Dr. David Taylor, MD, PhD · Last reviewed July 30, 2026

TDEE Calculator

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the number of calories you burn in a day — the single most useful number for losing, gaining, or maintaining weight. Enter your details to see your TDEE and resting BMR from three respected formulas at once, a full calorie table for every goal (with a built-in safe-minimum floor), and a suggested macro split you can export as a PDF.

TDEE Calculator

lb
ft
in
%
Your TDEE
2,763 kcal/day
calories to maintain your weight
Resting BMR · Mifflin-St Jeor
1,783 kcal/day
× 1.55 activity = TDEE
Formula
Daily calories by goal · tap to pick your goal

Suggested macros at 2,763 kcal
protein 1.6 g/kg · fat 25% · carbs fill
Protein
131 g
Carbs
387 g
Fat
77 g

Educational estimate for healthy adults. BMR equations are population predictions (typically within about ±10% of a lab-measured value) and the calorie goals are starting points, not prescriptions — your real needs are confirmed by tracking your weight over 2–3 weeks. This tool is not intended for pregnancy, children, or anyone managing an eating disorder or a medical condition that affects metabolism; those targets should be set by a physician or registered dietitian. Never eat below the safe-minimum calorie floor without medical supervision.

Embed this tool on your site for free

How to use this calculator

  1. Choose your units. Toggle between US (pounds, feet/inches) and metric (kilograms, centimeters) — your entries convert automatically, so switching never changes your actual size.
  2. Enter weight, height, age, and sex. These four inputs drive every BMR formula. Sex matters because men and women have different average body composition, which the equations account for.
  3. Add body fat % if you know it (optional). When you do, a third formula — Katch-McArdle — unlocks. It's the most accurate option because it works from your lean mass rather than your total weight.
  4. Set your activity level. This multiplier turns your resting burn (BMR) into your all-day burn (TDEE). Be honest — most people overestimate; if in doubt, pick one level lower.
  5. Read your TDEE and BMR. TDEE is your maintenance calories. The formula chips let you switch which equation drives the headline number and show all three side-by-side.
  6. Pick a goal. Tap any cell in the goal table to set a weight-loss or weight-gain target; the macro panel and the recommended products update to match. Then copy a share link or export the PDF report.

Why this TDEE calculator is different

Most TDEE calculators run one formula, print one number, and push you toward a signup or a brand of powder. This one is built to be more transparent and more clinically honest:

  • Three BMR formulas, side-by-side. Mifflin-St Jeor (the modern default), the Revised Harris-Benedict equation, and — when you enter body fat — Katch-McArdle. You can see the spread between them and choose which drives your result, instead of trusting a single black-box number.
  • A safe-minimum calorie floor. Aggressive weight-loss goals routinely spit out dangerously low numbers on other calculators. This tool enforces the widely-cited minimums (about 1,500 kcal/day for men, 1,200 for women), clamps any goal that would fall below them, and tells you why.
  • Every goal at once. Six calorie targets — from a −2 lb/week cut to a +1 lb/week bulk — are shown together so you can weigh the trade-offs, not just the one the calculator picked for you.
  • A macro split, not just calories. Your selected goal is broken into protein, carbs, and fat grams using an evidence-based protein floor (1.6 g/kg), so you leave with a plan you can actually eat.
  • Share, export, and embed. Copy a link that reopens with your exact numbers, download a clinician-ready PDF report, or embed the whole tool on your own site — free, no signup, no data leaving your device.
  • Reviewed by a named physician. Most TDEE calculators are anonymous widgets. This one is reviewed by Dr. David Taylor, MD, PhD, with a cited source for every formula.

How this calculator works (the math)

Two steps: estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories your body burns at complete rest — then multiply by an activity factor to get your TDEE, the calories you burn across a normal day.

Step 1 — Basal Metabolic Rate

The default is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found to be the most accurate predictive formula for the general population:

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

Source: Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51(2):241–247.

The Revised Harris-Benedict equation (Roza & Shizgal, 1984) is the classic alternative and usually reads a little higher. If you enter a body-fat percentage, the tool also computes Katch-McArdle, which is based on lean body mass (LBM = weight × (1 − body fat%), then BMR = 370 + 21.6 × LBM) and is the most accurate when your body composition is known.

Step 2 — the activity multiplier

Your BMR is multiplied by a Physical Activity Level (PAL) factor:

  • Sedentary (little/no exercise) = × 1.2
  • Lightly active (1–3 days/week) = × 1.375
  • Moderately active (3–5 days/week) = × 1.55
  • Very active (6–7 days/week) = × 1.725
  • Extra active (hard exercise + physical job) = × 1.9

TDEE = BMR × activity factor. That's your maintenance calorie level.

Step 3 — calorie goals

A pound of body fat stores roughly 3,500 calories, so a deficit of 500 calories a day works out to about a pound a week. The goal table applies that math: −250 (½ lb/week), −500 (1 lb/week), and −1000 (2 lb/week) for loss, and +250 / +500 for gain. Any target that would fall below the safe-minimum floor is raised to the floor and flagged — because eating too little backfires by slowing metabolism and burning muscle.

Worked examples

A 30-year-old man, 180 lb, 5'10", moderately active

His Mifflin-St Jeor BMR is about 1,783 kcal. Multiplied by the moderate factor (×1.55), his TDEE is roughly 2,763 kcal/day — that's maintenance. To lose about a pound a week he'd eat around 2,263; to gain lean mass he'd nudge up to about 3,013. A balanced macro split at maintenance lands near 131 g protein, 387 g carbs, and 77 g fat.

A 25-year-old woman, 140 lb, 5'5", lightly active

Her BMR is about 1,381 kcal and her TDEE about 1,899 kcal/day. Note the floor at work: if she chose the most aggressive −2 lb/week goal, the raw number would drop below the 1,200 kcal minimum, so the tool clamps it to 1,200 and warns her. A steadier −½ lb/week deficit around 1,650 kcal is the smarter target.

A 55-year-old who wants to protect muscle

After about 60, holding onto muscle matters as much as the scale. Whatever the goal, the protein figure in the macro panel becomes the number to defend — pair it with the protein intake calculator, which raises the target further for older adults, and a quality protein powder to hit it on busy days.

How accurate is a TDEE estimate?

A predictive BMR equation is an estimate, typically within about 10% of what a metabolic lab would measure — good enough to start, not gospel. The activity multiplier is the biggest source of error, because daily movement varies enormously and is easy to overestimate. The right way to use any TDEE number is as a starting point: eat at it for two to three weeks while tracking your weight with a reliable bathroom scale. If your weight holds, your true TDEE matches the estimate; if it drifts, adjust your intake by 100–200 calories and re-check. Your own weight trend is the only truly personalized calorimeter you have.

Frequently asked questions

What is TDEE and how is it different from BMR?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the energy your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive — breathing, circulation, cell repair. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is BMR plus everything else you do: walking, working, exercising, even digesting food. TDEE is always higher than BMR, and it's the number you actually eat to, because it reflects a real day.

Which BMR formula should I use?

Use Mifflin-St Jeor unless you know your body-fat percentage, in which case Katch-McArdle is more accurate because it accounts for your lean mass. The Revised Harris-Benedict equation is a fine, slightly higher-reading alternative. In practice all three land within a few hundred calories of each other for most people, which is why this tool shows them together.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

Subtract 500 calories a day from your TDEE for about a pound of loss per week — the most sustainable rate for most people. A smaller 250-calorie deficit is gentler and protects more muscle; a 1,000-calorie deficit is aggressive and often crosses the safe-minimum floor. Never drop below roughly 1,500 kcal (men) or 1,200 kcal (women) without medical supervision.

Why does my TDEE seem high (or low)?

The most common reason is the activity multiplier — most people pick one level too high. "Moderately active" (×1.55) assumes genuine exercise 3–5 days a week, not a desk job with occasional walks. If your estimate feels off, drop an activity level and compare, then let two to three weeks of weight tracking settle the question.

Should I eat back the calories I burn exercising?

Not if you chose an activity level that already reflects your training — that would double-count it. The activity multiplier is designed to bake your typical exercise into your TDEE. Only add calories back for a genuinely unusual day (a long hike, a race) beyond your normal routine.

Can I embed this calculator on my own site?

Yes — copy the embed snippet at the bottom of this page. The embedded version is a streamlined variant for trainers, dietitians, gyms, and health educators, with required attribution built in. There's no fee, no signup, and no analytics attached.

Calories are a food-first job, but a few products make hitting your target — and confirming it — much easier. Each links to the full review with current top picks, prices, and pros and cons:

  • Best Bathroom Scales — the single most important purchase for using a TDEE number correctly: track your weight trend to confirm your real maintenance calories.
  • Best Protein Powders — the easiest way to hit the protein figure in your macro split, especially in a deficit or after 65.
  • Best Electrolyte Powders — replace sodium and potassium on training days and low-carb deficits, when cramps and fatigue are most likely.
  • Best Fiber Supplements — fiber is the appetite lever in a calorie deficit; it blunts hunger and keeps digestion regular.

Sources & methodology

  • Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51(2):241–247 — the default BMR equation.
  • Roza AM, Shizgal HM. The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated. Am J Clin Nutr 1984;40(1):168–182 — the Revised Harris-Benedict equation.
  • Katch FI, McArdle WD. Nutrition, Weight Control, and Exercise — the lean-mass BMR formula (Katch-McArdle).
  • Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate. J Am Diet Assoc 2005;105(5):775–789 — Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics review finding Mifflin-St Jeor most reliable.
  • Activity multipliers (PAL 1.2–1.9) follow the standard Harris-Benedict activity-factor convention used across clinical and sports-nutrition practice.

This tool is reviewed annually for citation currency. About Dr. Taylor · Last reviewed July 30, 2026.

Cite this page

Free to cite or link in coursework, handouts, and articles — no permission needed.

Taylor, D. (2026, July 30). TDEE Calculator. BestRatedDocs. https://bestrateddocs.com/tdee-calculator/

Embed this tool on your site

Free for trainers, dietitians, gyms, and health educators. Required attribution is included in the snippet. No fee, no signup, no analytics attached to the embed. 

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  TDEE calculator by
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  &middot; Reviewed by Dr. David Taylor, MD, PhD
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