How many calories do you burn a day? This free TDEE calculator estimates your total daily energy expenditure and resting BMR from your age, height, weight and activity level.
An estimate – real needs vary with body composition, genetics and daily movement. Use it as a starting point, not a strict rule. For personalised guidance, a dietitian or doctor can help.
How the TDEE Calculator Works
This tool estimates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — roughly how many calories you burn in a day — by first estimating your resting metabolic rate (BMR) and then scaling it up for how active you are. It’s an estimate to use as a starting point, not an exact measurement.
Formula: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + (5 if male, −161 if female) [Mifflin-St Jeor equation]. TDEE = BMR × activity factor, where the activity factor is 1.2 (sedentary), 1.375 (lightly active), 1.55 (moderately active), 1.725 (very active), or 1.9 (extra active). Weekly total = TDEE × 7. Imperial inputs are converted first: height(cm) = (feet × 12 + inches) × 2.54, weight(kg) = pounds × 0.45359237.
- Sex — male or female, changes the constant added in the BMR formula (+5 or −161).
- Age — your age in years.
- Height — in centimeters (metric) or feet and inches (imperial).
- Weight — in kilograms (metric) or pounds (imperial).
- Activity level — sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, very active, or extra active, each with its own multiplier.
Example Scenarios
| Sex | Age | Height | Weight | Activity Level | TDEE (kcal/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 30 | 178 cm | 75 kg | Moderately active (1.55) | 2,662 |
| Female | 25 | 165 cm | 60 kg | Sedentary (1.2) | 1,614 |
| Male | 40 | 180 cm | 90 kg | Lightly active (1.375) | 2,516 |
| Female | 35 | 160 cm | 65 kg | Very active (1.725) | 2,267 |
| Male | 50 | 175 cm | 80 kg | Extra active (1.9) | 3,133 |
| Female | 45 | 170 cm | 70 kg | Moderately active (1.55) | 2,134 |
TDEE Calculator FAQ
What’s the difference between TDEE and BMR?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the energy your body uses at complete rest just to keep functioning. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) takes BMR and multiplies it by an activity factor to estimate how many calories you burn across a full day, including movement and exercise.Why does the Mifflin-St Jeor equation subtract 161 for women?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation uses a sex-specific constant to account for average differences in body composition between men and women at a given height and weight — adding 5 for men and subtracting 161 for women — since it’s a widely validated formula for estimating resting metabolic rate.Which activity level should I choose?
Sedentary means little to no exercise; lightly active is light exercise 1-3 days a week; moderately active is moderate exercise 3-5 days a week; very active is hard exercise 6-7 days a week; and extra active covers very hard training or physically demanding jobs. Pick the option that best matches your typical week.Can I use imperial units like feet, inches, and pounds?
Yes. Switching to Imperial lets you enter height in feet and inches and weight in pounds; the calculator converts these to centimeters and kilograms internally before applying the same Mifflin-St Jeor formula.How accurate is this TDEE estimate?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is one of the more reliable formulas for estimating BMR in the general population, but real energy needs vary with body composition, genetics, and daily movement patterns that a simple formula can’t fully capture.Should I eat exactly my TDEE number every day?
Treat your TDEE as a starting-point estimate rather than a strict target. Day-to-day energy needs fluctuate, so use it as general guidance and adjust based on how your weight trends over a few weeks, ideally with input from a dietitian or doctor for personalized advice.Related Calculators
Once you know your TDEE, you can turn it into an actual eating plan with the calorie calculator, break it down into protein, carbs and fat with the macro calculator, or check your body fat percentage for a fuller picture of your body composition.