Daily Calorie Calculator for Weight Loss and Maintenance

Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/12/27 - Updated: 2026/01/18
Publication Type: Conversion, Calculation
Category Topic: Calculators - Charts - Related Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This tool calculates personalized daily calorie requirements based on gender, height, weight, age, and activity level to help individuals manage their weight effectively. The calculator is particularly valuable for people with mobility limitations, seniors, and others who need precise nutritional guidance, as it accounts for varying activity levels from sedentary to extremely active lifestyles. Beyond basic calorie counts, it breaks down macronutrient needs into specific gram amounts for carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, while also computing basal metabolic rate - the calories your body burns at rest. This level of detail makes it a practical resource for anyone working with healthcare providers, nutritionists, or managing conditions where weight control matters for overall health and function - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Our daily calorie calculator for females and males will assist you if you are trying to lose weight or control obesity. The daily calorie calculator results will provide you with your basal metabolic rate (BMR), daily requirements of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in terms of calories and grams/day for adult women and men.

Main Content

Defining What a Calorie Is

The name calorie is used for two units of energy.

The small calorie or gram calorie (symbol: cal) is the approximate amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius.
The large calorie, kilogram calorie, dietary calorie, nutritionist's calorie or food calorie (symbol: Cal, equiv: kcal) is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius.

The large calorie is thus equal to 1000 small calories or one kilocalorie (symbol: kcal).

In the International System of Units, the joule. One small calorie is around 4.2 joules (one large calorie or kilocalorie is therefore approx. 4.2 kilojoules). Factors used to convert calories to joules are numerically equivalent to expressions of specific heat capacity of water in joules per gram or per kilogram. The conversion factor depends on the definition adopted.

Our Daily Calorie Calculator Results Include:

Calories needed to maintain your current weight.
Calories required to lose a certain number of pounds per week.
Calories needed to gain weight (number of pounds per week)

You may also be interested in our Weight Loss Planning Calculator, BMI Calculator, and Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator.

Using the Calculator:

To lose weight, 500 calories are subtracted per day for each pound you wish to lose per week.
To gain weight, 500 calories are added per day for each pound you want to gain per week.

NOTE: Total calorie levels < 1200 calories are not recommended and weight loss of > 2 pounds per week is not recommended.

Daily Calorie Calculator
Enter the Following Data:
Your Gender:
Your Height:
Your Weight:
Your Age:	Years
Your Activity:
Automatic recalculation
Results
Basal Metabolic Rate =
Requirements to Maintain Current Weight:
Calories	cal
Carbohydrates (55%)	cal = gm
Proteins (15%)	cal = gm
Fats (30%)	cal = gm
Requirements to Lose Weight By: per week *
Calories	cal
Carbohydrates (55%)	cal = gm
Proteins (15%)	cal = gm
Fats (30%)	cal = gm
Requirements to Gain Weight By: per week
Calories	cal
Carbohydrates (55%)	cal = gm
Proteins (15%)	cal = gm
Fats (30%)	cal = gm

NOTE: To lose weight, 500 calories are subtracted per day for each pound you want to lose every week. To gain weight, 500 calories are added per day for each pound you want to gain every week. However, total calorie levels < 1200 calories are not recommended and weight loss of > 2 pounds per week is also not recommended. For a more balanced approach to a 1 pound per week weight loss, increase your activity. Decrease calorie intake by 250 calories per day and exercising to expend (use up) the other 250 calories. This approach prevents a decrease in your metabolic rate and promotes increased lean muscle mass.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: Understanding your body's actual energy needs removes much of the guesswork from weight management, yet many people still rely on generic recommendations that don't account for their specific circumstances. What makes a calculator like this genuinely useful isn't just the numbers it generates, but how it translates abstract concepts like basal metabolic rate into concrete daily targets that someone can actually use when planning meals or discussing nutrition with their doctor. For those whose physical activity is limited by disability or age, knowing that even small caloric adjustments of 250-500 calories daily can lead to gradual, sustainable weight changes offers a realistic path forward - one that doesn't demand dramatic lifestyle overhauls but rather informed, incremental choices that add up over time - Disabled World (DW).

Ian C. Langtree Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.