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TDEE Calculator — Daily Calories, BMR, Macros (Mifflin)

BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor) and TDEE by activity level. Calorie targets for cut/maintain/bulk plus macro split (protein/carbs/fat). Katch-McArdle if body fat % known. Free, no signup.

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Age

Gender

Male Female

Height (cm)

Weight (kg)

Body fat (%) — optional

If known → uses the more accurate Katch-McArdle formula.

Activity level

Goal

Lose weight (-500) Maintain Gain weight (+500)

BMR — Basal Metabolic Rate

—

Calories your body burns at complete rest for 24h.

TDEE — Total Daily Energy

—

BMR × activity multiplier.

Target calories

—

Macro split (suggested)

Protein

—

2g/kg body weight (active); 0.8g/kg (sedentary)

Carbs

—

Remainder

Fat

—

25-30% of calories

Calculate BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor / Katch-McArdle) and TDEE to know how many calories to eat to lose/maintain/gain weight. Lose weight: TDEE - 500 for ~0.5kg/week.

What's BMR vs TDEE?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): calories burned at full rest over 24h — to keep heart, brain, liver, kidneys running.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure): total calories burned per day = BMR × activity multiplier.
Eat below TDEE → lose weight. Above TDEE → gain. At TDEE → maintain.

Mifflin-St Jeor formula (current standard)

The tool uses Mifflin-St Jeor — more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict:

Male: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
Female: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161

If you know your body fat percentage, the tool switches to Katch-McArdle — more accurate for trained people.

Activity multipliers

1.2 — sedentary (desk job, no exercise)
1.375 — light (1-3 sessions/week)
1.55 — moderate (3-5 sessions/week)
1.725 — heavy (6-7 sessions/week)
1.9 — very heavy (2× per day, or physical job)

Macro split — three macronutrients

Protein: 1.6-2.2g/kg bodyweight for trained people. 1g = 4 kcal.
Fat: 25-30% of total calories. 1g = 9 kcal.
Carbs: the remainder. 1g = 4 kcal.

Most people undereat protein and overeat carbs → hard to build muscle. The tool suggests sensible macros for your goal.

How fast can you safely change weight?

Safe cut: 500 kcal/day deficit → 0.5 kg/week of fat loss.
Slow bulk: 250-500 kcal/day surplus → 0.25-0.5 kg/week (muscle + minimal fat).
Going faster usually means losing muscle, water weight, or rebounding within a couple of months.

FAQ

What is TDEE? How does it differ from BMR?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at full rest over 24h — just to stay alive. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total calories burned in a day, including BMR + activity + thermic effect of food. TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier (1.2 to 1.9).

Is Mifflin-St Jeor more accurate than Harris-Benedict?

Yes. Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) is more accurate than Harris-Benedict (1919) for modern populations — especially overweight individuals. The American Dietetic Association has recommended Mifflin-St Jeor as the standard since 2005. If you know your body fat percentage, Katch-McArdle is even more accurate.

How big a deficit do I need to lose 1 kg per week?

1 kg of fat ≈ 7,700 kcal. Losing 1 kg/week needs a ~1,100 kcal/day deficit — too aggressive for most people. Safer: 500 kcal/day → 0.5 kg/week. Faster cuts often mean muscle loss and yo-yo rebound.

How much protein for muscle gain?

Resistance-training adults: 1.6-2.2 g/kg bodyweight. Example: a 70 kg male needs 112-154 g/day = roughly 4-6 eggs + 200 g chicken + a cup of milk. Most people undereat protein and overdo carbs — making muscle gain hard.

Does TDEE drop with age? Should I eat less after 40?

Yes. BMR drops about 50 kcal/day per decade past 30 (mostly from muscle loss + slower metabolism). A 50-year-old needs 200-250 fewer kcal than a 20-year-old of the same size. Resistance training slows this — that's why lifting after 40 matters more than cardio.