About Well Balanced Calc
Well Balanced Calc runs ukbmicalculator.com — a set of free, no-sign-up UK health calculators and plain-English guides covering BMI, calories, BMR, macros, ideal weight, hydration and fibre.
The short version: We're an independent UK publisher, not a medical provider. Our tools use standard, published formulas and our guides follow NHS and NICE guidance, with sources named. Everything here is general information to help you understand the numbers — it is never a substitute for advice from your GP.
Who we are
Well Balanced Calc is a small, independent UK project, run from the United Kingdom for a UK audience. We are not doctors, dietitians, or a healthcare organisation, and we don't pretend to be. What we do is take the standard formulas and official guidance that already exist — and which can be hard to find or hard to read — and turn them into clear tools and articles that use familiar British measurements like stones and pounds.
Why this site exists
Most BMI and calorie tools online are generic, US-centric, or buried in adverts and sign-up walls. They also tend to skip the nuance — that BMI is a screening tool with real limitations, that the NHS uses adjusted thresholds for some ethnic groups, and that a number on a calculator is not a verdict on your health. We built Well Balanced Calc to be accurate, UK-specific, honest about those limitations, and genuinely free to use.
How we build the calculators
Every calculator uses an established, publicly documented method, including:
- BMI — the standard NHS formula (weight in kg ÷ height in m²) and the NHS adult weight categories, including the lower thresholds the NHS applies for people of South Asian, Chinese, Black African, Black Caribbean and Middle Eastern heritage.
- BMR and daily calories — the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, currently regarded as the most accurate BMR estimate for healthy adults, combined with standard activity multipliers for TDEE.
- Calories burned — MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities.
- Hydration — NHS fluid-intake guidance, adjusted for body weight, activity and climate.
- Fibre — the NHS 30g-a-day fibre target for adults, with your current intake estimated from a typical day's food.
The calculators run entirely in your browser. The numbers you type in are never sent to us or stored on a server — see our privacy policy for the detail.
How we write the guides
Our articles are sourced from NHS and NICE guidance and other reputable public-health bodies, and we name those sources at the foot of each piece. We write in plain English, give worked examples in UK measurements, and we review and update articles as guidance changes — each one shows when it was last reviewed. Where a topic has genuine nuance or limitations, we say so rather than oversimplifying.
What we are not
Nothing on this site is medical, nutritional, or fitness advice, and our calculators are estimates, not diagnoses. They can be misleading for some people — athletes, pregnant or breastfeeding women, older adults, and those with certain medical conditions. If you have any concern about your weight, your eating, or your health, the right next step is always your GP or another qualified professional, not a calculator.
A note on a sensitive subject. Weight is personal, and numbers can be distressing — especially for anyone who has struggled with their relationship with food. If that's you, please be gentle with yourself, and don't rely on a tool like this. Beat, the UK's eating disorder charity, runs a free, confidential helpline on 0808 801 0677, or visit beateatingdisorders.org.uk.
How we fund the site
Well Balanced Calc is free to use. We cover the cost of running it through advertising shown via Google AdSense. We don't sell your data — in fact the calculators don't collect it — and an advert appearing on the site is not an endorsement of the advertiser.
Contact
Questions, corrections, or spotted something out of date? We'd genuinely like to know. Email us at wellbalancedcalc@outlook.com.
Remember: the calculators and guides here are educational estimates based on standard formulas and NHS guidance. They don't account for your individual medical circumstances. For anything that matters to your health, speak to your GP.