Caloric deficit
You consume fewer calories than you burn. The body draws from fat reserves. A 300 to 500 kcal/day deficit is recommended to preserve muscle mass.
E.g.: TDEE 2,500 kcal → target 2,000 kcal/day
Calorie & macro calculator
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A calculator designed for results
Sex
Male
Age
28 yrs
Weight
80 kg
Height
180 cm
Maintenance calories
2 680
kcal / day
Cutting goal
2 180
kcal / day (−500)
Bulking goal
2 930
kcal / day (+250)
Education
What are maintenance calories?
Maintenance calories (or TDEE — Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the number of calories your body burns in a day, accounting for your basal metabolic rate and your physical activity level.
Eating exactly this amount lets you maintain a stable weight. It's the essential starting point for any nutritional strategy: cutting, bulking, or maintaining.
Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, recognized as the most accurate for estimating basal metabolic rate (BMR), adjusted with a physical activity coefficient suited to your lifestyle.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
Calories burned at rest, with no activity
TDEE (Total Expenditure)
BMR × activity coefficient = your actual needs
Maintenance calories
Your TDEE = the perfect balance point
The 3 phases
Deficit, Maintenance or Surplus?
It all depends on your goal. Here's how to choose the right caloric strategy.
Maintenance calories
You consume exactly what you burn. Your weight stays stable. Ideal for consolidating a bulk or a cut, or simply maintaining your current shape.
E.g.: TDEE 2,500 kcal → target 2,500 kcal/day
Caloric surplus
You consume more calories than you burn. The body has extra resources to build muscle. A 200 to 300 kcal/day surplus is recommended (lean bulk).
E.g.: TDEE 2,500 kcal → target 2,750 kcal/day
Macronutrients
Macro breakdown
Macronutrients (proteins, carbs, fats) are the three pillars of nutrition. Their distribution depends on your goal.
Proteins
4 kcal/g
Muscle building and repair
Meat, fish, eggs, legumes
Carbs
4 kcal/g
Primary fuel for exercise and the brain
Rice, pasta, oats, fruit
Fats
9 kcal/g
Hormones, vitamin absorption, energy
Olive oil, avocado, nuts, cheese
Recommended breakdown by goal:
| Goal | Proteins | Carbs | Fats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cutting | 35–40% | 30–35% | 25–30% |
| Maintenance | 25–30% | 40–45% | 25–30% |
| Bulking | 25–30% | 45–50% | 20–25% |
Why Kalio
Simple, accurate, built for progress
Simple
Clean interface, results in under a minute, no sign-up required.
Accurate
Mifflin-St Jeor formula, the scientific reference for BMR calculation.
Tracking
Create an account to track your weight and adjust your calories over time.
Reliable
Method based on current scientific data in sports nutrition.
Process
How it works
Enter your profile
Sex, age, height, weight, activity level and goal. 30 seconds is all it takes.
Get your results
Maintenance calories, targets based on your goal, and detailed macro breakdown.
Track your progress
Create an account to save your data and adjust your needs over time.
Member area
Save your results and track your progress
Create a free account to save your calories and macros, track your weight week after week, and get personalized adjustments.
Weight history Progress curve Calorie adjustments Future access to Repster
FAQ