Calculate your total daily energy expenditure — the number of calories you burn per day. The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, shows your BMR and maintenance calories, and gives ready-made calorie targets for losing or gaining weight.
📌 This is an estimate based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, accurate to within about ±10% for most adults. Individual metabolism, body composition and medical conditions can shift real needs. Calorie targets below 1,200/day are not shown — consult a professional before aggressive deficits.
Share:
How to calculate TDEE
To calculate TDEE, first find your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — BMR = 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women — then multiply the result by an activity factor between 1.2 and 1.9. The product is the number of calories you burn in a typical day.
For example, a 30-year-old man who is 5 ft 10 in and 170 lb has a BMR of about 1,740 calories. With moderate exercise 3–5 days a week (factor 1.55), his TDEE is roughly 2,690 calories per day — that is his maintenance intake. Eating 500 calories under it (about 2,190/day) would produce approximately one pound of weight loss per week.
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the total number of calories you burn in a day: your basal metabolic rate (BMR) plus everything you do — walking, working, exercising and even digesting food. Eating at your TDEE maintains your weight, eating below it causes weight loss, and eating above it causes weight gain.
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the formula recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5 for men, or −161 for women. BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active) to get your TDEE.
Most people overestimate their activity. Pick sedentary (×1.2) if you have a desk job and no regular exercise, light (×1.375) for 1–3 workouts per week, moderate (×1.55) for 3–5, very active (×1.725) for hard daily training, and extra active (×1.9) only for physical jobs combined with training. When in doubt, choose the lower level and adjust based on real-world results after 2–3 weeks.
A deficit of 500 calories per day below your TDEE produces roughly 1 pound (0.45 kg) of weight loss per week; 250 calories per day gives about half a pound. Larger deficits work faster but are harder to sustain and cost more muscle. The goal table in the calculator shows your exact numbers.
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the energy your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive — breathing, circulation, cell repair. TDEE adds your daily movement and exercise on top of BMR. You should never target calories below your BMR for extended periods without medical supervision.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is accurate to within about ±10% for most adults, but individual metabolism, muscle mass and daily movement vary. Treat the result as a starting point: track your weight for 2–3 weeks, and if it does not move as expected, adjust your intake by 100–200 calories and re-measure.