How is your daily calorie target calculated?
The calculator estimates your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the formula a 2005 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics review (Frankenfield et al.) identified as the most accurate for the general population. It then multiplies BMR by your activity level to get your TDEE, the calories you burn in a full day. Finally it applies your goal:
| Goal | Adjustment | Expected pace |
|---|---|---|
| Lose weight | TDEE − 500 kcal | About 0.5 kg per week |
| Maintain | TDEE | Weight stays stable |
| Gain muscle | TDEE + 300 kcal | Lean gain with training |
The calculator never recommends going below 1,200 calories for women or 1,500 for men. Below those floors it becomes hard to meet protein and micronutrient needs without medical supervision.
Why doesn't the number alone work?
Here is the uncomfortable truth about calorie targets: research on self-reported intake consistently shows people underestimate what they eat by 30-50 percent. The deficit exists in the spreadsheet but not in the kitchen. Cooking oil, bites while cooking, weekend drinks, the dressing on the salad: it all counts and almost none of it gets logged.
That is not a discipline problem. It is a friction problem. When logging a meal takes two minutes of database searching, you skip it. Skip enough meals and the data is fiction.
Calally was built around removing exactly that friction. You describe the meal by voice: "chicken salad with olive oil, a slice of bread, and an espresso". The AI breaks down every ingredient, estimates calories and macros, and logs it in one tap. About 3 seconds. And when you wonder how the week is going, the built-in AI coach answers from your real data.
How do you hit your calorie target consistently?
- Log everything for the first two weeks. The goal is calibration, not perfection. You learn what your typical meals cost.
- Pre-log dinner at lunch. Deciding earlier beats deciding hungry.
- Protein first. Higher protein intake preserves muscle in a deficit and keeps you fuller per calorie.
- Recalculate after every 5 percent change in body weight. Your TDEE drops as you lose; the target must follow.
- Expect imperfect days. One day over target is noise. The weekly average is the signal.