TDEE Calculator (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)

How it is calculated

BMR (Men) = 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5; BMR (Women) = 10W + 6.25H − 5A − 161; TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor

Worked example: 30-Year-Old Male, 78 kg, 178 cm, Lightly Active

Male, 30 years old, 78 kg body weight, 178 cm height, 1.375 activity multiplier.

1. Calculate BMR: (10 × 78) + (6.25 × 178) − (5 × 30) + 5 = 780 + 1,112.5 − 150 + 5 = 1,747.5 kcal/day.
2. Multiply by activity factor (1.375): 1,747.5 × 1.375 = 2,402.8 kcal/day maintenance.
3. Calculate fat loss target (−500 kcal deficit): 2,403 − 500 = 1,903 kcal/day.
4. Calculate muscle building target (+300 kcal surplus): 2,403 + 300 = 2,703 kcal/day.

2,403 kcal/day to maintain weight; 1,903 kcal/day for fat loss.

How to Use This Calculator (Step-by-Step)

1. Select your biological sex and enter your current age.
2. Input your body weight in kilograms and your height in centimeters.
3. Select the activity tier that realistically matches your weekly routine.
4. Use the maintenance TDEE to hold weight steady, or adopt a 500-calorie deficit for gradual fat loss.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR is the base energy required just to keep your organs functioning in a coma. TDEE is BMR plus all physical movement, exercise, and the thermic effect of digesting food.

Which activity factor should I choose?

The options run from sedentary at 1.2, through lightly active at 1.375 and moderately active at 1.55, to very active at 1.725 and extremely active at 1.9. A sedentary desk job with gym sessions three days a week counts as lightly active, not very active.

How are fat loss and muscle building targets derived?

Both start from the maintenance figure. In the worked example, maintenance is 2,403 kilocalories per day, the fat loss target subtracts a 500-kilocalorie deficit to give 1,903, and the muscle building target adds a 300-kilocalorie surplus to give 2,703.

Why does the formula differ for men and women?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equations share the weight, height, and age terms but differ in the final constant: plus 5 for men and minus 161 for women. That constant is the only sex-specific part of the basal metabolic rate formula.

Are TDEE results exact?

No. TDEE and basal metabolic rate are estimates only, not medical advice or diagnosis, and metabolic rates vary across individuals. Choosing too high an activity tier is the most common error, because it leads to overeating relative to actual expenditure.

Does the calculator give macro targets as well?

Yes. The page summary states that the calculator gives daily maintenance calories and basal metabolic rate using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, with macro targets for your goals, so the calorie targets come with a macronutrient breakdown for the goal you select.