TDEE calculator – your daily calorie needs
This TDEE calculator estimates how many calories you burn in a day: your basal metabolic rate plus everyday movement (total daily energy expenditure). It also shows calorie levels for maintaining, losing or gaining weight slowly.
Example: Units: imperial (ft, in, lb) · Sex: female · Age 35 years · Height (feet) 5 ft · Height (inches) 7 in · Weight (pounds) 154 lb · Activity level (PAL): 1.53 – sedentary, e.g. desk job → Calorie needs per day (kcal): 2,182. Source: Mifflin-St Jeor, Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST et al. (1990): A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr 51(2):241–247. Updated: .
How it is calculated
How the TDEE is calculated
Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the energy your body burns in a day: TDEE = basal metabolic rate × PAL. The calculator estimates the basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women). The PAL (physical activity level) describes your everyday life from sedentary (1.4) to extremely active (2.4) and comes from the FAO/WHO/UNU expert report.
Example: a 35-year-old woman, 170 cm (5 ft 7 in), 70 kg (154 lb), desk job (PAL 1.53): basal rate 10 × 70 + 6.25 × 170 − 5 × 35 − 161 = 1,427 kcal. TDEE 1,427 × 1.53 ≈ 2,183 kcal. For roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of loss per week, 2,183 − 500 = 1,683 kcal would fit on paper.
How to calculate your TDEE
- Enter sex, age, height and weight (metric or feet, inches and pounds).
- Pick the activity level that best describes a normal week – exercise counts toward it.
- Read your TDEE, the calorie targets and the table for every activity level.
Calories to maintain, lose or gain
Eating more than you burn adds weight; eating less takes it off. The table shows steps of 250 and 500 kcal per day. The weekly figures use the rule of thumb of about 7,700 kcal per kilogram of body weight. It is only a rough guide, because on a longer diet your energy needs fall with your weight and the body compensates partly.
The calculator deliberately shows no target below 1,200 kcal (men: 1,500 kcal) or below your basal rate. That low an intake belongs under medical supervision.
Limits of the estimate
- The equation gives an average for healthy adults; real values can be several hundred kilocalories higher or lower.
- Muscle mass, age, hormones, medication and illness all change your needs.
- Children, teenagers, pregnant and breastfeeding women have different requirements.
Related tools: the BMR calculator shows resting energy alone, the macro calculator splits calories into protein, fat and carbs, and the weight loss calculator estimates the time to a goal weight. The BMI calculator classifies your weight by WHO.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories do I need per day?
It depends on age, sex, height, weight and activity. A 35-year-old woman at 70 kg and 170 cm with a desk job needs about 2,200 kcal; a man of the same age at 80 kg and 180 cm about 2,700 kcal. The calculator gives your own figure.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
Basal metabolic rate is the energy the body uses at complete rest. TDEE adds daily activity, work and exercise on top – it is BMR × PAL.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A deficit of 250 to 500 kcal below your TDEE is usually considered moderate. The table shows both. Below 1,200 kcal (men: 1,500 kcal) or below your BMR the calculator shows no value; that belongs under medical supervision.
Which activity factor should I choose?
Choose the one that describes your average week: 1.4 to 1.53 for mostly sitting, 1.76 for a lot of walking and standing, 2.25 and up for heavy physical work. When in doubt, take the lower value.
How accurate is the calculated TDEE?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is well tested in healthy adults but remains an estimate. Track your weight for two to three weeks and adjust your intake accordingly.
Sources and legal basis
- Mifflin-St Jeor: Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST et al. (1990): A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr 51(2):241–247
- FAO/WHO/UNU 2004: FAO/WHO/UNU (2004): Human energy requirements – Report of a Joint Expert Consultation, Chapter 5, Tables 5.1 and 5.3 (PAL)
- Hall KD (2008): What is the required energy deficit per unit weight loss? Int J Obes 32:573–576 (limits of the 7,700 kcal rule of thumb)
- Harvard Health Publishing (Harvard Medical School): Calorie counting made easy – intake not below 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) without professional supervision (as for the calorie calculator; accessed there 5 Oct 2026)
As of: · Editorial policy
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