Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, BMI, BMR, Body Fat %, Ideal Body Weight, Lean Mass and RMR in seconds.
Everything you need to understand your body and reach your goals
Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Body Mass Index
Basal Metabolic Rate
Body Fat Percentage
Ideal Body Weight
Lean Body Mass
Resting Metabolic Rate
| Goal | Description | Cal/Day |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme Cut | -1000 cal · ~2 lbs/week | – |
| Moderate Cut | -500 cal · ~1 lb/week | – |
| Mild Cut | -250 cal · ~0.5 lb/week | – |
| Maintain | Your TDEE — maintain weight | – |
| Mild Bulk | +250 cal · slow lean gain | – |
| Bulk | +500 cal · ~1 lb/week gain | – |
BMR uses Mifflin-St Jeor by default. Entering Body Fat % enables the more accurate Katch-McArdle formula.
TDEE = BMR × Activity Level. These are estimates — consult a dietitian for personalised advice.
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It is the single most important number in nutrition — whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or simply maintaining your current weight.
TDEE is not a fixed number. It changes based on your age, weight, height, gender, and — most significantly — how active you are each day. Understanding your TDEE removes the guesswork from dieting and gives you a science-backed calorie target to work from.
💡 Simple rule: Eat below your TDEE to lose weight. Eat at your TDEE to maintain. Eat above your TDEE to gain muscle. The calculator above gives you your exact number.
Your total daily calorie burn is made up of four parts:
TDEE is calculated in two steps. First, your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is estimated using a validated formula. Then that BMR is multiplied by an activity factor that reflects how active you are.
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which research has consistently shown to be the most accurate formula for estimating BMR in healthy adults.
| Activity Level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Desk job, little or no exercise | × 1.2 |
| Lightly Active | Light exercise 1–2 days/week | × 1.375 |
| Moderately Active | Moderate exercise 3–5 days/week | × 1.55 |
| Very Active | Hard exercise 6–7 days/week | × 1.725 |
| Athlete | Two-a-day training or physical job | × 1.9 |
⚠️ Most people overestimate their activity level. If you have a desk job and exercise 3 times a week, choose "Lightly Active," not "Moderately Active." Honest self-assessment leads to more accurate results.
If you know your body fat percentage, enter it above to enable the Katch-McArdle formula. This formula calculates BMR from your lean body mass rather than total weight, making it more accurate for very muscular or very lean individuals.
Your TDEE result is your maintenance calorie level — the number of calories at which your weight stays stable. Use it as your starting point for any nutrition goal.
| Goal | Daily Calories | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme Cut | TDEE − 1,000 | ~2 lbs (0.9 kg) loss per week |
| Moderate Cut | TDEE − 500 | ~1 lb (0.45 kg) loss per week |
| Mild Cut | TDEE − 250 | ~0.5 lb loss per week (sustainable) |
| Maintain | TDEE | Weight stays the same |
| Mild Bulk | TDEE + 250 | Slow, lean muscle gain |
| Bulk | TDEE + 500 | ~1 lb (0.45 kg) gain per week |
✅ Best approach for most people: A moderate deficit of 300–500 calories per day gives meaningful fat loss without sacrificing muscle, energy, or sanity.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple calculation that uses your height and weight to estimate whether you are underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. While it is widely used by doctors as a quick screening tool, it does not directly measure body fat.
| BMI Range | Category | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Below 18.5 | Underweight | May indicate malnutrition or other health issues |
| 18.5 – 24.9 | Normal Weight | Healthy range for most adults |
| 25.0 – 29.9 | Overweight | Elevated risk of metabolic conditions |
| 30.0 – 34.9 | Obese Class I | Significant health risks |
| 35.0+ | Obese Class II/III | Seek medical advice |
⚠️ BMI has limitations. Athletes and muscular individuals often show a high BMI despite having low body fat. For a more complete picture, use it alongside the Body Fat % and Waist measurements.
Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic life-sustaining functions — breathing, circulation, cell production, and temperature regulation — while at complete rest. Think of it as the minimum amount of fuel your body needs just to stay alive.
BMR typically accounts for 60–75% of your total daily calorie burn, making it the dominant factor in your overall energy expenditure. Even if you lay in bed all day, you would burn this many calories.
Most accurate for the general population. Validated in multiple studies. Uses weight, height, age, and gender. Recommended for most people.
The original BMR formula from 1919, revised in 1984. Slightly overestimates compared to Mifflin-St Jeor. Still widely used in clinical settings.
Uses lean body mass instead of total weight. Most accurate for athletes and lean individuals who know their body fat percentage.
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is slightly higher than BMR and accounts for light resting activity. Most fitness apps report RMR, not true BMR.
Your body fat percentage is the proportion of your total body weight that is fat tissue. Unlike BMI, body fat percentage distinguishes between fat mass and lean mass (muscle, bone, organs, water), making it a far more useful measure of body composition.
| Category | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Fat | 2–5% | 10–13% |
| Athletes | 6–13% | 14–20% |
| Fitness | 14–17% | 21–24% |
| Average | 18–25% | 25–31% |
| Obese | 25%+ | 32%+ |
This calculator uses the U.S. Navy Method, which estimates body fat percentage from circumference measurements. You need your waist, neck, and (for women) hip measurements.
Your Ideal Body Weight (IBW) is an estimated healthy weight range based on your height and gender. It is not a target to obsess over, but a useful reference point to understand where you stand relative to established health benchmarks.
This calculator uses four different IBW formulas and shows you the range across all of them, because no single formula is universally perfect.
| Formula | Men (base at 5ft) | Women (base at 5ft) | Per inch added |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devine | 50 kg | 45.5 kg | +2.3 kg |
| Robinson | 52 kg | 49 kg | +1.9 kg (M) / +1.7 kg (F) |
| Miller | 56.2 kg | 53.1 kg | +1.41 kg (M) / +1.36 kg (F) |
| Hamwi | 48 kg | 45.4 kg | +2.7 kg (M) / +2.26 kg (F) |
Lean Body Mass (LBM) is your total body weight minus your body fat. It includes muscles, bones, organs, blood, and water. LBM is important because it is the metabolically active tissue in your body — more LBM means a higher BMR and higher TDEE.
Building and preserving lean body mass through resistance training and adequate protein intake is one of the most effective strategies for long-term weight management, because it keeps your metabolism elevated even as you age.
✅ Practical tip: Eat 1.6–2.2g of protein per kg of lean body mass (not total weight) to preserve muscle while in a calorie deficit.
Once you know your calorie target, the next step is splitting those calories into the three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The right ratio depends on your goal, lifestyle, and food preferences.
| Macro | Calories per gram | Primary function |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 4 kcal/g | Muscle building, satiety, immune function |
| Carbohydrates | 4 kcal/g | Energy, brain function, performance fuel |
| Fat | 9 kcal/g | Hormones, vitamin absorption, satiety |
30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat. Good all-around approach for most people. Sustainable long-term.
Higher protein and fat, lower carbs. Good for insulin sensitivity and reducing hunger.
Very low carb, high fat. Forces the body into ketosis. Effective for some but restrictive.
Best for muscle building and preserving LBM during a cut. Higher satiety per calorie.
Higher carbs to fuel intense training. Ideal for endurance athletes and heavy lifters.
Start with Balanced. If you lift weights, try High Protein. If you struggle with hunger, try Low Carb. Adjust based on results.
💡 Remember: TDEE calculators are accurate to within 10–15%. Real-world tracking for 2–3 weeks will always give you better data than any formula.
The calculations provided by this tool are estimates based on validated scientific formulas. They are intended for general informational purposes only and do not constitute medical, nutritional, or clinical advice. Individual results vary based on factors that no formula can fully account for — genetics, hormonal health, gut microbiome, medication use, and more.
If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are considering a significant dietary change, please consult a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making decisions based on these numbers.