maratoolTDEE Calculator — Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Calculate the calories you burn per day from sex, age, height, weight and activity level, then get calorie targets for losing, maintaining, or gaining weight.
| Goal | Calories | Expected change |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme weight loss | — | −1000 kcal/day • about 1 kg (2 lb) per week |
| Weight loss | — | −500 kcal/day • about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week |
| Mild weight loss | — | −250 kcal/day • about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) per week |
| Maintenance | — | Weight holds steady |
| Mild weight gain | — | +250 kcal/day • about 0.25 kg (0.5 lb) per week |
| Weight gain | — | +500 kcal/day • about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week |
Suggested macro split
Grams come from 4 kcal per gram of protein and carbohydrate and 9 kcal per gram of fat. The split is a starting template, not a requirement.
The formula
Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier1.2 sedentary • 1.375 lightly active • 1.55 moderately active • 1.725 very active • 1.9 extra activeTarget = TDEE + deficit or surplus7700 kcal ≈ 1 kg of body mass, so 500 kcal/day ≈ 0.5 kg per week.References
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247.
- Roza AM, Shizgal HM. The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated: resting energy requirements and the body cell mass. Am J Clin Nutr. 1984;40(1):168-182.
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2005.
What is TDEE Calculator — Total Daily Energy Expenditure?
Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is every calorie you burn in 24 hours: basal metabolic rate, the energy spent digesting food, incidental movement like walking and fidgeting, and deliberate exercise. It is the number that decides whether you gain, lose, or hold weight — eat above it and you gain, below it and you lose. Because measuring it directly needs doubly labelled water, calculators estimate it by taking BMR from a regression equation (Mifflin-St Jeor here) and multiplying by an activity factor between 1.2 and 1.9. Expect the result to sit within about 10% of your real expenditure, and treat it as a starting point you adjust from after two or three weeks of actual scale data.
How to use
- Pick metric or imperial units, then enter sex, age, height, and weight.
- Choose the activity level that matches a normal week, not your best week.
- Read your TDEE, then pick a calorie target from the table below it.
Frequently asked questions
How is TDEE calculated?
TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier. BMR here comes from Mifflin-St Jeor; the multipliers are 1.2 (sedentary), 1.375 (lightly active), 1.55 (moderately active), 1.725 (very active) and 1.9 (extra active).
Which activity level should I pick?
Sedentary is a desk job with no training. Lightly active is 1–3 sessions a week, moderately active 3–5, very active 6–7, extra active is twice-daily training or physical labour. Most desk workers who train three times a week land on lightly or moderately active. Overshooting here is the most common reason a calculated target does not work.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A 500 kcal daily deficit is the classic target: roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week. A 250 kcal cut is slower but easier to hold; 1000 kcal is aggressive and rarely sustainable. Do not drop below about 1200 kcal/day for women or 1500 for men without medical supervision — this tool flags it when a target crosses that line.
Why is my real weight loss slower than the calculator predicts?
The 3500 kcal per pound rule treats metabolism as fixed. It is not. TDEE falls as body mass falls, and spontaneous movement quietly drops during a deficit. Recalculate after every 4–6 kg of change and adjust.
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