Calorie estimates on Carthalis are wellness education for nutrition planning — not medical diagnosis, treatment, or prescription. Discuss significant diet changes with a qualified clinician, especially with health conditions or medications.

Save your number and plan meals

Create a free account to save your estimate. In the app it updates with the activities you log, alongside meal suggestions and meal logging against your targets.

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