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TDEE Calculator | Estimate Daily Maintenance Calories And Targets

Calculate your total daily energy expenditure — the calories you burn each day — from your BMR and activity level. The number every diet plan starts from: eat at maintenance to stay, below to lose, above to gain.

Last updated: June 2026 · Free · No sign-up required

Results

Enter values above and click Calculate to see your result instantly.

Quick reference

Activity level	Multiplier	Description
Sedentary	1.20	Desk work, little exercise
Light	1.375	Light exercise 1–3 days/week
Moderate	1.55	Training 3–5 days/week
Very active	1.725	Hard exercise most days
Extra active	1.90	Physical job plus hard training

monitor_weight A starting point, not a diagnosis

This calculator gives you the same number a clinician would compute by hand from your inputs. It is informational, never a substitute for a doctor. If a result surprises you, write it down and discuss it at your next appointment — that conversation is the goal, not a verdict from a webpage.

science Built from peer-reviewed formulas

Every health calculator on CalcaTools uses an equation from the WHO, NIH, ACOG, CDC, or a published peer-reviewed paper. The exact citation is in the "Formula & methodology" section. We re-check sources quarterly and update the page when guidance changes — the "Last reviewed" date is at the top.

volunteer_activism Designed for real people

Health calculations only help if you can actually use them. We use plain-English labels (no jargon), accept both metric and US units, and show what a "normal" range looks like alongside your result — so you understand what the number means, not just what it is.

lock Private by design

Your weight, height, age, pregnancy details, and any other health input never leave your browser. Calculations run client-side; nothing is logged or stored on our side. We don't want your medical data — we just want the formula to work for you.

Interpretation guide

Goal	Starting target
Fat loss	TDEE − 300 to 500 kcal/day
Maintenance	Around TDEE
Lean gain	TDEE + 150 to 300 kcal/day

lightbulb Worked example

Let's say you are using the TDEE Calculator. Estimates your total daily energy expenditure, or maintenance calories. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level, and the tool computes your BMR using a standard equation and Enter the values that match your situation into the input fields and press calculate — using realistic numbers makes the result directly useful for you.

Result: The calculator instantly applies the formula TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier and returns the result with appropriate precision.

What this means: Read the result in the context of what you are measuring. The step-by-step breakdown lets you confirm the math and understand which input most affects the outcome.

Formula & methodology

Formula: TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier

The TDEE Calculator is built on a well-established calculation method. It uses the formula TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier to turn your inputs into a reliable result. Estimates your total daily energy expenditure, or maintenance calories. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level, and the tool computes your BMR using a standard equation and multiplies it by your The steps are shown on the page so you can follow the reasoning from input to output.

TDEE starts from BMR, then multiplies by activity. The activity multiplier is the largest source of error, so use 2–4 weeks of body-weight trend data to calibrate.

Authoritative source: IOM Dietary Reference Intakes

Frequently asked questions

How do I use the TDEE calculator?

Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level, and the tool estimates your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then applies the activity multiplier: TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier. The result is your maintenance calories — eating this amount keeps your weight stable, while a deficit or surplus shifts it. Recalculate whenever your weight or activity changes.

What formula does the TDEE calculator use?

The TDEE Calculator uses the standard TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier. You enter your values, and the calculator applies the formula step by step, showing the working so you can verify the math and understand how the result is derived rather than trusting a black box.

Is the TDEE calculator accurate?

The TDEE Calculator applies the standard formula: TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier. It is tested against published worked examples before launch and uses native double-precision arithmetic, so results are accurate to typical precision for the values you enter — with no intermediate rounding that could distort the answer.

Why do my results differ from another calculator?

The TDEE Calculator is free, private, and accurate: it runs entirely in your browser (no uploads, no accounts), applies the standard calculation, and explains each step so you can verify the result. Estimates your total daily energy expenditure, or maintenance calories. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level, and the tool computes your BMR using a standard equation and multiplies it by your activity factor to show how many calories you There is no limit on usage, and it works on any device.

Can the TDEE calculator replace professional advice?

No — it estimates maintenance calories from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and a self-reported activity multiplier, both of which carry meaningful individual variation. It does not account for medical conditions, medications, or metabolic differences. Use it to set a starting calorie target and adjust by real results; consult a professional for medical or performance nutrition needs.

What does the TDEE Calculator do?

Estimates your total daily energy expenditure, or maintenance calories. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level, and the tool computes your BMR using a standard equation and multiplies it by your activity factor to show how many calories you. The calculator takes your inputs, applies the standard calculation, and returns a clear result so you can make an informed decision without doing the math by hand.

Is the TDEE Calculator free and private?

Yes — the TDEE Calculator. There is no sign-up, no paywall, no trial, and no limit on how many calculations you can run. CalcaTools covers its costs with non-intrusive display advertising, so the calculator itself never asks for payment or restricts any feature.

How accurate is the TDEE Calculator?

The BMR equation is accurate to roughly ±200 calories (about ±10%), and the activity multiplier adds similar uncertainty since people consistently overestimate their activity level. The combined estimate can be off by 300–500 calories per day. The practical calibration: track your weight and intake for 2–3 weeks, and adjust your target by 100–150 calories based on the actual rate of change.

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