TDEE Calculator: Your Daily Calorie Needs
This free TDEE calculator estimates how many calories you burn in a day. It first finds your BMR (basal metabolic rate) using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, then multiplies it by your activity level to give your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), along with simple targets to lose, maintain, or gain weight.
TDEE Calculator: Quick Facts
- What it finds: your BMR and TDEE (daily calorie burn).
- Formula: Mifflin-St Jeor, the most accurate common BMR equation.
- Inputs: sex, age, height, weight, and activity level.
- Units: metric (cm, kg) or imperial (ft/in, lb).
- Goal targets: lose (TDEE minus 500), maintain, or gain (TDEE plus 500).
How the TDEE Calculator Works
Your BMR is the energy your body uses at complete rest. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates it from your weight, height, age, and sex. Your TDEE then multiplies that BMR by an activity factor, from 1.2 for sedentary up to 1.9 for extra active, to account for daily movement and exercise. Eating about 500 calories below your TDEE is a common target for losing roughly one pound a week, and about 500 above for gaining.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive. TDEE is your BMR plus everything else you do in a day, including movement, exercise, and digesting food, so it is always higher than BMR.
Which BMR formula is most accurate?
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is widely considered the most accurate BMR formula for the general population.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A common approach is to eat about 500 calories below your TDEE each day, which targets roughly one pound of weight loss per week. This is general information, not medical advice, so check with a professional for a plan tailored to you.
Related Tools
- How to Calculate Your TDEE and BMR
- Calorie Calculator
- Calories Burned Calculator
- All Fitness Calculators
