uses accepted medical and physiology formulas to give you a…') Calorie Calculator (TDEE) — Free Health Tool | ToolSelf Skip to main content

Calorie Calculator

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the number of calories your body burns in a day — and knowing it is the foundation of any diet plan that actually works. Eat below TDEE to lose weight, above it to gain muscle, or match it to maintain. Our calorie calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (the most validated formula in clinical nutrition) combined with your activity level to estimate TDEE. You also see the calorie targets for common goals: fat loss, maintenance, lean bulk.

Maintenance Calories

BMR:
Lose Weight:
Mild Loss:
Gain Weight:
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About the Calorie Calculator (TDEE)

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the number of calories your body burns in a day — and knowing it is the foundation of any diet plan that actually works. Eat below TDEE to lose weight, above it to gain muscle, or match it to maintain. Our calorie calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (the most validated formula in clinical nutrition) combined with your activity level to estimate TDEE. You also see the calorie targets for common goals: fat loss, maintenance, lean bulk.

How to use it

  1. Enter your age, gender, height and weight.
  2. Select your activity level (sedentary through very active).
  3. Read your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and TDEE.
  4. Choose a goal — lose weight, maintain, or build muscle — to see the recommended calorie intake.

Formula & methodology

Mifflin-St Jeor BMR: Men = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5. Women = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) − 161. TDEE = BMR × Activity multiplier (1.2–1.9).

Common use cases

  • Setting a calorie deficit for sustainable fat loss (typically −500 kcal/day = −1 lb/week)
  • Calculating how much to eat in a lean-bulk phase
  • Understanding why your current diet is or isn't working
  • Adjusting calories after a weight change
  • Comparing BMR between two activity levels

Frequently asked questions

Within ±10% for most people. Activity level is the hardest factor to estimate correctly — most people overestimate how active they are. Track actual weight changes over 2 weeks and adjust if needed.
0.5–1% of body weight per week is the evidence-based sustainable rate. Faster loss almost always includes significant muscle loss.
If your TDEE calculation already accounts for your exercise, no. If you selected "sedentary" and then exercise, eat back roughly 50–70% of the tracked calories to avoid underestimating.

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