Not sure how much you should be eating?
Get your free, personalised calorie and macro targets in about a minute, from a Nationally Recognised Nutritionist, so you can stop guessing how much to eat and start working towards your goals with confidence.
This is for you if
- You're eating "healthy" but not seeing the results you'd hoped for.
- You're unsure how much to eat to lose fat, build muscle or support your training.
- You're tired of restrictive diets and want an approach that fits your lifestyle.
Before you start
This free calculator gives estimated targets for generally healthy adults and isn't medical advice. Please check in with your GP or an Accredited Practising Dietitian first if you're under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding, have a history of disordered eating, take weight loss medication or have a diagnosed medical condition. In those cases your targets need to come from someone who knows your full health picture.
Here's your starting point
These numbers are based on what you told me. Treat them as a starting point, not a test.
How to use them
- Protein first. Get close to your protein number most days and let the rest fall roughly into place.
- Aim for a range. A day a little over or under is fine. Think about your week, not one meal.
- Give it two weeks. See how your energy, hunger, training and body respond before changing anything.
Don't leave without your free label decoder
Your numbers are only half of it. Get my free Supermarket Label Decoder and two-week game plan, so you know exactly what to buy and how to hit your protein number in the aisles. Pop your email in the box just below and I'll send it straight to your inbox.
Estimates only, calculated with the revised Harris-Benedict equation.
Thanks for being so honest
Because of what you've shared, I can't give you calorie or macro targets here. That's about keeping you safe.
Your next step
Your GP or an Accredited Practising Dietitian is the right person to guide you at this stage. When you've been cleared, I'd love to help.
How this calculator works
I use the revised Harris-Benedict equation to estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is roughly what your body burns at rest. We multiply that by an activity factor based on your day and your training to get your maintenance calories.
Your goal then adjusts that number. For fat loss I take about 15% off, a deficit that's usually manageable for busy women who don't want to feel like they're dieting. To build muscle I add about 8%. Protein is set at about 30% of your calories, fat at about 25% and carbs fill the rest.
Why you'll need to adjust it
Calculators work from averages. Your real needs depend on things like your dieting history, sleep, stress, daily movement and hormones. Follow your numbers for two weeks and look at the trend in your energy, hunger, training and measurements. If nothing is changing, adjust by 100 to 150 calories, not 500.
What it can't tell you
It can't see food quality, micronutrients, hunger or how you feel. That's where personalised support makes the difference.
Common questions
Do I have to track everything?
No, you don't need to track forever. Tracking is a useful tool at the start, though. Logging your food for a few weeks teaches you what's actually in what you eat and how much protein, carbs and fat you're getting. Once you have that picture, many women relax into tracking only protein, or a few days a week, and judge portions by eye.
Should I eat my exercise calories back?
No. Your training is already built into your activity level, so your target already includes it.
Do I have to hit the numbers exactly?
No. Aim for your protein most days and treat calories as a range. Your week matters more than any single day.
My calories feel low or high. What should I do?
Give it two weeks and see how you feel. If you've dieted for years, your starting point can look different to a generic calculator. That's exactly what we work through in 1:1 FLEX coaching.
Want help putting this into practice?
We work out what deserves your attention, build a strategy around your life and adjust as you go.