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Calorie Calculator Examples With Solutions

Follow three checked calorie examples using Mifflin-St Jeor, revised Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle, activity factors, deficits, and surpluses.

How should you use these Calorie Calculator examples?

These examples turn the Calorie Calculator inputs into complete scenarios with stated values, calculation steps, and interpreted results. Use them to check how the calculator behaves, compare your own situation with realistic cases, and identify which inputs have the greatest effect before relying on an estimate.

Three Calorie Calculator Examples

These scenarios use the same production engine as the Calorie Calculator. Each one uses a different BMR method and activity factor so the examples teach more than one path through the calculator.

Example 1: Mifflin-St Jeor Maintenance Calories

A 30-year-old man is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 175 pounds. He selects the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and enters an activity factor of 1.55.

BMR≈1760.04 Calories/dayBMR\approx1760.04\ Calories/day
TDEE=1760.04×1.55≈2728.06TDEE=1760.04\times1.55\approx2728.06
Selected BMR1760 Calories/day
Maintenance calories2728 Calories/day
500-Calorie deficit scenario2228 Calories/day
300-Calorie surplus scenario3028 Calories/day
Weekly maintenance energy19096 Calories/week

The activity factor scales the resting estimate. It does not measure this person's actual movement.

Example 2: Revised Harris-Benedict for a Lightly Active Adult

A 40-year-old woman is 165 cm tall and weighs 65 kg. She selects revised Harris-Benedict and an activity factor of 1.375, with a 300-Calorie deficit and 200-Calorie surplus.

BMR≈1386.62 Calories/dayBMR\approx1386.62\ Calories/day
TDEE=1386.62×1.375≈1906.60TDEE=1386.62\times1.375\approx1906.60
Selected BMR1387 Calories/day
Maintenance calories1907 Calories/day
Deficit scenario1607 Calories/day
Surplus scenario2107 Calories/day
Estimated BMI23.9

The Mifflin-St Jeor and Katch-McArdle estimates remain visible in the comparison chart even though revised Harris-Benedict is selected.

Example 3: Katch-McArdle From Body Fat

A 35-year-old man is 180 cm tall, weighs 85 kg, and enters 15% body fat. He selects Katch-McArdle and an activity factor of 1.725.

LBM=85(1−0.15)=72.25 kgLBM=85(1-0.15)=72.25\ kg
BMR=370+21.6(72.25)=1930.60BMR=370+21.6(72.25)=1930.60
TDEE=1930.60×1.725≈3330.29TDEE=1930.60\times1.725\approx3330.29
Selected BMR1931 Calories/day
Maintenance calories3330 Calories/day
400-Calorie deficit scenario2930 Calories/day
250-Calorie surplus scenario3580 Calories/day
Body-fat input15.0%

If the body-fat input changes, estimated lean mass and the Katch-McArdle result both change. Age and height do not appear directly in this equation.

Compare the Three Scenarios

ScenarioSelected formulaActivity factorBMRMaintenance
Example 1Mifflin-St Jeor1.55017602728
Example 2Revised Harris-Benedict1.37513871907
Example 3Katch-McArdle1.72519313330

These scenarios cannot be compared as recommendations because the people and assumptions differ. The table demonstrates how each equation flows into the maintenance calculation.

Reproduce These Examples

  1. Open the Calorie Calculator.
  2. Select the unit system and published sex term shown in the example.
  3. Enter age, height, and weight.
  4. Open Calculation settings and select the example's formula.
  5. Enter the activity factor, body-fat percentage, deficit, and surplus.
  6. Select Calculate.
  7. Compare BMR, maintenance calories, daily targets, charts, and formula table.

See the calorie formula page for every equation and variable.

References

These references support the calculation method, assumptions, or current program guidance.

Corrections and Review

Report an issue or error in the calculator using the Contact Us page.

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