Daily Calorie Calculator

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is considered the most accurate formula for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). For men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age) + 5. For women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age) - 161.

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It is calculated by multiplying your BMR by an activity factor. TDEE accounts for your basal metabolism, physical activity, and the thermic effect of food.

The activity factors are: Sedentary (office job, little exercise) = 1.2, Lightly active (light exercise 1-3 days/week) = 1.375, Moderately active (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week) = 1.55, Very active (hard exercise 6-7 days/week) = 1.725, and Extra active (very hard exercise, physical job) = 1.9.

A safe calorie deficit for weight loss is 500 calories below your TDEE per day, which typically results in about 0.5 kg of weight loss per week. A deficit of 250 calories is more conservative and sustainable. Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) per day without medical supervision.

Calorie counting provides a useful estimate but is not perfectly precise. Food labels in Singapore are allowed a margin of error of approximately 10 to 20 percent, restaurant meals are notoriously inconsistent, and individual metabolism varies. Wearable devices and calorie calculators also have a typical error margin of 10 to 25 percent for TDEE. For most people, calorie tracking is most useful as a directional tool, helping you understand patterns rather than hit exact daily numbers. Tracking consistently for 2 to 4 weeks is more informative than trying to be exact each day.

It depends on your goal and how you tracked your TDEE. If you used a sedentary activity multiplier in your calculation, you should add exercise calories on top. If you already used a moderately active or active multiplier, those exercise calories are mostly already factored in, and eating them back may cancel your deficit. Wearable devices tend to overestimate calorie burn during exercise by 15 to 40 percent, so if you do eat back exercise calories, consider only eating back about half of what the device reports.

Yes, many do. According to HPB nutrition data, a plate of chicken rice typically contains around 600 to 700 kcal, a bowl of laksa around 600 to 700 kcal, char kway teow around 740 kcal, and nasi lemak around 500 to 650 kcal depending on accompaniments. HPB now requires calorie labelling on many hawker stalls and food court chains to help consumers make informed choices. Looking for the Healthier Choice Symbol or asking for less oil, sauce, or rice are practical ways to reduce intake without giving up local food.