TDEE & Calorie Calculator
Estimate your daily maintenance calories and get a practical starting target for weight loss, muscle gain, or maintaining your weight.
Calculate Your Daily Calories
Enter your details below. This tool estimates calorie needs for adults; actual requirements vary.
Your Estimated Calorie Needs
Calorie Targets by Goal
| Goal | Estimated daily calories |
|---|
Your Starting Macronutrient Targets
Optional example distribution, not a medical prescription. Protein uses 1.6 g/kg for maintenance or gain and 1.8 g/kg for weight loss; fat uses approximately 25% of calories; carbohydrates fill the remainder. Adjust for your preferences and needs.
What Is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of the calories you burn across a full day, including resting metabolism, movement, exercise, and the energy used to digest food. Eating approximately your TDEE may help maintain your current body weight, although real-world needs vary.
How This Calculator Works
First, the calculator estimates resting energy expenditure with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation. It then multiplies that estimate by your selected activity factor to estimate TDEE.
Male coefficient: 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age + 5
Female coefficient: 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age − 161
TDEE = estimated resting calories × activity factor.
The equation was developed to predict resting energy expenditure, not to directly measure it. The activity multipliers and goal adjustments are planning assumptions rather than precise predictions. See the original Mifflin study.
How to Use Your Calorie Target
For weight maintenance
Start near your estimated TDEE and compare your average body weight over several weeks. Normal daily fluctuations do not necessarily indicate fat gain or loss.
For weight loss
A modest calorie deficit may be more sustainable than aggressive restriction. Prioritize adequate protein and resistance training to support muscle retention. Use our Protein Intake Calculator & Meal Planner to plan your daily protein.
For muscle gain
Start with a small calorie surplus and progressive resistance training. Track strength, body weight, and waist measurements to judge whether the surplus is appropriate. Our One-Rep Max Calculator can help estimate training loads.
How Accurate Is a TDEE Calculator?
No formula can know your exact calorie needs from a few inputs. Resting metabolism varies between individuals, and daily movement can change substantially. Use the result as a starting estimate and adjust based on observed trends rather than treating the number as a guarantee.
Make Your TDEE Estimate More Accurate Over Time
Formula-based calorie needs are a starting point. If you have tracked your food intake and your average morning body weight over a consistent 14–28 day period, you can estimate your observed maintenance calories. Use weekly averages rather than comparing two isolated weigh-ins.
Calorie Adjustment Check-In
This uses a rough energy-equivalent approximation of 7,700 kcal per kilogram of weight change, not a physiological prediction model. Water, glycogen, sodium, menstrual cycles, medications, and changing activity can strongly affect short-term trends. Use this only as a rough check and never to justify aggressive restriction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR refers to energy expenditure under strict basal testing conditions. This tool predicts resting energy expenditure, which is similar but not identical to measured BMR. TDEE adds estimated daily activity and other energy costs.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Your starting target depends on your estimated maintenance calories and the deficit you choose. This calculator offers 10% and 15% reductions, but individual results vary. Avoid aggressive deficits, especially if they compromise health or recovery.
Does lifting weights change my TDEE?
Resistance training contributes to energy expenditure, but its impact depends on training volume, intensity, and your activity outside the gym. Your maintenance needs may also change as your body weight and routine change.
Should I eat back exercise calories?
Because the activity multiplier already estimates your typical exercise and movement, automatically adding every calorie shown by a fitness tracker may double-count activity. Adjust using longer-term weight and performance trends.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate after a meaningful weight change or sustained change in activity. Otherwise, review your average weight trend every few weeks and make modest adjustments if necessary.
Can I use this calculator in pounds and feet?
Yes. Switch to imperial units to enter pounds, feet, and inches. The calculator converts those measurements internally before applying the equation.
Why does my actual maintenance calorie intake differ from the calculator?
Resting energy predictions have individual error, and activity multipliers cannot capture every person’s job, steps, exercise, and spontaneous movement. Compare consistent intake and weight trends before making small changes.
Does TDEE include steps and everyday movement?
Yes. The activity multiplier is intended to cover your overall daily energy expenditure, including everyday movement. Do not automatically add all exercise or step calories on top of the estimate.
Is a calorie calculator suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
No. Energy requirements change during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Seek personalized advice from a qualified healthcare professional rather than relying on this general adult calculator.
Related Fitness Tools and Workout Plans
Estimate protein needs and build meals around your target.
Estimate your lifting max and training percentages.
Pair calorie planning with a structured resistance-training routine.
Explore more free training and nutrition calculators.
Editorial Notes & Calculator Limitations
- Who it is for: Generally healthy adults aged 18–100 seeking an initial energy estimate.
- Formula: Simplified Mifflin–St Jeor resting energy equation with common heuristic activity multipliers.
- What is not measured: The tool does not directly measure metabolism, body composition, movement, or actual food intake.
- Individual variability: Activity factors and goal percentages are planning choices, not individually validated outcomes.
- When to seek professional guidance: Pregnancy, breastfeeding, eating-disorder concerns, underweight status, significant medical conditions, or unusual weight changes.
Published by The Fitness Phantom. Methodology and references are shown so readers can inspect the assumptions. Calculator results are educational and are not a substitute for personalized medical or dietetic care.
Scientific References
- Mifflin MD, et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. PubMed.
- Frankenfield D, et al. (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. PubMed.
- Hall KD, et al. (2011). Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight. Lancet. PubMed.
- Jäger R, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. PubMed.
References inform the educational explanation; they do not validate every activity factor or goal percentage used by this tool.