Free TDEE Calculator - Daily Calorie Needs

Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, plus calorie targets for cutting and bulking.

Units

Sex

Activity level

BMR

1,730

kcal/day at rest

TDEE

2,682

kcal/day total

Standard cut

-500 kcal, ~0.5 kg/week

2,182 kcal

Mild cut

-250 kcal, ~0.25 kg/week

2,432 kcal

Maintenance

Hold current weight

2,682 kcal

Mild bulk

+250 kcal, lean gain

2,932 kcal

Standard bulk

+500 kcal, faster gain

3,182 kcal

TDEE Calculator with Mifflin-St Jeor BMR

Estimate how many calories you burn per day in two steps. First the calculator computes your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from your sex, age, height, and weight. Then it multiplies BMR by an activity factor between 1.2 (sedentary) and 1.9 (very active) to produce your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, the number of calories that keeps your weight stable at your current routine.

TDEE is the anchor number for anyone managing weight: dieters subtract from it to lose fat, lifters add to it to build muscle, and athletes use it to fuel training properly. The calculator lays out five ready-made targets, from a standard 500-calorie cut to a standard 500-calorie bulk, with the expected rate of change for each, so you can pick a plan instead of guessing.

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (10 x weight in kg + 6.25 x height in cm - 5 x age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women) was published in 1990 and validated as the most accurate general BMR formula by the American Dietetic Association, outperforming the older Harris-Benedict equation. The activity multipliers come from the same research tradition and cover everything from desk jobs to physical labor plus daily training.

A practical example: a 30-year-old man, 180 cm and 75 kg, has a BMR of about 1,780 kcal. With moderate exercise 3-5 days a week (factor 1.55) his TDEE is roughly 2,760 kcal, so a standard cut means eating about 2,260 kcal per day, which typically yields around half a kilogram of weight loss per week. Recalculate every few weeks as your weight changes.

For a complete picture, check your BMI Calculator result on ToolForte alongside TDEE to see where your weight sits relative to height, and use the Calorie Calculator to plan daily meals against the target you picked here. Runners and cyclists can combine it with the Running Pace Calculator to balance training load against fuel intake through a season. Like every ToolForte tool, this calculator is free, runs entirely in your browser, and never stores your personal measurements anywhere.

How the TDEE Calculator Works

  1. 01Choose metric or imperial units and select your sex.
  2. 02Enter your age, height, and weight.
  3. 03Pick the activity level that matches your typical week, from sedentary to very active.
  4. 04Read your BMR, your TDEE, and ready-made calorie targets for cutting and bulking.

From TDEE to a Working Nutrition Plan

Your TDEE is the calorie intake at which your weight stays stable, and every goal is a controlled offset from it. The calculator computes BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the formula validated as most accurate for the general population, then multiplies by an activity factor. Be honest with the activity level: most desk workers who train three times a week belong at moderate (1.55), not active, and overestimating here is the top reason cutting diets stall. To lose fat, start at 500 kcal below TDEE for roughly half a kilogram per week, or 250 below for a gentler cut with better gym performance. To gain muscle, 250 to 500 above TDEE limits fat gain while supporting training. Whatever you choose, treat the number as a starting hypothesis: track your weight for two to three weeks, and if it is not moving as expected, adjust intake by 100-200 kcal and reassess. Recalculate after every 5 kg of change, because TDEE moves with your body weight.

When to Use the TDEE Calculator

Use it at the start of any cut, bulk, or maintenance phase to set a calorie target, again whenever your weight changes by around 5 kg, and whenever your routine shifts, such as a new job, a marathon block, or an injury layoff. It is also the fastest way to reality-check a diet plan from an app or coach: if their prescribed calories are far from your computed TDEE offset, ask why.

Common Use Cases

  • Set a daily calorie target for a summer cut with a known weekly rate.
  • Plan a lean bulk that adds muscle without excessive fat gain.
  • Recalculate maintenance calories after losing 5 kg.
  • Check whether a coach's meal plan matches your actual energy needs. → Calorie Calculator
  • Adjust intake for a marathon training block. → Running Pace Calculator

Expert Tips

  • Your real TDEE is revealed by the scale: track weight for 2-3 weeks at a fixed intake and adjust the calculator's estimate to match reality.
  • Recalculate after every 5 kg of weight change; a 500 kcal deficit at the start of a cut silently shrinks as you get lighter.
  • On a cut, keep protein around 1.6-2.2 g per kg of body weight so the weight you lose is fat rather than muscle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?→
BMR is what your body burns at complete rest. TDEE adds daily movement and exercise via the activity multiplier, and it is the number to base calorie targets on.
Which activity level should I pick?→
Count actual training sessions and daily movement. Desk job plus 1-3 workouts is light; 3-5 solid sessions is moderate. When in doubt pick the lower level, track for two weeks, and adjust.
How accurate is the estimate?→
Mifflin-St Jeor is accurate to about 10% for most people. Genetics, muscle mass, and misjudged activity levels cause deviations, so verify against real-world weight change.
Is a 500 calorie deficit safe?→
For most adults yes, yielding about 0.5 kg per week. Do not eat below your BMR for extended periods without medical supervision.

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