Calculate your daily caloric needs (TDEE) based on your personal data and activity level. Includes calories to lose or gain weight.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at rest. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is BMR multiplied by your activity factor, representing total calories burned daily. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is more accurate for modern lifestyles than older formulas.
This calculator provides a reasonable estimate based on standard formulas, but individual metabolism varies. Some people naturally burn more or less than predicted. If you're not seeing expected results after 2–3 weeks, adjust your intake by 100–200 calories and reassess.
Sedentary = little exercise, Light = 1–3 days/week, Moderate = 3–5 days/week, Active = 6–7 days/week, Very Active = intense daily exercise or physical job. Be honest—overestimating activity is a common reason people don't see results.
Eating too little slows metabolism, causes muscle loss, and is unsustainable. A 500-calorie daily deficit (1 lb/week loss) is safe and effective. Extreme deficits often backfire. Combine calorie deficit with strength training to preserve muscle.
Metabolism changes with age (slows ~5% per decade after 30), muscle mass (muscle burns more calories), hormones, stress, and sleep. Building muscle through strength training is one of the best ways to boost your resting metabolism long-term.