Calcs for Life

TDEE Calculator

Total daily energy expenditure: the calories you burn in a day, and so your maintenance calories, at every activity level.

Sex
years
Units
ft
in
lb
%

If you know it, adds the Katch-McArdle estimate, which uses lean mass.

Your TDEE (maintenance calories)

2,630 kcal/day

BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor)
1,696 kcal/day
TDEE with revised Harris-Benedict
2,734 kcal/day
Per week
18,407 kcal
Sedentary: 2,036Light exercise: 2,333Moderate exercise: 2,630Hard exercise: 2,926Very active: 3,223
SedentaryVery active

Estimate for healthy adults, not medical advice. Track your weight for 2–3 weeks at this intake and adjust.

Maintenance calories at each activity level5 rows
Activity levelMultiplierCalories/day
Sedentary1.22,036
Light exercise (1–3 days/week)1.3752,333
Moderate exercise (3–5 days/week) (yours)1.552,630
Hard exercise (6–7 days/week)1.7252,926
Very active (physical job or 2× daily)1.93,223

How it works

TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is how many calories you burn in a full day: your basal metabolic rate, plus digesting food, plus everything you do. Eat that many calories and your weight holds steady, which is why TDEE is also called your maintenance calories.

This calculator estimates BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and multiplies it by an activity factor from 1.2 (desk job, no exercise) to 1.9 (hard physical work or training twice a day). It also shows the revised Harris-Benedict result and, if you enter your body fat percentage, the Katch-McArdle result, which is based on lean mass and tends to suit lean, muscular people better.

Activity is the biggest source of error, and most people pick a level too high. Start with your best guess, eat at that number for two to three weeks, and adjust by 100 to 200 calories if your weight drifts. To set a calorie target for losing or gaining weight, use the calorie calculator; to see BMR alone, use the BMR calculator.

Formula

TDEE = BMR × activity factor; Mifflin-St Jeor BMR = 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5 (men) or − 161 (women); Katch-McArdle BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean mass (kg)

Questions people ask

What is the difference between TDEE and BMR?

BMR is what you burn lying still all day. TDEE adds digestion and all movement, so it is always higher, typically 1.2 to 1.9 times BMR.

How do I find my maintenance calories?

Your TDEE is your maintenance estimate. The most reliable way to confirm it is to eat a consistent amount for two to three weeks while weighing yourself: if your average weight is stable, that intake is your maintenance.

Which activity level should I pick?

Count both exercise and your job. An office worker who trains three times a week is usually "light" or "moderate". If you are unsure, choose the lower level; overestimating activity is the most common mistake.

Should I eat back calories from my fitness tracker?

Not if you used an activity level that already includes your exercise, or you will count it twice. Trackers also tend to overestimate calories burned.