How the calculation works
The calculation has three steps. First your basal metabolic rate, the energy your body uses at rest, estimated with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from your sex, age, height and weight. Then your total expenditure: the basal rate multiplied by a factor reflecting your day outside sport, plus the energy of your exercise sessions according to their number, length and intensity. This is the so-called factorial method, more precise than a single multiplier.
Finally, the indicative intake to lose weight: about 20% below your total expenditure, adjusted to aim for a loss of 0.5% to 1% of your body weight per week, and never below 1,200 kcal for a woman or 1,500 kcal for a man.
How to read your result
- Total expenditure is the intake that, on average, keeps your current weight stable.
- The indicative intake to lose weight is a starting point, not a rule: how your weight changes over several weeks tells you whether to adjust it.
- The estimated weekly loss includes a safety margin: in practice, weight loss slows down over the weeks.
The limits of a calculator
Every equation carries an error margin of about 10% from one person to another. It does not take into account your health, your medication or your body composition. This calculator is not intended for minors, for pregnant or breastfeeding women, or for people with a history of eating disorders. If you have a chronic condition or take regular medication, ask your doctor first.
From calories to meals
A number alone is not enough: it has to become meals you enjoy and can keep up. That is what the cure BalenZ programme does: your needs are calculated the same way, then your meals are planned day by day with the foods you like, and checked by an advisor. See How it works and the weight-loss time calculator.