How to use the TDEE calculator
- Enter your sex, age, height and weight in US or metric units.
- Choose an activity level that describes a normal week, not your best one. When in doubt, pick the lower level.
- Add your body fat percentage if you know it (from a scan, calipers or the body fat calculator) for the Katch-McArdle estimate as well.
The headline is your TDEE — the calories that keep your weight steady. Below it: your TDEE at every activity level, targets for losing or gaining, and the BMR from each of the three common equations.
BMR vs TDEE
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the energy your body uses at complete rest — breathing, circulation, cell repair, keeping warm — and for most people the largest part of the day’s burn. Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) adds the thermic effect of food (commonly estimated at roughly 10% of intake), planned exercise and everyday movement. TDEE is the number that matters for diet planning, because it is what you actually burn.
Activity multipliers
| Level | Multiplier | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Desk job, little walking, no regular exercise |
| Lightly active | 1.375 | Light exercise 1–3 days a week, or an on-your-feet job without training |
| Moderately active | 1.55 | Moderate exercise 3–5 days a week |
| Very active | 1.725 | Hard training 6–7 days a week, or a physical job plus exercise |
| Extra active | 1.9 | Very hard daily training or heavy manual labor |
Most people overestimate their level. Three gym sessions a week on top of eight hours at a desk is usually “lightly active”, not “moderately active”: the sessions add only a few hundred calories to an otherwise sedentary day. Start one level low and move up if you lose weight faster than expected.
The three equations compared
- Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) — men: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5; women: the same with − 161 instead of + 5. The default here: reviews of healthy adults have found it the most accurate of the common equations.
- Harris-Benedict (1919, revised 1984) — men: 88.362 + 13.397 × kg + 4.799 × cm − 5.677 × age; women: 447.593 + 9.247 × kg + 3.098 × cm − 4.330 × age. The classic formula; it tends to run a little higher.
- Katch-McArdle — 370 + 21.6 × lean body mass (kg). It uses body composition instead of sex and age, so it suits very lean or very muscular people — if the body fat figure is reliable.
Worked example: a 30-year-old man, 180 cm and 80 kg. Mifflin-St Jeor: 800 + 1,125 − 150 + 5 = 1,780 kcal. Harris-Benedict: 88.362 + 1,071.76 + 863.82 − 170.31 = 1,854 kcal. At 15% body fat his lean mass is 68 kg, so Katch-McArdle gives 370 + 21.6 × 68 = 1,839 kcal. Training moderately 3–5 days a week, his TDEE is 1,780 × 1.55 ≈ 2,759 kcal a day; eating about 2,259 would be expected to lose roughly a pound a week at first.
Using TDEE to cut or bulk
- Maintain: eat around your TDEE and judge by weekly averages, not daily swings.
- Cut: 250 kcal below TDEE for about ½ lb (0.23 kg) a week, 500 kcal for about 1 lb (0.45 kg), based on the rough rule of 3,500 kcal per pound of fat. Keep protein high and keep lifting to hold on to muscle.
- Bulk: 250 kcal above TDEE adds weight slowly with less fat; 500 kcal is faster but more of the gain is fat.
Caveats
Equations predict the average person with your measurements; individuals commonly differ by 10% or more — 200–300 calories at a typical TDEE. Weigh yourself under the same conditions several times a week, average each week, and compare the trend with the prediction after two to three weeks; if it is off, move your intake 100–200 kcal. As weight drops, TDEE drops with it, so recalculate every few kilograms. The equations are not designed for pregnancy or breastfeeding, people under 18, or conditions and medications that change metabolism. A commonly cited floor is about 1,200 kcal a day for women and 1,500 for men without medical supervision; the calculator flags targets below that. For a goal-based view, see the calorie calculator.
Important: results are estimates for general information only and are not medical advice. They cannot replace an assessment by a doctor, registered dietitian or other qualified health professional.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
Total daily energy expenditure: all the calories you burn in a day — basal metabolic rate plus digestion, exercise and everyday movement. Eating at your TDEE keeps your weight steady; below it you lose, above it you gain.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
Reasonably, for an average adult — but any equation can be off by around 10% for an individual, and the activity multiplier is a guess. Treat the result as a starting point and adjust it to how your weight actually changes.
Should I eat my BMR to lose weight?
No. BMR is what you burn at complete rest; eating that little leaves nothing for daily activity and is usually below the commonly cited minimums. Start 250–500 kcal below TDEE instead, and talk to a professional before going lower.
Which equation should I trust?
Mifflin-St Jeor is the best-supported default for most adults. With a reliable body fat measurement, very lean or very muscular people may find Katch-McArdle fits better. Harris-Benedict usually lands slightly higher.
Does TDEE change as I lose weight?
Yes. A lighter body needs fewer calories, and the body adapts a little to a deficit, so loss slows over time. Recalculate every 10 lb (5 kg) or whenever progress stalls for several weeks.
Last updated: October 9, 2026