Calorie Calculator

Your TDEE — the calories your body burns each day — calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.

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Daily Calories (TDEE)
—kcal
to maintain your current weight
Basal Metabolic Rate: —
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What is TDEE?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It includes the energy you use at complete rest plus everything you do during the day — walking, working, exercising, even digesting food. Knowing your TDEE is the single most useful number for managing your weight, because it tells you roughly how many calories you need to eat to stay the same, lose, or gain.

BMR vs TDEE — what's the difference?

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns just to keep you alive at rest — breathing, circulating blood, maintaining body temperature. It is the floor of your energy needs. Your TDEE is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for movement and exercise. TDEE is always higher than BMR, and the more active you are, the bigger the gap.

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published in 1990 and widely regarded by dietitians as the most accurate formula for estimating BMR in healthy adults. The formulas are:

  • Men: BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) + 5
  • Women: BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) − 161

Your BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor (1.2 for sedentary up to 1.9 for very active) to produce your TDEE.

Activity levels explained

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

Be honest with yourself when choosing — most people overestimate their activity level, which inflates their calorie target.

How to use your TDEE

  • Eat at TDEE → maintain your current weight
  • Eat 300–500 kcal below TDEE → gradual, sustainable fat loss (about 0.25–0.5 kg per week)
  • Eat 300–500 kcal above TDEE → gradual muscle gain with minimal fat

TDEE is an estimate, not an exact prescription. Use it as a starting point, track your weight over 2–3 weeks, and adjust your intake up or down based on the real-world results.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

A safe, sustainable rate of fat loss comes from eating 300–500 calories below your TDEE per day, producing roughly 0.25–0.5 kg of weight loss per week. Larger deficits can work short-term but are harder to sustain and risk muscle loss. Calculate your TDEE above and subtract 300–500 to find your target.

What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR is the calories you burn at complete rest just to stay alive. TDEE is your BMR plus all the energy used through daily activity and exercise. TDEE is the number you should base your eating targets on, because it reflects your real daily energy use.

How accurate is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate BMR formula for the general healthy adult population and is recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Still, it is an estimate — individual metabolism can vary by 5–10% or more, so treat the result as a well-informed starting point.

Should I eat back the calories I burn during exercise?

If you selected an activity level that already includes your exercise (for example "moderate" or "very active"), your exercise is baked into your TDEE, so you should not add those calories again. Only consider eating back exercise calories if you chose "sedentary" and track workouts separately.

Why is my TDEE different from other calculators?

Different calculators use different equations (Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle) and slightly different activity multipliers, so results can vary by 100–200 calories. This is normal. Pick one method, follow it consistently, and adjust based on your actual results over time.

Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for general informational purposes only and is not medical or nutritional advice. Calorie needs vary between individuals. Consult a doctor or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have a medical condition.

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