Editorial Standards & How We Ensure Accuracy
Last updated: July 2026
Transparency first. FitCalCalc is a free tool built and maintained by a small editorial team of fitness and nutrition enthusiasts. We are not a hospital, a clinic, or a licensed medical practice. We do not employ named individual physicians or dietitians. What we do have is a strict, published process for making sure every number and every article is grounded in established, citable science. This page explains exactly how that works.
Our Editorial Mission
Millions of people need a quick, honest answer to "how many calories should I eat?" or "what's my BMI?" Most existing calculators hide their formulas, bury results behind email walls, or quote outdated equations without saying so. Our mission is the opposite: give everyone free, transparent, source-cited fitness and nutrition math — and show our work.
How We Research Our Content
Every calculator on FitCalCalc is built on a published, peer-reviewed or industry-standard formula. We never invent a method. Before any calculator ships, we document its source equation on our References page. Examples:
- TDEE / BMR — defaults to the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990), the current standard recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Harris-Benedict (1919) is offered as a comparison option.
- BMI — the standard WHO / CDC body-mass-index definition.
- Body Fat % — the U.S. Navy circumference method and the Jackson-Pollock 3-site skinfold equations.
- 1RM — the Epley and Brzycki extrapolation formulas.
- MET values — the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities.
- Water intake — the U.S. National Academies (IOM) adequate intake values.
Our Content Review Process
Each article and calculator goes through the same four-step editorial workflow before it is published:
- Research. A draft is built from primary sources (peer-reviewed papers, government health agencies, and recognized professional bodies).
- Fact-check. Every formula, constant, and claim is checked against those sources by a second member of the editorial team.
- Review against public-health guidance. Content is reviewed for alignment with guidance from recognized authorities — the CDC, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the World Health Organization (WHO), and Mayo Clinic.
- Plain-language edit. We rewrite jargon into clear, actionable guidance a first-time reader can follow.
After publication, content is reviewed at least annually, and immediately whenever a cited guideline changes.
Sources We Trust
We link out to the original authorities so you can verify anything yourself. Our standing references include:
- CDC — Calorie Balance & Healthy Weight
- USDA MyPlate — Daily Nutrition Standards
- NIH (NIDDK) — Weight Management
- ACSM — Activity & Calorie Burn Standards
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (eatright.org)
- Mayo Clinic — Nutrition & Weight Management
Corrections & Updates Policy
If we get something wrong, we fix it in the open. Errors are corrected promptly, and this page's "Last updated" date reflects the most recent review. If you spot a mistake, contact us — every report is read by a human.
Advertising & Affiliate Independence
FitCalCalc is supported by advertising (including Google AdSense) and may contain affiliate links. This support pays for the servers and the time to keep the tools free. It does not influence our formulas, our recommendations, or our article conclusions. We do not accept payment to change a calculator result or to favor one product in our editorial content. Affiliate relationships are disclosed on our Disclaimer page.
Medical Disclaimer
All calculators provide mathematical estimates for informational purposes only. They are not medical devices and do not provide medical, nutritional, or fitness advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed healthcare professional — a physician, registered dietitian, or certified trainer — before starting any diet, exercise, or supplementation program. See our full Disclaimer and Terms of Service.