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Find your number. Then let it learn from you.

A calorie target built on the best available research, explained line by line. No guesswork, no black box.

Pro mode

Body fat and exact step count for a sharper estimate.

01About you

The basics your metabolism is built on.

Sex

Used for the metabolic formula, which is based on biological sex.

Age

yrs

Height

Weight

02Your everyday

Everyday movement often burns more than your workouts. Be honest here.

What does a typical workday look like?

Average steps per day

Check your phone's health app for your weekly average.

03Training

Planned workouts on top of your everyday movement.

Sessions per week

3 × /week

Typical session length

Main type

How hard?

Hard means breathing heavily or training close to failure most of the session.

04Your goal

Pick what you want. We handle the math.

Your daily target

1,980kcal

Maintenance 2,592 Expected change −0.56 kg / week In 12 weeks: about 73.3 kg

Steady beats fast. This pace protects your muscle and keeps you going long enough to see real results.

Digesting food259
Training137
Steps251
Everyday movement177
Basal metabolism1,768
Maintenance2,592
Your target1,980

Your macros

Protein 176 g36 %

2.2 g per kg body weight · with strength training

Fat 59 g27 %

Carbs 185 g37 %

How we calculate this

Your basal metabolism uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate formula for most people in comparative studies. With body fat in pro mode we switch to Katch-McArdle. Steps are converted from distance and body weight, training from established MET values. Digesting food adds about 10%. Weight change assumes roughly 7,700 kcal per kg. Protein depends on your goal and on whether you lift: with strength training it is 1.8 to 2.4 g per kg, highest in a deficit or recomp, because that is when your body is most likely to break down muscle. In a surplus the extra energy protects muscle, so around 2 g per kg is enough (research shows gains level off at about 1.6 g per kg). Above a BMI of 30 we use a reference weight instead of your full body weight.

Sources

Mifflin MD et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure. Am J Clin Nutr.
Frankenfield D et al. (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate. J Am Diet Assoc.
McArdle WD, Katch FI, Katch VL. Exercise Physiology (lean-mass equation).
Ainsworth BE et al. (2011). Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
Westerterp KR (2004). Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutr Metab.
Helms ER et al. (2014). Evidence-based recommendations for bodybuilding contest preparation. JISSN.
Morton RW et al. (2018). Protein supplementation and resistance-training-induced gains: a meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med.
Iraki J et al. (2019). Nutrition recommendations for bodybuilders in the off-season. Sports.
Jäger R et al. (2017). ISSN position stand: protein and exercise. JISSN.
Longland TM et al. (2016). Higher compared with lower dietary protein during an energy deficit combined with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss. Am J Clin Nutr.
Barakat C et al. (2020). Body recomposition: can trained individuals build muscle and lose fat at the same time? Strength Cond J.
Nunes EA et al. (2022). Systematic review and meta-analysis of protein intake to support muscle mass and function in healthy adults. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle.

Coming soon: your number adapts to you

Every formula is off by 10 to 15% for some people. With the weight diary, Metably will learn your real metabolism from your trend and adjust your target week by week.