Daily Calorie Need
Estimate daily calorie needs using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula from age, gender, height, weight, and activity.
Returns loss, maintenance, and gain targets.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It combines your resting metabolic rate with your physical activity level.
Step 1 — Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation:
For men:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
For women:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
Step 2 — Multiply by an activity factor:
TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor
Activity factors:
- Sedentary (desk job, no exercise): × 1.2
- Lightly active (1–3 days/week exercise): × 1.375
- Moderately active (3–5 days/week): × 1.55
- Very active (6–7 days/week hard exercise): × 1.725
- Extremely active (physical job + hard training): × 1.9
Worked example: Male, 35 years old, 80 kg, 178 cm tall, moderately active.
BMR = (10 × 80) + (6.25 × 178) − (5 × 35) + 5 BMR = 800 + 1,112.5 − 175 + 5 = 1,742.5 calories/day TDEE = 1,742.5 × 1.55 = 2,701 calories/day
Calorie targets by goal:
- Lose weight (0.5 kg/week): TDEE − 500 calories/day
- Lose weight (1 kg/week): TDEE − 1,000 calories/day
- Maintain weight: TDEE
- Gain muscle (lean bulk): TDEE + 300–500 calories/day
Never eat below your BMR for extended periods — it risks muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic adaptation.