Free TDEE Calculator — Find Your Daily Calorie Needs in 60 Seconds

BMRThe number of calories your body needs at complete rest to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. is the calories burned doing absolutely nothing — just existing. TDEETotal calories burned per day, including BMR plus physical activity and the thermic effect of food. Used for weight management. adds all physical activity. TDEETotal calories burned per day, including BMR plus physical activity and the thermic effect of food. Used for weight management. is the number that matters for nutrition planning; BMRThe number of calories your body needs at complete rest to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. is only a component of it.

For most people, eating below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) is considered a Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) and should only be done under medical supervision. Such low intakes risk nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, gallstones, and metabolic adaptation. The calculator flags this in red.

Activity level is the biggest variable. Most people underestimate their TDEETotal calories burned per day, including BMR plus physical activity and the thermic effect of food. Used for weight management. by selecting too low an activity level, or overestimate by selecting "very active" when they exercise 3 days a week. Be honest about your actual weekly movement.

Be honest rather than aspirational. Sedentary = desk job, no exercise. Light = 1-2 intentional workouts. Moderate = 3-5 workouts where you actually sweat. Heavy = daily intense training. Athlete = twice-daily training or physically demanding job. Most people overestimate their activity level by one category, which can inflate their TDEETotal calories burned per day, including BMR plus physical activity and the thermic effect of food. Used for weight management. by 200-400 calories. When in doubt, choose the lower option.

TDEETotal calories burned per day, including BMR plus physical activity and the thermic effect of food. Used for weight management. decreases as you lose weight because a smaller body requires less energy to maintain. This is called metabolic adaptation. A person who loses 30 lbs may need 150-250 fewer calories per day to maintain their new weight than someone who has always been at that weight. This is why weight loss plateaus are normal — you need to periodically recalculate your TDEETotal calories burned per day, including BMR plus physical activity and the thermic effect of food. Used for weight management. as your weight changes. The calculator makes this easy by giving you updated numbers any time you change your inputs.

NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) is the most variable component of TDEETotal calories burned per day, including BMR plus physical activity and the thermic effect of food. Used for weight management., ranging from 200 to 900+ calories per day. A fidgety person who stands at their desk, takes stairs, and walks while on the phone can burn 500+ more calories through NEAT than someone who sits still all day. This is why two people with identical stats and exercise routines can have very different TDEEs — the difference is almost entirely NEAT. Increasing NEAT (standing desk, walking meetings, taking stairs) is one of the easiest ways to increase calorie burn without formal exercise.

Mifflin-St Jeor is the most validated BMRThe number of calories your body needs at complete rest to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. formula for the general population and is used by default in this calculator. Harris-Benedict (revised 1984) tends to overestimate BMRThe number of calories your body needs at complete rest to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. by ~5% on average. Katch-McArdle is more accurate for lean athletes who know their body fat percentage because it uses lean body mass instead of total weight. The BMRThe number of calories your body needs at complete rest to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. Formula Comparison panel below the results shows all three formulas side-by-side so you can see the difference for your stats. The gap between Mifflin and Harris-Benedict is typically 50-150 calories, while Katch-McArdle can differ by 200+ calories depending on your body composition.