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Read Nutrition · Daily energy
Daily Calories Calculator
Maintenance, cut or bulk — find your number.
Your details
Sex
Height
Weight
Activity level
This is an informational estimate, not a prescription. Individual energy needs vary widely, and any structured deficit or surplus is best planned with a qualified healthcare professional.
Estimated TDEE
2476kcal/day
Goal targets (kcal/day)
Lose weight
1976 kcal
Maintain weight
2476 kcal
Gain weight
2976 kcal
What is TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is an estimate of the calories your body uses over an average day — basal metabolism plus digestion, movement and any exercise.
How this tool estimates it
This tool computes basal metabolic rate using Mifflin–St Jeor, then multiplies by a self-reported activity factor (1.2–1.9). The maintain/reduce/increase targets shown are simple informational offsets from that estimate.
Maintain, reduce or increase — with caution
Reduce and increase targets are shown for reference only. Aggressive daily deficits or surpluses can be unhelpful or unsafe, and any structured plan is best designed with a qualified healthcare professional.
Limitations & caveats
- TDEE is an estimate — actual daily energy expenditure can vary by ±10% around any formula.
- Self-reported activity level is often optimistic; many people benefit from picking one level down.
- Aggressive deficits can be counter-productive and unsafe over time (adaptive thermogenesis, muscle loss, disordered patterns).
- Not appropriate for pregnancy, breastfeeding, acute illness, or a history of an eating disorder — please use dedicated professional guidance.
- Does not replace individualised advice from a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian.
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Read What your result means
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of how many calories your body uses on an average day — combining basal metabolism (Mifflin–St Jeor) with a self-reported activity multiplier. This tool produces an estimate, not a prescription. Actual daily energy expenditure varies with sleep, non-exercise movement, temperature, hormones, health status and adaptation over time.
What to do next
Use the number as a starting point, not a guaranteed weight-change plan. Choose an activity level that reflects a typical week (many people over-estimate) and follow observed body-weight and how-you-feel trends over 2–4 weeks before adjusting. Any structured energy deficit, surplus or performance plan is better designed with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian, especially if you have any medical condition or a history of disordered eating.
This is an informational estimate, not a prescription. It cannot guarantee weight change and does not replace individualised advice from a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian.
What the formula measures
- A Mifflin–St Jeor basal metabolic rate estimate scaled by a self-reported activity factor
- A general daily-energy reference for informational planning
- A signal that shifts predictably with self-reported weight, height, age and activity
What it does not measure
- Individual variation in basal metabolic rate (typically ±10% around any formula)
- Non-exercise activity (fidgeting, standing, walking incidentally)
- Adaptive thermogenesis during prolonged energy deficits
- Body composition, muscle mass or hormonal status
- Sleep quality, illness, stress or medication effects
- Dietary quality, macronutrient balance or micronutrient intake
- A guaranteed rate of weight change over time
Where it does not apply
- Pregnancy — energy needs shift by trimester; use pregnancy-specific guidance from a qualified healthcare professional
- Breastfeeding — energy needs increase; use lactation-specific guidance
- Acute or chronic illness, fever, recovery from surgery — energy needs can be substantially altered
- A current or past eating disorder — please do not use this tool to plan intake; work with a qualified healthcare professional
- Metabolic adaptation after prolonged dieting — measured expenditure can drift below any formula estimate
- Endurance or strength athletes with unusually high training volume — dedicated sports-nutrition support is more appropriate
- Children, adolescents and older adults with reduced muscle mass — the formula may not fit well
- Certain medical conditions (thyroid disorders, Cushing’s, some medications) that alter energy expenditure
How to measure correctly
- Enter age, sex, current height and weight as accurately as possible
- Choose an activity level based on a typical week — many people benefit from picking one level down
- Interpret the result as an average over days, not a target for any single day
- Track body-weight and how-you-feel trends over 2–4 weeks before adjusting intake
- Avoid aggressive daily deficits; small, sustainable changes are safer
Medical Evidence
How we ground the Daily Calorie
Grade A · Clinical guidelines & meta-analysesLast reviewed Nov 1, 2025
Named clinical guidelines
- Mifflin–St Jeor equation (most accurate for general adults)
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
References
- Mifflin MD et al. — A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals· American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — Adult Weight Management Guidelines· AND