How many calories does an average man need per day?

The average sedentary man needs around 2,000–2,400 kcal/day. Active men typically need 2,600–3,000 kcal/day or more. Your exact number depends on age, weight, height, and activity level.

Why do men need more calories than women?

On average, men have more muscle mass, which burns more calories at rest. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula for men adds 5 to the BMR result, while the female formula subtracts 161, reflecting this systematic difference.

How many calories should a man eat to lose weight?

A daily deficit of 500 kcal from your TDEE produces roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week. Eating below your BMR is not recommended without medical supervision.

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All calculations are pure JavaScript running in your browser. Our servers are not involved at any point.

Calorie calculator for men

Men generally have higher calorie needs than women of the same age and activity level due to greater average muscle mass and body size. Enter your details to calculate your TDEE and see personalised calorie targets for your goal. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is used, which accounts for biological sex in its BMR formula.

Biological sex

Age (years)

Height (cm)

Weight (kg)

Activity level

How it works

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation calculates basal metabolic rate (BMR), the calories your body needs at rest. Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5. Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161. The BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor (1.2–1.9) to produce your TDEE. Calorie targets are derived by adding or subtracting a daily deficit or surplus.

Processing runs in your browser

All calculations happen locally using pure JavaScript arithmetic. Our servers are not involved at any point.

Technical specification

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation was developed by Mifflin et al. and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 51:2 (1990). It is the most widely recommended BMR formula for adults. Activity multipliers follow the Harris-Benedict activity factor scale: Sedentary (×1.2), Lightly active (×1.375), Moderately active (×1.55), Active (×1.725), Very active (×1.9). A 500 kcal/day deficit corresponds to approximately 0.5 kg of fat loss per week (based on 3,500 kcal per pound of fat).

BMR formula: Mifflin-St Jeor (1990), AJCN 51:2
Activity multipliers: 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active)
Weight loss target: TDEE − 500 kcal/day ≈ 0.5 kg/week loss
Browser API: Pure JavaScript arithmetic. No library

Related operations

To check a weight category for your height, try the BMI calculator. For body composition from circumference inputs, use the body fat calculator. To work out fat-free mass for protein targets, see the lean body mass calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories does an average man need per day?: The average sedentary man needs around 2,000–2,400 kcal/day. Active men typically need 2,600–3,000 kcal/day or more. Your exact number depends on age, weight, height, and activity level.
Why do men need more calories than women?: On average, men have more muscle mass, which burns more calories at rest. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula for men adds 5 to the BMR result, while the female formula subtracts 161, reflecting this systematic difference.
How many calories should a man eat to lose weight?: A daily deficit of 500 kcal from your TDEE produces roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week. Eating below your BMR is not recommended without medical supervision.
Is my data sent to a server?: All calculations are pure JavaScript running in your browser. Our servers are not involved at any point.