How to use this calculator
- Enter or choose bMR equation.
- Enter or choose units.
- Enter or choose activity level.
- The estimated TDEE updates as you type. Use Copy result or Share to keep it.
Method
TDEE = BMR × activity factor; Mifflin–St Jeor BMR = 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5 (men) or − 161 (women); Katch–McArdle BMR = 370 + 21.6 × W × (1 − BF%)
- W
- weight in kg
- H
- height in cm
- A
- age in years
- BF%
- body fat as a fraction
- activity factor
- 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extremely active)
Worked example
- BMR = 10 × 80 + 6.25 × 180 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 800 + 1,125 − 150 + 5 = 1,780 kcal.
- TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 = 2,759 kcal per day.
A moderately active 30-year-old man of 180 cm and 80 kg burns roughly 2,760 kcal a day.
What the result means
Treat the result as a first estimate of maintenance intake. Track your weight for two to four weeks at that intake and adjust: if weight is stable, the estimate fits you.
Assumptions and limits
- Adult (18+), not pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Activity multipliers are conventional population averages and include exercise and everyday movement.
- Katch–McArdle assumes an accurate body-fat percentage.
- Mifflin–St Jeor predicts measured resting metabolic rate within about 10% for most adults, but individual errors can be larger, especially at very high or low body fat.
- Choosing the activity level is the biggest source of error; most people overestimate it.
Questions
How is TDEE different from BMR?
BMR is the energy used at complete rest. TDEE adds the energy of daily movement, exercise and digesting food, so it is always higher.
Please note: This is a general screening estimate for adults, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Talk to a qualified health professional about your health.