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TDEE Calculator
How Many Calories?

Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the number of calories your body burns in a day at your activity level. Then see personalized targets for weight loss, maintenance, and muscle gain. Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, the most accurate equation for most people.

Your Details

Sex

Age

yrs

Height

Weight

Activity Level

Goal

Your TDEE — Maintenance Calories

—

calories per day to maintain your current weight

—

Your Goal

cal/day

—

BMR

base metabolic rate

Calorie Targets by Goal

Mifflin-St Jeor Formula Used

🔥 Your Calorie Budget at a Glance

📊 Quick Macro Estimate

Step 3 of 5 ✓ — You know your TDEE. Next: use it to calculate your ideal macro split (protein, carbs, fat) for your goals.

Calculate Your Macros →

📖 How to Use the TDEE Calculator

Enter your stats

Select your sex, choose imperial or metric units, then enter your age, height, and weight. Use your current weight — not your goal weight. All fields update the result instantly as you type. Your height should be measured without shoes; weight should ideally be measured in the morning on an empty stomach for consistency.

Choose your activity level

This is the most important input — and the one most people get wrong. Be honest: most office workers are Sedentary or Lightly Active even if they go to the gym 3x per week, because they sit for 8+ hours a day. Overestimating activity is the #1 reason people plateau. If unsure, choose one level lower than you think — you can always eat more if you're losing too fast.

Set your goal

Select what you're trying to achieve: lose weight, maintain, or gain muscle. The calculator shows your recommended daily calorie intake for that goal — which is simply your TDEE adjusted up or down by a set amount. A deficit of 500 cal/day = ~0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week, following the 3,500 calories-per-pound principle.

Use the full goal table

The goal table shows calorie targets for all five goals simultaneously — so you can see the full range at a glance. Your selected goal is highlighted. These numbers are starting points: track your actual weight for 2–3 weeks, then adjust by 100–200 cal if the scale isn't moving in the right direction. Bodies vary; TDEE is an estimate, not a law.

TDEE vs BMR: BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing, and temperature regulated. TDEE multiplies your BMR by an activity factor to account for movement throughout the day. BMR is what you'd burn lying in bed all day. TDEE is what you actually burn living your life. Always use TDEE for real-world calorie targets — eating at BMR is usually too low and unsustainable for most people.

What is TDEE?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period, accounting for your basal metabolic rate, physical activity, and the thermic effect of food (the energy used to digest what you eat). It's the most useful number in nutrition — eating below it causes weight loss, eating above it causes weight gain, and eating at it maintains your current weight. TDEE is an estimate with a margin of ~100–300 calories depending on individual variation.

The Mifflin-St Jeor formula

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published in 1990 and validated by the American Dietetic Association as the most accurate BMR formula for most people. For men: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age + 5. For women: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age − 161. The older Harris-Benedict formula (1919) is still widely used but tends to overestimate by ~5%. Mifflin-St Jeor is preferred by most registered dietitians today.

How fast should I lose weight?

A deficit of 500 calories/day produces roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week — a rate widely considered safe and sustainable. Larger deficits (750–1,000 cal/day) produce faster loss but increase muscle loss, hunger, and the risk of nutrient deficiencies. Most evidence suggests 0.5–1% of body weight per week is the maximum rate at which fat (not muscle) can be lost sustainably. Very low calorie diets (<1,200 for women, <1,500 for men) often lead to metabolic adaptation and rebound weight gain.

Why the scale isn't moving

If your weight has stalled despite eating at a deficit, the most common causes are: (1) underestimating food intake — studies consistently show people under-report calories by 20–50%; (2) overestimating activity level — your TDEE may be lower than calculated; (3) water retention masking fat loss — especially common around menstruation, high-sodium meals, or after starting a new exercise program; (4) metabolic adaptation — your BMR decreases slightly during extended calorie restriction. Try reducing calories by 100–150 cal/day and reassessing after 2 weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories should I eat to lose weight? ▾

To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your TDEE. A deficit of 500 calories per day produces approximately 0.5 kg (1 lb) of weight loss per week, following the principle that 3,500 calories equals approximately one pound of fat. This calculator shows your recommended intake for different rates of loss. Most health professionals recommend no more than 1 kg (2 lb) of loss per week to preserve muscle mass and maintain nutrient intake. For sustainable results, pair a moderate deficit with resistance training.

What activity level should I choose? ▾

This is the input most people get wrong. Use these guidelines: Sedentary = desk job, drive everywhere, no exercise. Lightly Active = light exercise 1–3 times per week OR a job that involves standing (teacher, retail). Moderately Active = exercise 3–5 days per week and a desk job, or a physically active job without additional exercise. Very Active = hard exercise 6–7 days per week or a demanding physical job (construction, nursing). Extra Active = both a very demanding physical job AND heavy exercise daily. When in doubt, choose one level lower — it's easier to add calories than to fix a stall.

What is BMR and how is it different from TDEE? ▾

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body needs at complete rest — lying still, doing nothing, just to keep vital organs functioning. It's the floor: you burn at least this much no matter what. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for all movement throughout the day. Most people's TDEE is 1.3–1.9× their BMR. Always use TDEE for calorie planning — eating at BMR is typically too restrictive and leads to muscle loss and fatigue.

How accurate is this TDEE calculator? ▾

The Mifflin-St Jeor formula is accurate to within ±100–300 calories for most people. Individual variation (metabolic rate, muscle mass, gut microbiome, hormone levels) means no formula is perfectly precise. Use this as a starting point: eat at the calculated target for 2–3 weeks, then adjust based on actual results. If you're not losing weight at the calculated deficit, reduce by 100–200 cal. If you're losing faster than desired, add 100–200 cal. Track trends over weeks, not daily fluctuations.

How to Use the TDEE Calculator

Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the number of calories your body actually burns each day.

Enter your physical stats

Weight, height, age, and biological sex determine your BMR (calories burned at complete rest). These are the baseline inputs.

Set your activity level accurately

This is the most important and most commonly overestimated input. 'Sedentary' means a desk job with no structured exercise. 'Lightly active' means 1–3 workouts per week. Be honest.

Review your TDEE

This is your maintenance calorie level — eating this amount keeps your weight stable. To lose weight, eat 300–500 less. To gain muscle, eat 250–500 more.

Use the goal-based targets

The calculator shows calorie targets for slow loss (−300), moderate loss (−500), fast loss (−750), and muscle gain (+300). Choose based on your timeline and preferences.

Reassess monthly

Your TDEE changes as your weight changes. Recalculate every 4–6 weeks to update your targets.

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TDEE CalculatorHow Many Calories?

What is TDEE?

The Mifflin-St Jeor formula

How fast should I lose weight?

Why the scale isn't moving

TDEE Calculator
How Many Calories?