🥗 Calorie Calculator (TDEE)
Find your exact daily calorie needs for any goal using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
Our free Calorie Calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most accurate formula for most people — to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Whether your goal is weight loss, muscle gain, or maintenance, knowing your calorie needs is the foundation of any nutrition plan.
The Mifflin-St Jeor Formula
Women: BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) − 161
Example — 35-Year-Old Woman, 165cm, 65kg, Moderately Active
BMR = (10 × 65) + (6.25 × 165) − (5 × 35) − 161 = 650 + 1,031 − 175 − 161 = 1,345 cal/day
TDEE (moderately active × 1.55) = 1,345 × 1.55 = 2,085 cal/day to maintain current weight
Activity Multipliers for TDEE
- Sedentary (desk job, minimal movement): BMR × 1.2
- Lightly active (light exercise 1–3 days/week): BMR × 1.375
- Moderately active (moderate exercise 3–5 days/week): BMR × 1.55
- Very active (hard exercise 6–7 days/week): BMR × 1.725
- Extra active (physical job plus daily training): BMR × 1.9
Calorie Targets by Goal
- Weight loss: TDEE minus 500 calories per day = approximately 1 pound (0.45kg) of fat loss per week. A 250 calorie deficit = ~0.5 lbs/week. Never go below 1,200 cal/day (women) or 1,500 cal/day (men) without medical supervision.
- Maintenance: Eat at your TDEE. Track for 2–3 weeks to find your true maintenance level — formulas are estimates.
- Muscle gain (lean bulk): TDEE plus 250–500 calories per day. This surplus supports muscle growth while minimizing fat gain. A larger surplus adds more fat without proportionally more muscle.
Why Formulas Are Estimates
Two people with identical stats can have BMRs differing by 200–300 calories due to genetics, muscle mass, and metabolic efficiency. Activity multipliers also tend to be overestimated — most people are more sedentary than they think. The best approach: use the formula as a starting point, then track intake and adjust based on real-world results over 2–3 weeks.
🥗 Calculate your exact TDEE and calorie targets with our free Calorie Calculator.
Open Calorie Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
What is BMR?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — the energy needed to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing, and organs functioning. It represents the minimum calories you need to survive without any activity.
What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor. It represents the total calories you burn in a typical day including all movement. Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight; eating below it causes weight loss.
How accurate is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?
It is the most accurate formula for most adults in normal weight ranges, with an error of roughly ±10%. It is less accurate for very obese individuals (where the Katch-McArdle formula using lean body mass is more accurate) and for older adults (who tend to have lower actual BMRs than formulas predict due to muscle loss).