How does this calculator estimate calories?

It blends weight-based heuristics with activity-adjusted Mifflin-St Jeor and Harris-Benedict estimates. If body fat is provided, it also shows Katch-McArdle for comparison.

How is the calorie deficit chosen?

The recommended target uses a weekly body-weight loss pace and applies a practical calorie floor so the result is more realistic for dieting.

Is this a medical tool?

No. It is an estimation tool for educational use and should not replace advice from a qualified clinician or registered dietitian.

Calorie Deficit Calculator | Deficit Compass

Calculator

Find your daily calorie target

Sex Age Weight (lb) Weight (kg)

Height

ft in

Height (cm) Activity Body fat % (optional)

Diet pace

Choose how fast you want to cut

Balanced cut: 0.6% body weight per week

Gentle Balanced Aggressive

Results

Your starting calorie plan

Recommended daily calories

2,130 kcal

A balanced deficit from an estimated maintenance of 2,580 kcal.

Blended maintenance

2,580 kcal

Daily deficit

450 kcal

Estimated weekly loss

1.1 lb

Primary method

Bergquist Protocol

Sheet anchor

2,300 kcal 500 deficit

Best starting point

2,130 kcal pace-adjusted recommendation

Sheet anchor

1,930 kcal 1000 deficit

Sheet Blend

Maintenance estimate breakdown

RP University

2,775 kcal weight × 15

Xtine Cardenas

1,850 kcal weight × 10

Mifflin TDEE

2,520 kcal activity-adjusted

Harris TDEE

2,660 kcal activity-adjusted

Katch TDEE

Add body fat % to unlock shown for comparison when lean mass is known

Macro starting point

High-protein cut

Protein

170g

Fat

60g

Carbs

214g

This estimate uses a practical intake floor to avoid pushing calories unrealistically low.

What makes this target “optimal”?

Maintenance calories are only the starting line. This tool goes one step further and converts maintenance into a practical dieting target based on the pace you choose, your body size, and a minimum calorie floor that keeps the recommendation usable.

Estimate BMR with Mifflin-St Jeor, or Katch-McArdle if body fat is known.

Apply the standard activity multiplier to estimate TDEE.

Translate your weekly weight-loss pace into a daily calorie deficit.

Clamp the result to a floor so the plan is not needlessly extreme.

A calorie target you can actually use

Start with multiple maintenance estimates instead of relying on one formula.

Choose a weekly pace that fits your body weight and dieting preference.

See the resulting calorie deficit, expected weekly change, and macro targets together.

Use the result as a starting point, then calibrate it against your real weight trend.

Evidence-backed calorie estimates

Default BMR estimates use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from the 1990 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition paper. Harris-Benedict is also included as a comparison model, and the sheet-derived Bergquist Protocol averages four maintenance heuristics: weight x 15, weight x 10, Mifflin TDEE, and Harris TDEE.

If body fat is provided, Katch-McArdle is shown as an additional comparison because lean mass can improve the estimate for trained or unusually lean users. Activity multipliers follow the standard five-band TDEE model used across nutrition and coaching tools: 1.2, 1.375, 1.55, 1.725, and 1.9.

How to use the number correctly

This is a starting estimate, not a guarantee. Track body weight for 2 to 3 weeks under consistent conditions. If your trend is not moving at the expected pace, adjust calories by roughly 100 to 150 kcal and reassess.

If you have a history of disordered eating, are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, or managing a medical condition, use clinician guidance instead of an online calculator.