Calories Burned Calculator

This calorie calculator will help you estimate the number of calories you're burning each day, and then help you determine a "target daily caloric intake" to aim for. Once you have this number, you will be able to customize your nutrition to your physical goal, no matter if it's weight loss, muscle gain, or just being in better control of your health and the way you eat.

This calorie calculator can be the launch pad on your mission toward better health!

You can achieve some amazing results by simply changing the way you eat. But adding in activity, both in the form of exercise and non-exercise activity, can definitely help you tip the scales even further in your favor.

It's common for someone who is looking to lose weight to start exercising with an eye toward burning as many calories as possible. They see this as the best way to boost total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which is the amount of calories they burn each day.

However, as Susan Hewlings, Ph.D., explains in Bodybuilding.com's Foundations of Fitness Nutrition course, that thinking doesn't work in action.

"You actually burn a lot fewer calories during exercise than you think—no matter how intense your workouts may be," she explains. "Put in more tangible terms, that 800-calorie burrito is just about impossible to 'burn off' in a gym session. If that's your goal each time you step foot in the gym, well, that's an easy way to start hating exercise—and stop doing it."

A better approach is to simply focus on exercising consistently, incorporating both cardio and weight training, and following a nutritional approach that you can sustain long term. That means no drastic deficits!

This approach will help you build lean muscle, which will help you burn calories, even while your body is at rest. Then, when you're outside of the gym, focus on adding in low-impact activity whenever and wherever possible.

"Park far away from a building. Walk or bike rather than drive. Do yardwork or housework. Stand rather than sit. Foam roll or stretch while you watch TV," Hewlings recommends. "This type of 'trivial' activity is less common in our computer-and-TV-bound era. But research has shown that it adds up quickly in terms of calorie burn. Along with a reasonable, consistent approach to weight training and cardio, it might be all you need."

The number this calculator gives you is important, but it's just one part of the recipe for lasting weight control and health. Take an overall approach, and you can not only achieve results, but keep them for the long term!