# TDEE Calculator

> Estimate the calories you burn per day from BMR (Mifflin–St Jeor or Katch–McArdle) and an activity multiplier, with every activity level compared.

Category: Health & fitness · Applies to: Worldwide · Last updated: 2026-10-29
Interactive calculator: https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/tdee-calculator

Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is roughly your resting metabolic rate multiplied by an activity factor. It is the starting point for a maintenance calorie target.

Also called: Maintenance calorie calculator, Daily calorie needs calculator.

## Inputs
- BMR equation (options: Mifflin–St Jeor, Katch–McArdle (body fat %); default mifflin)
- Units (options: Metric (cm, kg), US (ft, in, lb); default metric)
- Sex (options: Male, Female; default male)
- Age (unit years; default 30)
- Height (unit cm; default 180)
- Height (feet) (unit ft; default 5)
- Height (inches) (unit in; default 11; optional)
- Weight (unit kg; default 80)
- Weight (unit lb; default 176)
- Body fat (unit %; default 20)
- Activity level (options: Sedentary (little or no exercise) ×1.2, Lightly active (1–3 days a week) ×1.375, Moderately active (3–5 days a week) ×1.55, Very active (6–7 days a week) ×1.725, Extremely active (physical job or twice-daily training) ×1.9; default moderate)

## Results
- Estimated TDEE
- Basal metabolic rate
- Activity multiplier

## Formula

```
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%)
```

Where:
- 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
1. BMR = 10 × 80 + 6.25 × 180 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 800 + 1,125 − 150 + 5 = 1,780 kcal.
2. TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 = 2,759 kcal per day.

**Result:** 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.

### Which BMR equation should I pick?

Mifflin–St Jeor needs only age, sex, height and weight and is the usual default. Katch–McArdle can be better for very lean or very muscular people, but only with a reliable body-fat figure.

## Related calculators
- [BMR Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/bmr-calculator)
- [BMI Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/bmi-calculator)
- [Protein Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/protein-calculator)
- [Fat Intake Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/fat-intake-calculator)
- [Calorie Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/calorie-calculator)

_This is a general screening estimate for adults, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Talk to a qualified health professional about your health._

Source: GM¹X CalcVerse — https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/tdee-calculator