What kcal means on a label
In nutrition, “calories” usually means kilocalories, written kcal. Check whether the label gives energy per 100 g or per serving. A food with 250 kcal per 100 g supplies about 150 kcal in a 60 g portion. Added ingredients and actual serving size change the total.
Resting energy is only part of your day
Mifflin–St Jeor estimates resting energy expenditure from weight, height, age and a sex-based coefficient. It does not measure your individual metabolism. Total daily expenditure includes the rest of your day; our calculator approximates it by applying a selected activity factor.
A worked example
For a 30-year-old adult weighing 70 kg, measuring 175 cm, using the male coefficient: 700 + 1,093.75 − 150 + 5 = 1,648.75 resting kcal. With activity factor 1.55, the total estimate is 2,556 kcal/day. An approximate activity category cannot make this accurate to the nearest calorie.
Use the estimate in context
Treat it as a starting reference, not a daily limit. Do not count exercise calories twice if your chosen activity level already includes them. Weight goals require personal context. Our tool does not promise a particular amount or speed of weight loss.
