TDEE Calculator
Estimate your daily calories with Mifflin-St Jeor, compare Harris-Benedict, and get macro targets you can bookmark.
Activity level
Macro profile
Macro split
for 2556 kcal
- Protein 160g (639 kcal)
- Carbs 319g (1278 kcal)
- Fat 71g (639 kcal)
Why two formulas?
Mifflin-St Jeor is usually the better default for modern calorie estimates. Harris-Benedict differs by about 73 kcal/day for your inputs.
Your inputs are stored in the URL, so you can bookmark or share this exact setup.
You just tested your TDEE Calculator — Try GPA / Final Grade Calculator next →
What Is a TDEE Calculator?
TDEE — Total Daily Energy Expenditure — is your estimated caloric burn per day, computed by multiplying your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR, the calories burned at complete rest) by an activity multiplier. Two BMR formulas dominate: Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) is the current ADA / dietitian standard: BMR = 10 * weight_kg + 6.25 * height_cm - 5 * age + (+5 men / -161 women); Harris-Benedict (1919, revised 1984): a slightly less accurate older formula now mostly retained for historical comparison. Both predict BMR within +/-10% for the general population, with larger errors at extremes (very athletic, very obese, very elderly). The activity multiplier scales BMR to TDEE: 1.2 sedentary (desk job, no exercise), 1.375 lightly active (light exercise 1-3 days/week), 1.55 moderately active (3-5 days), 1.725 very active (6-7 days), 1.9 extremely active (twice-daily training or physical labor). A 30-year-old man at 80 kg / 180 cm with moderate activity has BMR ~ 1,780 kcal * 1.55 = TDEE ~ 2,760 kcal. The calculator outputs BMR (Mifflin and Harris-Benedict side-by-side), TDEE per activity level, and Katch-McArdle (which uses lean body mass instead of total weight, more accurate if you know your body-fat percentage).
How to Use the TDEE Calculator
Enter sex (BMR formulas have a constant offset of ~166 kcal between men and women due to lean-mass differences), age, height, and weight. Pick units — metric (kg/cm) or imperial (lb/in); the converter rounds conservatively. Select your activity multiplier honestly: most people overestimate. A common error: counting 10K steps/day from your phone plus three weekly gym sessions as 'very active' (1.725). The accurate label is usually moderately active (1.55) — 'very active' is reserved for athletes training 6+ days/week including cardio + resistance, not for office workers who go to the gym. If you know your body-fat percentage (DEXA scan, bioelectrical impedance, or skinfold calipers within +/-3%), enable the Katch-McArdle toggle for a 5-10% accuracy improvement over Mifflin: BMR_K = 370 + 21.6 * lean_mass_kg. The output shows your maintenance calories (TDEE), a 500-kcal deficit (~1 lb/week loss), a 250-kcal deficit (~0.5 lb/week), and a 250-kcal surplus (lean bulk rate of ~0.5 lb/week gain).
Why Knowing Your TDEE Changes How You Eat
TDEE is an estimate, not a measurement. The only accurate measurement is doubly-labeled water in a metabolic lab ($800-1,500 per test) or a continuous calorimetry chamber for 24 hours. Mifflin-St Jeor agrees with doubly-labeled water within +/-300 kcal for 95% of adults — fine for a starting point, not fine for declaring 'I am definitely eating at maintenance and not losing weight, so my metabolism is broken'. The actual cause of stalled cuts is usually NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) suppression: when you eat less, your subconscious fidgeting, posture, walking pace, and standing time decrease by 100-300 kcal/day automatically (Levine et al., Mayo Clinic 2005 work). Body composition tracks better via 2-week weight averages and progress photos than via daily-scale fluctuations (water weight swings +/-2-3 lb day-to-day). Use the calculator's TDEE as a starting calorie target, weigh yourself daily, average over 14 days, and adjust by 100 kcal/day if the trend is not matching your goal — do not blame the formula until 4 weeks of disciplined tracking shows no movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE means total daily energy expenditure — the calories you burn across resting metabolism, daily movement, and training.
Why use Mifflin-St Jeor?
It is widely considered more reliable than older formulas for estimating maintenance calories in the general population.
Are the macro targets exact?
No. They are planning targets. Track real-world progress for 2 to 3 weeks and adjust calories or macros based on weight, hunger, recovery, and training.
Use this tool inside a bigger workflow
These collections group follow-up tools and guides that commonly belong in the same job.
Browse same tags
Jump to other tools that share the same workflow, format, or use case.