TDEE
Same plain method, different figures.
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Fitness
Calorie Calculator
Find your daily maintenance calories and targets to lose or gain weight.
Maintenance calories
—
Per day.
| Mild loss (−0.5 lb/wk) | — |
|---|---|
| Loss (−1 lb/wk) | — |
| Mild gain (+0.5 lb/wk) | — |
| BMR (at rest) | — |
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Enter your figures above to see the step-by-step working.
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How the Calorie Calculator Works
Your daily calorie need is your Basal Metabolic Rate (the energy you burn at rest) multiplied by an activity factor. This calculator uses the Mifflin–St Jeor equation — the most accurate BMR formula in general use — from your age, sex, height and weight, then scales it by how active you are to give your maintenance calories, or Total Daily Energy Expenditure.
Eat at maintenance to hold your weight; a deficit of about 500 calories a day loses roughly a pound a week, and a similar surplus gains it. One pound of fat is about 3,500 calories, which is where those targets come from.
calories = Mifflin–St Jeor BMR × activity factor
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories should I eat a day?
Eat at your maintenance (TDEE) to stay the same weight. Subtract about 500 a day to lose roughly a pound a week, or add 250–500 to gain.
What is the Mifflin–St Jeor equation?
A BMR formula: 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age, then +5 for men or −161 for women. It’s more accurate than the older Harris–Benedict.
What is the difference between BMR and maintenance calories?
BMR is what you burn at complete rest. Maintenance (TDEE) is BMR times an activity factor, covering everything you do in a day.
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