Get your BMR and TDEE instantly — plus calorie targets for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
yrs
kg
lb
cm
ft
in
—
TDEE — calories/day to maintain weight
—
BMR — calories burned at complete rest
Where your calories go
BMR (rest) —%Activity —%Digestion (TEF) ~10%
Mild loss (0.25 kg/wk)
—
−250 cal/day
Weight loss (0.5 kg/wk)
—
−500 cal/day
Mild gain (0.25 kg/wk)
—
+250 cal/day
Weight gain (0.5 kg/wk)
—
+500 cal/day
Suggested macros at maintenance
Protein —g (30%)Carbs —g (45%)Fat —g (25%)
Activity Level Guide
Not sure which level to pick? This is the most common source of error — most people are less active than they think.
Level
What it looks like
Multiplier
Sedentary
Desk job, fewer than 5,000 steps/day, no structured exercise
× 1.2
Lightly active
Light walks or gym 1–3×/week, mostly sitting otherwise
× 1.375
Moderately active
Gym or cardio 3–5×/week, on feet for part of the day
× 1.55
Very active
Hard training 6–7×/week, or physical job + exercise
× 1.725
Extra active
Twice-daily training, manual labour, or elite athlete
× 1.9
💡 If unsure, choose one level lower than you think — it is easier to eat slightly more if needed than to wonder why the scale is not moving.
TDEE components — where your daily calories go
Frequently Asked Questions
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total calories your body burns each day, including your basal metabolic rate and all physical activity. Eating at your TDEE keeps your weight stable.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to breathe, circulate blood, and maintain organ function. It accounts for 60–75% of your TDEE. TDEE adds your activity on top of BMR. If you did nothing but lie still all day, you would still burn your BMR in calories.
A safe deficit is 500 calories/day below your TDEE, resulting in roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week. For slower, easier-to-maintain loss, a 250 calorie deficit works well. Deficits above 1,000 calories/day risk muscle loss and are not recommended without medical supervision.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990) — considered the most accurate BMR formula for most healthy adults. Men: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5. Women: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) − 161. BMR is then multiplied by your activity factor to get TDEE.
This calculator already accounts for your activity level, so you generally do not need to eat back exercise calories for planned workouts. For unexpectedly intense sessions, eating back 50% of the estimated burn is a reasonable approach — fitness trackers tend to overestimate by 20–30%.
Different calculators use different formulas. Common ones include Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict (1919 and 1984 revisions), and Katch-McArdle (which requires body fat percentage). Research shows Mifflin-St Jeor is the most accurate for the general population. Small differences between calculators (±100–150 kcal) are normal.
How This Calorie Calculator Works
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990), the most validated BMR formula for non-athlete adults. It first calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate — the calories your body needs at complete rest — then multiplies it by your activity level to produce your TDEE.
Your BMR is the floor — the minimum calories your body needs to survive. Your TDEE is what you actually burn across a full day. The gap between them is filled by physical activity and the thermic effect of food (TEF) — the energy your body uses to digest and process what you eat, roughly 10% of your TDEE.
The goal targets below your result work on a simple rule: 1 kg of body fat contains roughly 7,700 calories. A 500 calorie daily deficit × 7 days = 3,500 calories = approximately 0.5 kg of fat loss per week.
💡 Tip: These are estimates based on averages. Individual metabolism varies by 10–15%. If your weight is not changing as expected after 2–3 weeks, adjust your intake by 100–150 calories and reassess before making bigger changes.
What Are Macros?
Macronutrients — protein, carbohydrates, and fat — are the three nutrients that provide calories. The calculator suggests a standard balanced split:
Protein (30%, 4 cal/g): Essential for muscle maintenance and repair. Also the most satiating macro — higher protein diets reduce hunger. During weight loss, aim for 1.6–2.2g per kg of body weight to preserve muscle.
Carbohydrates (45%, 4 cal/g): Your body's primary fuel, especially during moderate-to-high intensity exercise. Focus on whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and fruit rather than refined sugars.
Fat (25%, 9 cal/g): Vital for hormone production, brain function, and absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K. Prioritise unsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts, fatty fish) over saturated fats.
Limitations of Calorie Calculators
Formulas estimate population averages. Your actual metabolic rate may differ by 10–15% due to genetics, thyroid function, gut microbiome composition, sleep quality, and medication use. Treat your TDEE as a starting hypothesis, not a fixed number — adjust based on 2–4 weeks of real-world results.
For personalised dietary guidance, a registered dietitian or sports nutritionist can measure your actual metabolic rate and build a tailored plan.
References
Mifflin MD, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241–247.
Frankenfield D, et al. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(5):775–789.
National Institutes of Health. nhlbi.nih.gov — Obesity and weight management resources.