Football Calorie Calculator
Calculate your exact daily calorie and macro targets for every phase of the football year. Position-specific. Goal-based. Built on NFL sports science.
Founder, Eyes Up
- Linemen need 4,500-7,000 cal/day—skill players need 3,000-4,000. Position matters as much as body weight.
- Fall camp has the highest demands—never cut during camp. You can lose 6-10 lbs in a single practice.
- Safe weight change: ~1 lb/week—faster gain adds fat, faster loss burns muscle.
- Make body comp changes in the offseason—that's when training volume is lowest and you have time to adapt.
Calculate Your Calories
Enter your stats, select your position group, and set your goal. Get phase-specific calorie and macro targets for the entire football year.
Football Calorie Calculator
Position-specific calorie targets for every phase of the football year. Built on NFL sports science data.
Training Phases & Nutrition
Your calorie needs change dramatically throughout the year. Offseason is for body composition changes. Camp is for survival.
Summer Conditioning
May - July
Peak conditioning, sport-specific training
High energy demands—fuel the grind
- Calorie needs increase significantly
- Hydration becomes critical (heat)
- Pre-workout fuel is essential
- Recovery nutrition after every session
- Can still gain mass if eating enough
- •Arrive at camp in the best shape of your life
- •Summer conditioning failure = bad camp = less playing time
- •Work with teammates—accountability matters
- •Track bodyweight weekly to avoid unwanted loss
Nutrition by Position Group
A 310 lb offensive tackle has completely different needs than a 185 lb corner. Your position dictates your targets.
- Stay lean for speed and agility
- High carbs to fuel running volume
- Don't under-eat—speed requires fuel
- Protein timing around workouts
- Pressure to stay lean can lead to under-fueling
- High running volume = high carb needs
- Must maintain strength while staying light
- Speed is paramount—body comp matters
3-egg omelet with vegetables + fruit (breakfast), grilled chicken + quinoa + salad (lunch), salmon + rice + asparagus (dinner), protein shake + small snack (as needed)
- • Tyreek Hill maintains ~185 lbs for elite speed
- • Cooper Kupp emphasizes lean protein and vegetables
- • Patrick Mahomes works with team nutritionists
The Science Behind the Numbers
1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which research shows is the most accurate for athletes. This calculates how many calories you burn at complete rest—just to keep your body functioning.
2. Activity Multiplier by Phase
Your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor based on training phase. These multipliers come from sports science research on football energy expenditure.
3. Position Group Adjustment
Linemen have higher energy demands due to their mass and the nature of their movements. We apply a position multiplier to account for this.
4. Goal-Based Adjustment
3,500 calories = 1 pound of body weight. To gain or lose weight safely, we adjust by 500-750 cal/day, which translates to about 1-1.5 lbs/week.
- • Maintain: No adjustment
- • Gain: +500 cal/day (1 lb/week)
- • Lose: -500 cal/day (1 lb/week)
- • Emergency Cut: -750 cal/day (1.5 lb/week max)
Football Nutrition FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Track Your Recovery Too
Nutrition is half the equation. Sleep and recovery are the other half. See how elite programs use sleep tracking to optimize player performance.
Learn About Sleep Tracking