Calorie Calculator Saudi Arabia

How to Use the Calorie Calculator

1. Select Your Unit System: Toggle between Standard US units (pounds and feet/inches) or Metric units (kilograms and centimeters).

2. Enter Your Biometrics: Input your gender, age, height, and current weight.

3. Select Your Activity Level: Be brutally honest here. If you sit at a desk for 8 hours but work out for 45 minutes, you are likely “Lightly Active” or “Moderately Active,” not “Extra Active.”

4. Calculate: Hit the calculate button to reveal your maintenance calories.

Our tool goes a step further by calculating your daily targets for Mild Weight Loss (~0.5 lbs per week), Standard Weight Loss (~1 lb per week), and Weight Gain (~1 lb per week for muscle building).

The Math: Understanding the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation

There are several mathematical formulas used by dietitians to calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—which is the number of calories your body burns just keeping you alive while resting. We use the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, which has been proven by modern clinical studies to be the most highly accurate standard.

The formal equations are calculated as follows (using Metric values):

For Men:

For Women:

Once your BMR is calculated, our tool multiplies that number by an Activity Multiplier (ranging from 1.2 for sedentary individuals to 1.9 for highly active individuals) to find your final TDEE.

10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

To lose weight safely and sustainably, you need to eat in a calorie deficit. Subtracting 500 calories per day from your TDEE (Maintenance Calories) will generally result in a weight loss of about 1 pound per week.

2. What exactly is a calorie deficit?

A calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories through food and drink than your body burns through basal metabolism, daily movement, and exercise. When your body doesn’t get enough energy from food, it is forced to burn stored body fat for fuel.

3. Is eating 1,200 calories a day safe?

For the vast majority of adults, eating 1,200 calories a day is not safe or sustainable. It is generally too low to provide adequate macro and micronutrients, leading to muscle loss, extreme fatigue, and eventual binge eating. Women should generally not drop below 1,500 calories, and men should not drop below 1,800 calories without direct medical supervision.

4. What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the absolute bare minimum number of calories your body needs to survive if you were to lay in bed all day and not move. Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is your BMR plus the calories you burn walking around, digesting food, and exercising. You should base your diet on your TDEE, not your BMR.

5. Does it matter what kind of calories I eat?

For pure weight loss, the science of thermodynamics dictates that a calorie deficit will cause you to lose weight regardless of what you eat. However, for body composition (muscle vs. fat), energy levels, and overall health, where your calories come from matters immensely. Prioritize lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

6. How many calories are in a pound of body fat?

There are approximately 3,500 calories in one pound of human body fat. This is why a daily calorie deficit of 500 calories (500 x 7 days = 3,500) theoretically yields 1 pound of fat loss per week.

7. How often should I recalculate my calories?

You should recalculate your calories for every 10 to 15 pounds of body weight you lose or gain. As you lose weight, your body becomes smaller and requires less energy to sustain itself, meaning your maintenance calories will gradually decrease.

8. Does muscle burn more calories than fat?

Yes. Muscle is highly metabolically active tissue. A pound of muscle burns about 6 to 7 calories a day at rest, while a pound of fat burns only about 2 calories a day. Building muscle through strength training is the best way to permanently increase your daily calorie burn.

9. Should I eat back the calories I burn working out?

Generally, no. Fitness trackers and cardio machines are notoriously inaccurate and tend to overestimate the calories you burn. Furthermore, your activity level is already factored into your TDEE in our calculator. If you “eat back” your exercise calories, you will likely erase your deficit.

10. Why am I not losing weight in a calorie deficit?

If the scale hasn’t moved in 3 to 4 weeks, you are, by definition, not in a calorie deficit. This usually happens due to underestimating portion sizes, forgetting to track liquid calories (like cooking oils or sugary coffees), or overestimating how many calories you burn during exercise. Ensure you are weighing your food with a kitchen scale for accuracy.