Calorie (TDEE) Calculator – Maintenance & Goal Calories

Estimate your daily energy needs (TDEE) from BMR, activity level, and goal. Private by design — runs entirely in your browser.

Inputs

Units:
Not sure? Use the quick helper below.
This only helps pick a starting multiplier.
Advanced options
Choose the equation used to estimate BMR.
If selected, we’ll show grams/day for each macro at your target calories.
Gives a body-weight-based protein target in g/day.
Estimated goal adjustment: 0 kcal/day (maintain).
Results will appear here.

About This Calculator

Release Updates

v1.1 (February 17, 2026)

  • Added flexible goal pace controls in kg/week or lb/week with automatic kcal/day conversion.
  • Added optional protein target mode with maintenance, cut, and bulk presets.
  • Added practical result ranges (maintenance and target) to reduce false precision.
  • Added a quick activity estimator helper to improve activity multiplier selection.

Curious about how many calories you need each day? This calculator estimates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is a practical snapshot of the energy you burn across a full day of living, moving, and training.

It starts with your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then applies an activity multiplier to estimate maintenance calories. If you pick a goal, it adjusts your target calories in a moderate, practical range.

This tool is for educational planning and is not medical advice.

Understanding TDEE and Calorie Needs

TDEE means Total Daily Energy Expenditure: the calories your body uses in a full day. This tool calculates it in 3 steps:

  1. Estimate BMR (resting calories) from your inputs and selected formula.
  2. Apply activity multiplier to get maintenance calories (TDEE).
  3. Apply goal adjustment from your selected pace (0.25-1.0 kg or lb per week) to get target calories.

Formula 1: Mifflin–St Jeor (default)
Men: BMR = 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age + 5
Women: BMR = 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age − 161

Formula 2: Harris–Benedict (revised)
Men: BMR = 13.397×kg + 4.799×cm − 5.677×age + 88.362
Women: BMR = 9.247×kg + 3.098×cm − 4.330×age + 447.593

Activity multipliers: 1.2 (Sedentary), 1.375 (Lightly Active), 1.55 (Moderately Active), 1.725 (Very Active), 1.9 (Extra Active).

TDEE is an estimate, so adjust intake over 2-4 weeks based on body-weight trend, energy, and hunger.

Academic References

  • Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241
  • Roza AM, Shizgal HM. (1984). The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated: resting energy requirements and the body cell mass. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/40.1.168
  • Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C. (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. DOI: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.005
  • Harris JA, Benedict FG. (1918). A Biometric Study of Human Basal Metabolism. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.4.12.370

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5 Fun Facts about Calories & TDEE

Most burn is “background”

For many desk workers, 60–75% of daily calories are just keeping the lights on (BMR), not workouts.

Hidden burn

Adaptive metabolism

Long dieting can lower daily burn by a few hundred calories—your body quietly trims “nonessential” movement (NEAT).

NEAT drop

Protein is “expensive”

Digesting protein costs ~20–30% of its calories (thermic effect). Carbs cost ~5–10%, fats ~0–3%.

Thermic effect

Steps are modest

Adding 2,000 steps is roughly 70–100 kcal for most adults—tiny changes compound over weeks.

Small moves

Sleep shifts appetite

Short nights can spike hunger hormones; people often eat 200–500 kcal more after a poor sleep.

Rest factor

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