FREE CALORIE CALCULATOR
Find a diet
you can keep.
Work out how many calories you need, then compare eight popular diets: what you eat, what the research really found and who each one suits. Free, with no sign-up.
- Your calories, from a well-tested equation
- Eight diets in depth, with over 40 studies
- Plain advice, with sources for every claim
Made by Fasting Tracker, the free intermittent fasting app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
DIETS COMPARED
Eight diets.
What they really do.
What you eat on each one, a sample day, the trials behind it, and how a daily eating window fits with it.
- DietThe Mediterranean dietVegetables, olive oil, legumes, fish and nuts: the eating pattern with some of the strongest evidence for heart health
- DietThe DASH dietThe diet designed to lower blood pressure: fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy and less salt
- DietThe low-carb dietFewer starches and sugars, more protein, vegetables and healthy fats
- DietThe keto dietA very low-carb, high-fat diet that puts your body into ketosis
- DietThe high-protein dietMore protein at every meal, to stay full and keep muscle while you lose fat
- DietThe plant-based dietMeals built on vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and fruit, with little or no meat
- DietCalorie countingAny food, a daily calorie budget: the most direct way to a calorie deficit
- DietIntermittent fastingA diet of when, not what: a daily eating window that fits with any other diet
WHEN YOU EAT, TOO
Pair any diet
with an eating window.
Fasting Tracker is a free intermittent fasting app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, from the makers of this site. Choose an eating window that suits your diet, follow each fast on a live ring, and see your weight trend towards your goal.
- 13:11, 14:10, 16:8 and 18:6 plans, free
- Your weight from Apple Health, with a goal and a trend line
- Daily streaks and badges to keep you going
- Widgets, a Live Activity and an Apple Watch app
GUIDES
Choose well.
Then stick with it.
Which diet works best, how to pick yours, calorie deficits, macros, ultra-processed food, and how to keep your results.
- GuideThe best diet for weight lossWhat the trials comparing popular diets actually found, explained simply, and what it means for you
- GuideHow to choose a dietFive questions, your health, your daily life: a practical way to find a diet you’ll keep
- GuideHow big should a calorie deficit be?A step-by-step guide: your maintenance calories, the right deficit, the pace to expect and why it slows
- GuideMacros explainedProtein, carbohydrates and fat in plain language: what each does, how much you need, and how to set your split
- GuideUltra-processed foodsWhat they are, how to spot them, what the research shows, and how to eat fewer without losing convenience
- GuideHow to stick to a dietThe diet you keep beats the perfect diet you drop: how habits form, and the ones that help most
- GuideHow to keep weight offWhy weight comes back, how often it doesn’t, and the habits of people who keep it off for years
On fastingtracker.app
Fasting plans, meal ideas and more calculators on Fasting Tracker’s website:
QUESTIONS
Diet and calorie questions
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Start from the calories that keep your weight steady, which the calculator above estimates, and eat about 250 to 500 fewer a day. That usually means losing about 0.25 to 0.5 kg (½ to 1 lb) a week at first. Read how big a calorie deficit should be.
Which diet is best for weight loss?
In trials, popular diets lead to similar weight loss when they cut calories by a similar amount. The best one is the one you can keep up for months. See the best diet for weight loss.
How accurate is the calorie calculator?
It’s an estimate. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation predicts the energy your body uses at rest from your sex, age, height and weight, and the activity level scales it up. Real needs vary from person to person, so treat the number as a starting point and adjust it after a few weeks by how your weight changes.
Can I combine a diet with intermittent fasting?
Yes. Intermittent fasting changes when you eat, and most diets change what you eat, so the two fit together. A daily eating window can make a diet simpler to follow. Read intermittent fasting.
Is it safe to diet?
For most healthy adults, a moderate calorie deficit with plenty of protein, vegetables and whole foods is safe. Don’t go below about 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men without medical supervision, and talk to your doctor first if you have a health condition, take medication, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Is dieting.app free?
Yes. The calculator and every page are free, with no sign-up and no ads. Nothing you type into the calculator is sent or stored.
MAKE IT A HABIT
Any diet.
Your eating window.
Fasting Tracker is a free intermittent fasting app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
Free on the App Store
dieting.app is general information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes, kidney disease or a history of eating disorders, or take medication, talk to your doctor before changing how you eat.