TDEE calculator
Estimate maintenance calories from BMR and activity level.
What this calculator covers
Use this TDEE calculator to turn a resting metabolism estimate into a rough maintenance-calorie target for a full day.
The walkthrough shows both layers of the math: first the Mifflin-St Jeor BMR estimate, then the activity multiplier that scales that baseline upward.
Because activity factors are broad categories, the output works best as a starting point to review alongside real-world weight and performance trends.
Frequently asked questions
- What does "maintenance calories" mean?
- Maintenance calories is the estimated daily energy intake needed to keep body weight stable at your current size and activity level. Eating consistently above that amount leads to weight gain over time; eating below it leads to weight loss.
- Which activity level should I choose?
- Pick the one that honestly describes your typical week, not just your best week. Sedentary means little to no structured exercise; lightly active covers 1–3 days of exercise per week; moderately active covers 3–5 days; very active covers hard daily training or a physically demanding job. Most people overestimate their activity level, which leads to a higher estimate than their actual needs.
- Why does this calculator use the Mifflin-St Jeor formula for BMR?
- Mifflin-St Jeor is widely cited in dietetics literature as one of the more accurate prediction equations for resting energy expenditure in adults, compared to older formulas like Harris-Benedict. It is still an estimate, and individual metabolic rates vary.
- How should I use this estimate to set a calorie target?
- Treat the TDEE result as a starting point. Track weight and energy over two to four weeks and adjust intake based on actual trends rather than relying solely on the calculated number, since formula-based estimates carry inherent error.
Tool
Run the calculation
Result
RESULT · TDEE
â„–101
Primary result
2,720 kcal/day
At 80 kg and 180 cm, the estimated total daily energy expenditure is 2,720 kcal/day after applying the moderate multiplier of 1.550.
- Estimated BMR
- 1,755 kcal/day
- Activity multiplier
- 1.550
- Estimated TDEE
- 2,720 kcal/day
Step-by-step solution
- 1.Convert the body-size inputs into metric units and estimate resting burn first: 80 kg, 180 cm, and a BMR of 1,755 kcal/day.
- 2.Choose the activity multiplier for moderate activity: 1.550.
- 3.Multiply BMR by the activity factor to reach 2,720 kcal/day as the maintenance-energy estimate.
Walkthrough
Visual walkthrough
TDEE starts with resting metabolism and scales it up to match the movement and exercise pattern you choose.
01
Estimate resting burn
1,755 kcal/day
The BMR layer captures baseline energy use before movement is considered.
02
Pick the activity multiplier
1.550
Sedentary through very active multipliers convert a resting estimate into a day-level maintenance estimate.
03
Read maintenance calories
Multiplying the two values gives the approximate calories needed to maintain weight at the selected activity level.
2,720 kcal/day