UK Calorie Calculator — TDEE & Daily Calories

The NHS recommends 2,000 calories per day for women and 2,500 for men as a general daily calorie needs estimate. However, your actual daily calorie intake depends on age, height, weight, body composition, and activity level — which is why a personalised TDEE calculation is far more useful than a generic figure.

To lose weight, eat 300–500 calories below your TDEE per day. A 500 calorie deficit means you'll lose roughly 0.5kg per week — a safe, sustainable rate. Avoid going below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men without medical supervision. For long term weight loss, a modest deficit beats aggressive restriction every time.

A calorie deficit calculator tells you how many calories to eat each day to lose weight at your chosen rate. It works by calculating your TDEE (the calories your body burns daily) then subtracting a deficit amount. This UK calorie deficit calculator uses your BMR and activity level to give a personalised target — not a one-size-fits-all figure. Eating at this calorie intake daily is the most reliable way to know how many calories to lose weight at a steady pace.

Maintenance calories are the total daily calorie intake at which your weight stays stable — neither gaining nor losing. This equals your TDEE. A maintenance calories calculator works out this number from your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. Once you know your maintenance calories, you can set a precise deficit for weight loss or surplus for muscle gain, rather than guessing your calorie intake.

A basal metabolic rate calculator estimates the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep organs functioning. BMR accounts for about 60–70% of total daily calorie burn. This BMR calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict formula. BMR is not the same as TDEE — your actual daily calorie needs are higher because of movement and physical activity.

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total calories you burn per day across all activity. It is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor: 1.2 (sedentary desk job), 1.375 (light exercise 1–3 days/week), 1.55 (moderate 3–5 days), 1.725 (very active 6–7 days or an active job), 1.9 (physical job plus daily training). TDEE is your maintenance calories figure — the number that determines everything about your weight loss calculator or muscle gain targets.

To build muscle and improve body composition, eat 200–300 calories above your TDEE (a lean bulk). Combined with adequate protein (1.6–2.2g per kg of body weight) and resistance training, a small calorie surplus over the long term creates muscle growth while limiting fat gain. A large surplus just adds fat without proportionally more muscle.