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Free TDEE calculator

Estimate your maintenance calories, then set a realistic deficit or surplus. Mifflin-St Jeor under the hood, no account required.

Sex at birth

Between 16 and 100.

Pick the lower option when you are torn. Most people overestimate.

Goal
Pace

Where should we send your numbers?

Enter your email to see your TDEE. We use it to save your result so you can come back to it.

We never sell your data. Read our privacy policy.

How this TDEE calculator works

First it estimates your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from weight, height, age and sex. Then it multiplies by an activity factor to get TDEE. Finally it subtracts or adds calories for your goal and pace, with a safety floor so the maths cannot invent an unsafe target.

The activity step is where most people go wrong. Four gym sessions do not make you "very active" if the rest of the week is a chair. When two options both feel plausible, pick the lower one and let the scale correct you.

For a full protein, carbohydrate and fat breakdown from your calorie target, use the macro calculator. For the case for keeping food next to training, read calorie deficit and strength training.

Frequently asked questions

What is TDEE?
Total daily energy expenditure is an estimate of how many calories you burn in a full day: basal metabolism plus movement, training and digestion. It is the number most people mean when they say maintenance calories.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
Mifflin-St Jeor is usually within about 10% of measured resting metabolism for adults, and the activity multiplier is where most error creeps in. Use the result for two to three weeks, watch the scale trend, then adjust.
What deficit should I use to lose fat?
A deficit of roughly 300 to 550 calories a day is sustainable for most lifters. Larger deficits move the scale faster and also raise the chance you lose muscle or quit. This tool's balanced pace is about half a kilogram a week.
Is TDEE the same as my macro calculator result?
TDEE is the maintenance estimate. A macro calculator takes that number, adjusts for your goal, then splits calories into protein, carbohydrate and fat. Use this page for the calorie target, then the macro calculator if you want the split.
Why is there a calorie floor?
The tool will not recommend below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men. Aggressive maths on a small, sedentary person can invent a target nobody should chase without medical supervision.

Keep reading

Macro calculatorDeficit + liftingFood tracking appsPricing

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