Your CalorAI target is not a generic 2,000 calories. It comes from a published formula and the details in your profile.
Step 1: resting calories
CalorAI uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate what your body burns at rest:
- Men: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
Step 2: activity
Your resting calories are multiplied by your activity level: 1.2, 1.4, 1.6 or 1.8, from least to most active.
Step 3: your goal
| Goal | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Lose weight | Target × 0.8 |
| Maintain weight | No change |
| Gain weight | Target + 500 kcal |
| Gain muscle | Target + 350 kcal |
A worked example
Take a 30-year-old man who is 175 cm tall, weighs 75 kg and has an activity level of 1.6, with a goal of losing weight.
- Resting calories: 750 + 1,094 − 150 + 5 = 1,699 kcal
- With activity: 1,699 × 1.6 = 2,718 kcal
- With the goal: 2,718 × 0.8 = 2,174 kcal a day
Treat it as a starting point
Every formula is an estimate, and real bodies differ. Follow your target for a few weeks and watch your weight trend. If it isn't moving the way you want, adjust.
Sources
- Mifflin MD et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr, 1990.
- Disclosure: this article is published by the team behind CalorAI. Any formula gives an estimate, so adjust it using your real results.
CalorAI provides estimates for general information only and is not medical advice.
