Free TDEE Calculator
Find out how many calories you burn each day, then get exact targets for losing, maintaining, or gaining weight. Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Everything runs in your browser.
This free TDEE calculator estimates your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from your age, sex, height, and weight, multiplies it by your activity level to get your TDEE, and gives daily calorie targets for fat loss, maintenance, and muscle gain.
Your numbers
This calculator gives estimates, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, check with a clinician before changing your diet. See Terms of Use.
TDEE vs BMR vs calories: what each number means and how to use them
Three calorie numbers show up on every fitness site, and they are not the same thing. BMR, or basal metabolic rate, is the energy your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive: breathing, circulation, body temperature, and cell repair. It accounts for roughly 60 to 70 percent of what most people burn in a day, and it is set mostly by your size, age, and sex.
TDEE, or total daily energy expenditure, adds everything else on top of BMR: the calories from exercise, from walking and daily movement, and even from digesting food. That is why two people with the same BMR can have very different TDEEs. A desk worker who sits all day and a nurse on her feet for 12 hours may share the same BMR, but their TDEEs can differ by 800 calories or more.
The third number, your calorie target, is simply TDEE plus or minus the change you want. Want to lose fat? Eat below TDEE. A 500 calorie daily deficit equals about one pound of fat loss per week, because a pound of body fat stores roughly 3,500 calories. Want to maintain? Eat at TDEE. Want to gain? Eat 250 to 500 calories above TDEE, so most of the gain is muscle instead of fat.
All three numbers come from equations like Mifflin-St Jeor, which estimate rather than measure. Treat them as starting points. Weigh yourself weekly, watch the trend over two to four weeks, and adjust by 100 to 200 calories if the scale is not moving the way you want. Consistency beats precision here.
TDEE calculator questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest to stay alive. TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is BMR plus the calories from exercise, daily movement, and digesting food. TDEE is the number that matters for setting calorie targets.
What is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates BMR from age, sex, height, and weight. For men: 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age + 5. For women: the same formula, minus 161 instead of plus 5. It is the most widely validated BMR formula and is what this calculator uses.
How many calories should I eat to lose one pound per week?
Eat 500 calories below your TDEE each day. One pound of body fat stores about 3,500 calories, so a 500 calorie daily deficit adds up to one pound lost per week. Keep protein high and lift weights so most of the loss is fat.
Why is my TDEE different from someone with the same stats?
Because TDEE includes daily movement and exercise, not just body size. Two people with identical BMR can have TDEEs that differ by 800 calories or more if one is on their feet all day and the other sits at a desk. Pick the activity level that matches your actual routine.