Find your maintenance calories in seconds with our free TDEE calculator. Enter your age, height, weight, and activity level to get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), BMR, personalized macro split, and a daily calorie target for fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain — with results updating live as you type.
Your details
Results update instantly as you type. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere.
Activity level
Most people overestimate this — it’s the #1 source of wrong TDEE numbers. Answer honestly:
Suggested: Moderately active — you can override below.
Advanced: BMR formula (Mifflin-St Jeor)
Your goal
A 300–500 kcal deficit (≈10–20%) is sustainable for most people.
Goal-date planner (optional)
Enter a target weight and date to see the daily deficit you’d need.
Your results
Daily macros
Protein-first split, adjusted for your goal.
Where your calories go
Estimates based on published formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle). Individual results vary ±10–15%. Not medical advice — consult a professional before major diet changes.
How to use this TDEE calculator
1. Choose imperial or metric units. 2. Enter your age, height, and weight. 3. Answer the three quick activity questions — the calculator will suggest the right activity level (most people overestimate this, so answer honestly). 4. Pick your goal: lose fat, maintain, or gain muscle, and fine-tune your calorie deficit or surplus with the slider. Your TDEE, macros, and projections update instantly.
How your TDEE is calculated
This calculator estimates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories your body burns at complete rest — using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most validated formula for the general population. Your BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor between 1.2 (sedentary) and 1.9 (extra active). You can also compare the revised Harris-Benedict and Katch-McArdle formulas, or take the average of all three as a best estimate. If you know your body fat percentage, Katch-McArdle uses your lean body mass for extra accuracy.
TDEE vs BMR: what’s the difference?
BMR is what your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive — breathing, circulation, cell repair. TDEE adds everything else: digesting food (TEF), exercise (EAT), and daily movement like walking and fidgeting (NEAT). For most people, BMR is 60–70% of TDEE. Use your BMR as a floor — your daily target should rarely drop below it.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in 24 hours, including rest, digestion, exercise, and daily movement. Your maintenance calories equal your TDEE.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
For most people, within about 10–15% of their true expenditure. Formulas are validated against lab measurements, but individual metabolism, body composition, and activity tracking vary. Treat your result as a starting point, track your weight for 2–3 weeks, then adjust up or down by 100–200 calories.
Which activity level should I choose?
Be honest — overestimating activity is the most common mistake. A desk job with 3 workouts a week is lightly to moderately active, not very active. Use the guided questions above; they estimate your level from your job, workouts, and daily steps.
How big should my calorie deficit be?
A deficit of 300–500 calories per day (roughly 10–20% of TDEE) produces steady fat loss of about 0.5–1 lb per week for most people. Larger deficits work faster but are harder to sustain and risk muscle loss.
Should I eat below my BMR to lose weight faster?
It’s generally not recommended for extended periods. Eating below BMR can cause fatigue, muscle loss, and metabolic adaptation. Keep your target above BMR and never below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) per day without medical supervision.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Every 4–6 weeks, or after your weight changes by about 5%. As you lose weight, your TDEE drops — recalculating keeps your deficit accurate and prevents plateaus.
What is the difference between TDEE and BMR?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive — breathing, circulation, cell repair. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is BMR plus everything else: digesting food, exercise, and daily movement like walking. For most people, BMR is 60–70% of TDEE. Think of BMR as the floor and TDEE as your actual daily burn.
How can I increase my TDEE?
Build muscle through strength training (muscle burns more calories at rest than fat), increase daily movement (walk more, take stairs, stand instead of sitting), exercise regularly, and eat enough protein (it has the highest thermic effect of all macros). Avoid crash diets — they lower your TDEE by causing muscle loss and metabolic adaptation.
Mifflin-St Jeor vs Harris-Benedict: which formula is more accurate?
Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) is generally more accurate for most people — it was validated against modern lab measurements. Harris-Benedict (1919, revised 1984) tends to overestimate slightly. Our calculator offers both, plus Katch-McArdle (most accurate if you know your body fat percentage) and a best-estimate average of all three.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before making major diet or exercise changes.