Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the calories you burn in a full day, including movement and exercise. It’s your BMR multiplied by an activity factor, and it works as your maintenance intake: eat roughly this much and your weight should hold steady.

Which formula does this calculator use?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation from 1990. In validation studies it has proven more accurate for most modern adults than the older Harris-Benedict equation, which is why dietitians widely prefer it. Both are estimates — expect real needs to vary by a few percent.

Which activity level should I choose?

Count structured exercise and how physical your job is: sedentary means a desk job with little exercise, light is 1–3 sessions a week, moderate is 3–5, active is 6–7, and very active means hard daily training or manual work. Most people overestimate — when unsure, pick the lower level and adjust after a few weeks of real-world results.

Why does my fitness tracker or another site show a different number?

Other tools may use different equations (Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle) or estimate burn from heart-rate data, so results can differ by a few hundred calories. All of them are estimates. Pick one method, stay consistent, and let your actual weight trend tell you whether to adjust.

How do I use TDEE to lose or gain weight?

A common starting point is eating about 300–500 kcal below TDEE for gradual fat loss, or a similar amount above it for gradual gain. Larger deficits are harder to sustain and cost more muscle. A registered dietitian can tailor the target to your health history.

How often should I recalculate?

Whenever your weight changes by more than a few kilograms, your training routine changes, or roughly once a year — the equation subtracts 5 kcal per year of age. BMR falls as you lose weight, so deficits need occasional re-checks.

No — everything is calculated in your browser. Your weight, height, and age are never sent to a server.

BMR & Calorie (TDEE) Calculator

Find your basal metabolic rate and daily calorie needs (TDEE) by activity level.

Runs in your browser — files never leave your device

WeightkgHeightcmAgeSex

Activity level

BMR

1780 kcal/day

TDEE (maintenance)

2759 kcal/day

How it works

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the energy your body burns at complete rest — keeping your heart beating, lungs breathing, and cells repairing. It’s the largest share of most people’s daily burn. This tool estimates your BMR, then scales it by how active you are to produce your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — a practical estimate of your maintenance calories.

The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age (years), then + 5 for men or − 161 for women. TDEE multiplies that by an activity factor:

Sedentary (×1.2) — desk job, little or no exercise
Light (×1.375) — light exercise 1–3 days a week
Moderate (×1.55) — moderate exercise 3–5 days a week
Active (×1.725) — hard exercise 6–7 days a week
Very active (×1.9) — hard daily training or a physical job

Worked example: a 30-year-old man, 80 kg and 180 cm tall. 10 × 80 = 800, 6.25 × 180 = 1125, and 5 × 30 = 150, so BMR = 800 + 1125 − 150 + 5 = 1780 kcal/day. At moderate activity, TDEE = 1780 × 1.55 = 2759 kcal/day — exactly what the tool shows for those inputs.

Interpret TDEE as your break-even point: eat consistently below it to lose weight, above it to gain, and around it to maintain. Keep in mind that both numbers are population averages — real metabolism varies with muscle mass, genetics, hormones (for example thyroid function), and some medications, and it adapts as your weight changes. Use the estimate as a starting point, watch your weight trend for a few weeks, and adjust. This is general guidance only — not medical advice; for a personal nutrition plan, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.

Frequently asked questions

What is TDEE?: Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the calories you burn in a full day, including movement and exercise. It’s your BMR multiplied by an activity factor, and it works as your maintenance intake: eat roughly this much and your weight should hold steady.
Which formula does this calculator use?: The Mifflin-St Jeor equation from 1990. In validation studies it has proven more accurate for most modern adults than the older Harris-Benedict equation, which is why dietitians widely prefer it. Both are estimates — expect real needs to vary by a few percent.
Which activity level should I choose?: Count structured exercise and how physical your job is: sedentary means a desk job with little exercise, light is 1–3 sessions a week, moderate is 3–5, active is 6–7, and very active means hard daily training or manual work. Most people overestimate — when unsure, pick the lower level and adjust after a few weeks of real-world results.
Why does my fitness tracker or another site show a different number?: Other tools may use different equations (Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle) or estimate burn from heart-rate data, so results can differ by a few hundred calories. All of them are estimates. Pick one method, stay consistent, and let your actual weight trend tell you whether to adjust.
How do I use TDEE to lose or gain weight?: A common starting point is eating about 300–500 kcal below TDEE for gradual fat loss, or a similar amount above it for gradual gain. Larger deficits are harder to sustain and cost more muscle. A registered dietitian can tailor the target to your health history.
How often should I recalculate?: Whenever your weight changes by more than a few kilograms, your training routine changes, or roughly once a year — the equation subtracts 5 kcal per year of age. BMR falls as you lose weight, so deficits need occasional re-checks.
Is my data uploaded?: No — everything is calculated in your browser. Your weight, height, and age are never sent to a server.

BMR & Calorie (TDEE) Calculator

How it works

Frequently asked questions

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