Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of how many calories you use in a typical day, including rest, digestion, everyday movement and exercise. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation for resting energy expenditure and a single activity factor to estimate your maintenance calories, the intake at which your weight would stay roughly stable.
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Estimates are educational. They do not diagnose any condition and do not establish eligibility for any medication. A licensed provider decides what is appropriate for you. Explore treatments if you want to learn about provider-guided programs.
TDEE is the total energy your body uses in a day. It has three main parts: resting energy expenditure (the largest share, used to keep organs working), the energy cost of digesting food, and physical activity. Eating about this amount keeps weight roughly stable; eating less or more over time tends to move weight down or up.
Step 1 estimates resting energy expenditure (REE) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990), which performed well against measured values in validation studies:
Men: REE = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5Women: REE = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
Step 2 multiplies REE once by an activity factor: 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 lightly active, 1.55 moderately active, 1.725 very active, 1.9 extra active. These multipliers are the widely used convention in consumer and clinical calculators. They line up with the physical activity level (PAL) bands described by FAO/WHO/UNU, where sedentary lifestyles fall around 1.4 to 1.69, active lifestyles 1.7 to 1.99, and vigorous lifestyles 2.0 to 2.4. Because the factor already includes exercise, workout calories should not be added on top (no double counting).
The equation was derived with separate constants for men and women because, on average, body composition differs between the sexes. The setting is a parameter of the math, not a statement about identity. If you are transgender, nonbinary or on hormone therapy, choose the option that most closely reflects your current body composition, or ask a licensed provider; either choice gives an estimate with similar uncertainty.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) and resting energy expenditure (REE) both describe the energy your body uses at rest; REE is measured under slightly less strict conditions and is what Mifflin-St Jeor estimates. TDEE adds the energy you use for digestion and activity on top of REE.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation was published in 1990 using a more modern population and has performed well in comparisons, which is why many dietitians prefer it as a starting estimate. All prediction equations carry error for individuals.
No. The activity factor already includes your exercise. Adding fitness tracker calories on top double counts them and typically overestimates your needs.
Be honest about a typical week, not your most active week. A desk job with 2 to 3 gym sessions is usually lightly active. Daily hard training or a physically demanding job moves you up. If unsure, choose the lower level and adjust based on how your weight responds over several weeks.
For many adults, within roughly 10 percent of measured values, which can be a few hundred calories. The most reliable check is to track intake and weight for 3 to 4 weeks and adjust.
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