Daily Energy Needs Calculator
Find out how many calories your body actually needs each day.
Your daily energy needs — often called your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — is the number of calories you burn in a typical day once you factor in your body and how active you are.
Enter a few details and we'll estimate your maintenance calories using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate predictive formula for everyday use. From there you'll see simple targets for losing fat or building muscle.
This is an estimate to guide your nutrition — not medical advice. For a tailored plan, work with a qualified trainer or dietitian.
Calculate your needs
How the calculation works
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the energy your body uses at complete rest to keep you alive. Research consistently finds it to be the most accurate predictive equation for healthy adults.
Mifflin-St Jeor (BMR):
Men: (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Women: (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) − 161
Your BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the calories you need to maintain your current weight:
- ×1.2Sedentary — Little or no exercise, desk job
- ×1.375Lightly active — Light exercise 1–3 days/week
- ×1.55Moderately active — Moderate exercise 3–5 days/week
- ×1.725Very active — Hard exercise 6–7 days/week
- ×1.9Extra active — Physical job or training twice a day
Using your numbers
To lose fat, eat in a modest deficit (around 500 kcal/day below maintenance for roughly 0.5 kg per week). To build muscle, eat in a lean surplus (around 200–300 kcal/day above maintenance) while training consistently. Adjust based on how your weight and performance actually trend over 2–3 weeks.
A note on accuracy
Predictive equations are a starting point, not an exact measurement. Factors like body composition, genetics, and non-exercise movement all influence your real energy needs. For peer-reviewed background on energy expenditure prediction, see this research published in Clinical Nutrition.