TDEE calculator
Your total daily energy expenditure is the number every diet decision hangs on. This uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the one clinical dietitians use — plus your real training volume to estimate it, then hands you cut, maintain, and bulk targets.
About you
Your numbers
These are estimates, not medical advice — see the medical disclaimer. Turn calories into macros →
How the math works
Step one is your basal metabolic rate — what your body burns at complete rest. Mifflin-St Jeor computes it as 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women. Step two multiplies BMR by an activity factor to cover training, work, and daily movement. The result is your TDEE — the calories that hold your weight steady.
The goal targets are simple percentages of TDEE: 80% to cut, 100% to maintain, 110% to bulk.
Activity multipliers
| Level | Factor | Looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Desk job, little or no training |
| Lightly active | 1.375 | 1–3 sessions per week |
| Moderately active | 1.55 | 3–5 sessions per week |
| Very active | 1.725 | Hard training 6–7 days per week |
| Extremely active | 1.9 | Physical job plus daily training |
Honest caveats
Every TDEE calculator gives a starting point, not a verdict. The formula carries ~10% error on its own, and picking the wrong activity level adds more. The fix is simple: eat your target for two to three weeks, watch the scale trend, and adjust by 100–200 kcal. Your logged results beat any equation.
These are estimates, not medical advice — see the medical disclaimer. Once you have your calories, the macro split calculator turns them into protein, carb, and fat targets.
Common questions
How accurate is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?+−
It predicts resting metabolism within about 10% for most people, which is why dietitians reach for it first. The bigger source of error is the activity multiplier you pick, not the formula itself.
Which activity level should I pick?+−
Most people overshoot. Count real training sessions only — not steps, not standing at work. If you sit between two levels, pick the lower one and adjust upward if you lose weight eating at maintenance.
Why a 20% deficit and a 10% surplus?+−
A 20% cut is big enough for steady fat loss without wrecking training quality. A 10% surplus supports muscle gain while keeping fat gain in check. More aggressive numbers in either direction tend to backfire.
Do I have to eat exactly this number every day?+−
No. Treat it as a weekly average: hit protein daily, keep weekly calories near target, and judge progress by the scale trend over two to three weeks. Then adjust by 100–200 kcal and repeat.
You have the number. Now make it work.
A calorie target is the start, not the plan. The Fuel Framework shows you how to split it into protein, carbs and fat, what changes for your sport, and how to adjust when the scale stops moving — with every figure traced to a named study.