Free tool
TDEE calculator: how many calories do you burn a day?
Enter your details to estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR), your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), a calorie target for losing or gaining weight, and a daily protein range. It runs on the page with no sign-up.
How this TDEE calculator works
The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published by Mifflin and colleagues in 1990 and widely used in nutrition practice. It estimates your BMR from your weight, height, age and sex, then multiplies the result by an activity factor to give your TDEE.
For men, BMR is 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5. For women, the final term is −161 instead of +5.
Activity levels and multipliers
| Activity level | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Sedentary: little or no exercise | × 1.2 |
| Light: exercise 1 to 3 days a week | × 1.375 |
| Moderate: exercise 3 to 5 days a week | × 1.55 |
| Active: hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week | × 1.725 |
| Very active: physical job plus hard training | × 1.9 |
If you are unsure, pick the lower of two options. People tend to overestimate how active they are, which makes the target too high.
How to use your result
- To maintain weight, eat close to your TDEE.
- To lose weight, start about 500 calories below it, and keep your protein up so you hold on to muscle.
- To gain slowly, start about 300 calories above it and add resistance training.
- Check against reality. After two to three weeks, compare your average weight with the plan. If nothing moved, adjust by 100 to 200 calories.
Logging what you actually eat is the hard part. MetaBraid estimates calories and protein from a photo of your meal, and can show them next to your weight and your training. See the protein tracker guide and these high protein meals for ideas.
This calculator is not medical advice. It is a general estimate, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure: the calories you burn in a day, including your resting metabolism, everyday movement and exercise. Eating around your TDEE tends to keep your weight stable.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is the energy your body uses at complete rest. TDEE is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor, so it also covers walking, work and training.
How many calories should I cut to lose weight?
A deficit of about 500 calories a day below your TDEE is a common starting point and works out at roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week in theory. Real results vary, so track your weight trend for a few weeks and adjust.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
It gives an estimate, not a measurement. Individual metabolisms differ, and activity levels are easy to over-estimate. Use the result as a starting point and compare it with your actual weight trend.
How much protein should I eat?
The calculator shows 1.6 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight, a range commonly used by people who train or are losing weight. The minimum recommended intake for most adults is lower, around 0.8 grams per kilogram. Check with a doctor or dietitian if you have kidney disease or another medical condition.
Track your calories against this target
Knowing your number is step one. MetaBraid logs meals from a photo and shows calories in versus calories out, so you can see whether the week matched the plan.