Enter your age, sex, height, weight and activity level. Your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and BMR are calculated, and a bar graph compares TDEE across activity levels.
Enter height in cm and weight in kg. The results are estimates from formulas, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or are still growing, talk with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
Result and graph
Enter your age, sex, height and weight on the left and press "Calculate". The result and a graph will appear here.
Table of Contents
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What you can do on this page
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What is this calculation used for?
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How to Use
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Formula and figures
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Symbols and terms
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Good to know before you start
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How to calculate it in Excel
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How to calculate it in Google Sheets
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How to calculate it in Python
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How to write it in LaTeX and other math languages (copy and paste)
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How to have ChatGPT do the calculation
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DataChef Features
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Related Features
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NumberChef Calculators List
What you can do on this page
- Enter your age, sex, height, weight and activity level to see your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure, the total calories you burn in a day) on the spot
- Formulas and figures explain how TDEE = BMR × activity factor works and how to choose the activity factor (activity level) that fits you
- A bar graph by activity level shows how your TDEE changes when your activity level changes
- If you know your body fat percentage, you can also use the Katch-McArdle formula, which works from lean body mass
- A plain-language explanation of the formulas and copy-and-paste formulas for Excel, Google Sheets and Python are all on this page
All of these formulas are statistical estimates, so the results are only a rough guide, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or are still growing, talk with a doctor or a registered dietitian before using them. For calorie targets to lose or gain weight, use the Calorie Calculator; to compare three BMR formulas, use the BMR Calculator (both in the related pages).
What is this calculation used for?
Knowing your baseline for how much to eat in a day
Without a reference of your own, the calories on a food label do not tell you whether that is a lot or a little. TDEE is the theoretical baseline at which your weight stays the same, so if your TDEE is 2,400 kcal, you can see that "this 900-Calorie restaurant meal is nearly 40% of my day".
Whether you want to lose or gain weight, the first step is to estimate your TDEE. Only once you know the baseline can you plan how much to go above or below it (there is a standard way to set a daily calorie target for each rate of loss or gain, and the Calorie Calculator in the related pages uses it).
The starting point for meal plans in fitness and sports nutrition
In meal plans for building muscle (such as setting your macros), the usual steps are to estimate your TDEE first and then split it into protein, fat and carbohydrates.
Personal trainers and sports dietitians also start from a formula with the same structure, "TDEE = BMR × activity factor". Once you understand this structure, it feels natural to choose a new activity factor when your training schedule changes.
Checking "I worked out, so I can eat more" with numbers
For a person with a BMR of 1655 kcal, TDEE is about 1986 kcal when sedentary (×1.2) and about 2276 kcal with light exercise 1–3 times a week (×1.375). The difference is only about 290 kcal a day, roughly one slice of frosted cake.
Comparing TDEE across activity levels shows in numbers how easily a "reward treat" after every workout cancels out the exercise. It also shows the well-known point that, for weight loss, managing how much you eat tends to work better than burning more (exercise still has great value beyond calories, for fitness and health).
Used in hospital and long-term care nutrition
To estimate how much energy a hospital patient or an older adult needs in a day, dietitians and doctors have long used a BMR formula multiplied by factors for activity and medical condition. It is the same "base metabolism × factor" structure as this page.
In the US, the Dietary Reference Intakes from the National Academies estimate energy needs with Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) equations that include your physical activity level, so the idea behind TDEE is also part of official nutrition guidance. Real clinical nutrition includes professional adjustments based on the patient's condition and measurements, so always consult a professional about decisions related to treatment or care.
Formula and figures
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)
Figure
Standard notation
(the usual math form)
In words
(symbols replaced with words)
\(T\)
\(=\)
\(B\)
\(\times\)
\(k\)
③
\(T\): total daily energy expenditure
\(=\)
①
\(B\): BMR
\(\times\)
②
\(k\): activity factor
The formula in words
①
Take the
\(B\): BMR (the calories you burn in a day at complete rest)
②
multiply it by the
\(k\): activity factor (a multiplier from 1 to 1.9 based on how active you are)
③
and you get the
\(T\): total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)
Quick example
For a person with a BMR of 1655 kcal/day (the 25-year-old man in the example of formula 2 below) who does moderate exercise 4–5 times a week (activity factor 1.465), the TDEE is
\(T\): total daily energy expenditure
\(=\)
BMR (1655)
\(\times\)
activity factor (1.465)
\(1655 \times 1.465 = 2424.575 \approx 2425\)
Key idea
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the total calories you burn in a day: your BMR plus the calories for exercise and daily activities. In theory, if you eat the same number of calories as your TDEE, your weight stays the same. That is why TDEE is also called "maintenance calories".
The formula is just one multiplication. The hard part is choosing the activity factor \(k\). Use this guide and pick the level closest to your everyday life.
- ×1 (no activity): the theoretical value if you rested lying down all day. It is your BMR itself, the baseline for comparing the other levels
- ×1.2 (sedentary, little or no exercise): mostly desk work, with exercise limited to walking during commuting and errands
- ×1.375 (light, 1–3 workouts a week): walking or light strength training a few times a week
- ×1.465 (moderate, 4–5 workouts a week): 30 minutes to 1 hour of exercise 4–5 times a week
- ×1.55 (active, daily exercise or 3–4 intense workouts a week): people with a job on their feet or an active life plus regular exercise are also around here
- ×1.725 (very active, 6–7 intense workouts a week): hard training almost every day
- ×1.9 (extra active, very intense exercise or a physical job): physical labor such as construction work, or athletes who train twice a day
People tend to rate their own activity level too high. If you are unsure, choose one level lower and adjust while you watch how your weight actually changes. That is the safer way to use it.
Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin-St Jeor equation)
Figure
Standard notation
(the usual math form)
\(B\)
\(=\)
\(10W\)
\(+\)
\(6.25H\)
\(-\)
\(5A\)
\(+\)
\(5\)
\(B\)
\(=\)
\(10W\)
\(+\)
\(6.25H\)
\(-\)
\(5A\)
\(-\)
\(161\)
In words
(symbols replaced with words)
⑤
\(B\): BMR (men)
\(=\)
①
10 × \(W\): weight (kg)
\(+\)
②
6.25 × \(H\): height (cm)
\(-\)
③
5 × \(A\): age (years)
\(+\)
④
constant for men \(5\)
⑦
\(B\): BMR (women)
\(=\)
10 × \(W\): weight (kg)
\(+\)
6.25 × \(H\): height (cm)
\(-\)
5 × \(A\): age (years)
\(-\)
⑥
constant for women \(161\)
The formula in words
①
Take
10 × \(W\): weight (kg)
②
add
6.25 × \(H\): height (cm)
③
subtract
5 × \(A\): age (years)
④
and for men add the
constant for men \(5\)
⑤
to get the
\(B\): BMR (men)
⑥
For women, instead of adding a constant, subtract the
constant for women \(161\)
⑦
to get the
\(B\): BMR (women)
Quick example
For a 25-year-old man who is 180 cm (about 5 ft 11 in) tall and weighs 65 kg (about 143 lb), the BMR is
\(B\): BMR (men)
\(=\)
10 × weight (65 kg)
\(+\)
6.25 × height (180 cm)
\(-\)
5 × age (25)
\(+\)
constant for men (5)
\(10 \times 65 + 6.25 \times 180 - 5 \times 25 + 5\)
\(= 650 + 1125 - 125 + 5 = 1655\)
Key idea
BMR, the base of TDEE, is an estimate of the calories you burn in a day at complete rest, for things like keeping your body warm, breathing and keeping your heart beating. It is thought to make up about 60–70% of your total daily energy expenditure.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation was published in 1990. It is often found to be fairly close to measured values in people today, so it is the default in this calculator. It uses weight in kg and height in cm. If you know your numbers in pounds and inches, convert first (kg = lb × 0.4536, cm = in × 2.54), or use the same formula rewritten for pounds and inches: \(B = 4.536W + 15.875H - 5A + 5\) (\(- 161\) for women). The calculator does this conversion for you.
There are other BMR formulas, such as the revised Harris-Benedict equation. For a comparison of the formulas and a list of calories burned at 6 activity levels, see the BMR Calculator in the related pages.
Basal metabolic rate (Katch-McArdle formula, using body fat percentage)
Figure
Standard notation
(the usual math form)
\(B\)
\(=\)
\(370\)
\(+\)
\(21.6\)
\(\times\)
\((1-F)\)
\(\times\)
\(W\)
In words
(symbols replaced with words)
⑤
\(B\): BMR
\(=\)
④
constant \(370\)
\(+\)
③
coefficient \(21.6\)
\(\times\)
①
\((1-F)\): non-fat share
\(\times\)
②
\(W\): weight (kg)
The formula in words
①
Take the
\((1-F)\): non-fat share (\(F\) is body fat percentage as a decimal)
②
multiply it by the
\(W\): weight (kg)
to get your lean body mass
③
multiply by the
coefficient \(21.6\)
④
add the
constant \(370\)
⑤
and you get the
\(B\): BMR
Quick example
For a person who weighs 80 kg (about 176 lb) with 15% body fat, the BMR is
\(B\): BMR
\(=\)
constant (370)
\(+\)
coefficient (21.6)
\(\times\)
non-fat share (1 − 0.15)
\(\times\)
weight (80 kg)
\(21.6 \times (1 - 0.15) \times 80 = 21.6 \times 68 = 1468.8\)
\(370 + 1468.8 = 1838.8\)
Key idea
\((1-F) \times W\) is your body weight minus the fat, called lean body mass (muscle, bone, organs and so on). The Katch-McArdle formula is based on the idea that BMR is roughly proportional to lean body mass. It does not use sex, age or height, but it needs a measured body fat percentage. The formula uses kg; if you know your weight in pounds, multiply it by 0.4536 first (the calculator does this for you).
It is considered accurate for people who know their body fat percentage well, and its strength is that it reflects the difference between a muscular person and a person with more fat at the same weight. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation assumes an average body composition, so this formula is said to suit people with a lot of muscle from training, or people whose body fat percentage is far from average. Keep in mind that body fat readings from home body composition scales can vary by a few percent with the measuring conditions, and the result varies with them.
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is estimated as "BMR × activity factor". BMR comes from a formula (Mifflin-St Jeor by default, or Katch-McArdle if you know your body fat percentage), and the activity factor is chosen from 1.2 to 1.9 to match how much you usually exercise. Every formula here is an estimate and people differ, so use the results as a rough guide and adjust while you watch how your weight actually changes.
Symbols and terms
Symbols
| \(T\) | tee | TDEE, total daily energy expenditure (kcal/day). This page uses T, the first letter of "total". |
| \(B\) | bee | Basal metabolic rate (BMR), the estimated calories you burn in a day at complete rest (kcal/day). This page uses B, the first letter of "basal". |
| \(k\) | kay | The activity factor, a multiplier that shows how many times your BMR you burn in a day. This page uses 1 (no activity) and 6 levels from 1.2 to 1.9. |
| \(W\) | double-u | Weight in kg, from the first letter of "weight" (kg = lb × 0.4536). |
| \(H\) | aitch | Height in cm, from the first letter of "height" (cm = in × 2.54, so 5 ft 11 in = 71 in ≈ 180 cm). |
| \(A\) | a | Age in years, from the first letter of "age". The older you are, the lower the estimated BMR. |
| \(F\) | ef | Body fat percentage written as a decimal (for example, 15% → 0.15). It is used in the Katch-McArdle formula. F stands for "fat". |
Terms
| TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) | The total calories you burn in a day (kcal/day), your BMR plus the calories for exercise and daily activities. It is usually estimated as "BMR × activity factor" and is the main number on this page. |
| maintenance calories | The estimated calories per day that keep your current weight. In theory it is the same number as TDEE, and the two terms are often used for the same thing. The Calorie Calculator in the related pages uses it to set weight loss and weight gain targets. |
| BMR (basal metabolic rate) | The energy you use just to stay alive, for things like keeping your body warm, breathing and keeping your heart beating (kcal/day). It is thought to make up about 60–70% of TDEE. It changes with muscle mass, age, body size and so on. |
| activity factor | A multiplier for the extra calories you use for exercise and daily activities. You multiply your BMR by it to estimate TDEE. This page uses 1 (no activity) and 6 levels from 1.2 to 1.9. |
| PAL (physical activity level) | Total daily energy expenditure divided by BMR. It plays the same role as the activity factor on this page. The idea is used by FAO/WHO and in the US Dietary Reference Intakes, which group people into activity categories such as inactive, low active, active and very active. |
| body fat percentage | The share of your body weight that is fat (%). You can measure it with a home body composition scale or similar. The Katch-McArdle formula uses it to estimate BMR. |
| lean body mass | Your body weight minus the fat (muscle, bone, organs and so on). It is found as "(1 − body fat percentage as a decimal) × weight". The Katch-McArdle formula is based on the idea that BMR is roughly proportional to lean body mass. |
| Mifflin-St Jeor equation | A formula for estimating BMR, published in 1990. It is often found to be fairly close to measured values in people today and is widely used, including by dietitians in the US. It is the default formula in this calculator. |
| Katch-McArdle formula | A formula that estimates BMR from lean body mass. It is considered accurate for people who know their body fat percentage well. Its strength is that it reflects differences in muscle mass. |
Good to know before you start
Here is what helps you use the calculation on this page with real understanding, not just by pressing the button.
| Multiplying decimals (Grades 5–6) |
|
| Percentages (Grade 6) |
|
| Rounding (Grade 4) |
|
| Adding and subtracting larger numbers (Grades 3–4) |
|
How to calculate it in Excel
Copy the whole table below and paste it into cell A1 in Excel. It works as is.
Table to find the TDEE (Mifflin-St Jeor equation)
| Sex (M or F) | M |
| Weight (lb) | 143 |
| Height (in) | 71 |
| Age (years) | 25 |
| Activity factor | 1.465 |
| BMR (kcal/day) | =4.536*B2+15.875*B3-5*B4+IF(B1="M",5,-161) |
| TDEE (kcal/day) | =ROUND(B6*B5,0) |
Table to find the TDEE (Katch-McArdle formula)
| Weight (lb) | 176 |
| Body fat (%) | 15 |
| Activity factor | 1.55 |
| BMR (kcal/day) | =370+21.6*(1-B2/100)*B1*0.4536 |
| TDEE (kcal/day) | =ROUND(B4*B3,0) |
After pasting, the upper rows are your inputs and the bottom two rows (BMR and TDEE) are calculated automatically.
The IF function in the first table switches the constant by sex: if B1 is "M" it adds 5, otherwise (F) it subtracts 161. The first table uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation rewritten for pounds and inches (height is your total height in inches: 5 ft 11 in = 71). In the second table, "*0.4536" turns pounds into kg, because the Katch-McArdle formula uses kg. ROUND rounds to a whole number.
With the example numbers, the first table gives a BMR of about 1655.8 and a TDEE of 2426, and the second gives a BMR of about 1835.7 and a TDEE of 2845. Just replace the numbers in column B with your own. For the activity factor, enter the value that matches how much you usually exercise, from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very intense exercise).
The IF function in the first table switches the constant by sex: if B1 is "M" it adds 5, otherwise (F) it subtracts 161. The first table uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation rewritten for pounds and inches (height is your total height in inches: 5 ft 11 in = 71). In the second table, "*0.4536" turns pounds into kg, because the Katch-McArdle formula uses kg. ROUND rounds to a whole number.
With the example numbers, the first table gives a BMR of about 1655.8 and a TDEE of 2426, and the second gives a BMR of about 1835.7 and a TDEE of 2845. Just replace the numbers in column B with your own. For the activity factor, enter the value that matches how much you usually exercise, from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very intense exercise).
How to calculate it in Google Sheets
Copy the whole table below and paste it into cell A1 in Google Sheets. It works as is.
Table to find the TDEE (Mifflin-St Jeor equation)
| Sex (M or F) | M |
| Weight (lb) | 143 |
| Height (in) | 71 |
| Age (years) | 25 |
| Activity factor | 1.465 |
| BMR (kcal/day) | =4.536*B2+15.875*B3-5*B4+IF(B1="M",5,-161) |
| TDEE (kcal/day) | =ROUND(B6*B5,0) |
Table to find the TDEE (Katch-McArdle formula)
| Weight (lb) | 176 |
| Body fat (%) | 15 |
| Activity factor | 1.55 |
| BMR (kcal/day) | =370+21.6*(1-B2/100)*B1*0.4536 |
| TDEE (kcal/day) | =ROUND(B4*B3,0) |
The same formulas as in Excel, including IF and ROUND, work as is. Copy the whole table, paste it into cell A1, and replace the numbers in column B with your own.
How to calculate it in Python
sex = "male" # "male" or "female"
age = 25 # age (years)
height_in = 71 # height (total inches: 5 ft 11 in = 71)
weight_lb = 143 # weight (lb)
activity_factor = 1.465 # activity factor (1.2 to 1.9; see the "Formula and figures" section)
# The formulas use kg and cm, so convert first
weight_kg = weight_lb * 0.45359237
height_cm = height_in * 2.54
# BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor equation)
bmr = 10 * weight_kg + 6.25 * height_cm - 5 * age
bmr = bmr + 5 if sex == "male" else bmr - 161
# TDEE = BMR x activity factor
tdee = bmr * activity_factor
print(f"BMR: {round(bmr)} kcal/day")
print(f"Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE): {round(tdee)} kcal/day")
# If you know your body fat percentage (Katch-McArdle formula), replace the two lines that find bmr with these two
# body_fat_percent = 15
# bmr = 370 + 21.6 * (1 - body_fat_percent / 100) * weight_kg
Runs with the standard library only. Change the sex, age, height, weight and activity factor at the top and run it. round() rounds to a whole number (almost the same as rounding half up).
How to write it in LaTeX and other math languages (copy and paste)
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)
T = B × k
T = B \times k
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block">
<mrow>
<mi>T</mi><mo>=</mo>
<mi>B</mi><mo>×</mo><mi>k</mi>
</mrow>
</math>
T = B xx k
b*k
T := B*k;
T = B*k;
T = B × k
Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin-St Jeor equation)
B = 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5 (men), B = 10W + 6.25H − 5A − 161 (women)
B_{m} = 10W + 6.25H - 5A + 5, \quad B_{f} = 10W + 6.25H - 5A - 161
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block">
<mrow>
<msub><mi>B</mi><mi>m</mi></msub>
<mo>=</mo>
<mn>10</mn><mi>W</mi>
<mo>+</mo>
<mn>6.25</mn><mi>H</mi>
<mo>−</mo>
<mn>5</mn><mi>A</mi>
<mo>+</mo>
<mn>5</mn>
<mo>,</mo>
<msub><mi>B</mi><mi>f</mi></msub>
<mo>=</mo>
<mn>10</mn><mi>W</mi>
<mo>+</mo>
<mn>6.25</mn><mi>H</mi>
<mo>−</mo>
<mn>5</mn><mi>A</mi>
<mo>−</mo>
<mn>161</mn>
</mrow>
</math>
B_m = 10W + 6.25H - 5A + 5, B_f = 10W + 6.25H - 5A - 161
{10*w + 6.25*h - 5*a + 5, 10*w + 6.25*h - 5*a - 161}
Bm := 10*W + 6.25*H - 5*A + 5; Bf := 10*W + 6.25*H - 5*A - 161;
B_m = 10*W + 6.25*H - 5*A + 5; B_f = 10*W + 6.25*H - 5*A - 161;
B_m = 10W + 6.25H - 5A + 5, B_f = 10W + 6.25H - 5A - 161
Basal metabolic rate (Katch-McArdle formula, using body fat percentage)
B = 370 + 21.6(1 − F)W
B = 370 + 21.6(1-F)W
<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="block">
<mrow>
<mi>B</mi>
<mo>=</mo>
<mn>370</mn>
<mo>+</mo>
<mn>21.6</mn>
<mo>(</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mi>F</mi><mo>)</mo>
<mi>W</mi>
</mrow>
</math>
B = 370 + 21.6(1 - F)W
370 + 21.6*(1 - f)*w
B := 370 + 21.6*(1 - F)*W;
B = 370 + 21.6*(1 - F)*W;
B = 370 + 21.6(1 − F)W
How to have ChatGPT do the calculation
You are a TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) calculation assistant. Do the following calculation by actually running Python code, and base your answer only on the numbers from the execution result (do not answer by mental math or guessing). A 25-year-old man is 5 ft 11 in tall and weighs 143 lb. 1. Convert his weight to kg (1 lb = 0.45359237 kg) and his height to cm (1 in = 2.54 cm), then find his basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (men: BMR = 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age + 5). 2. He does moderate exercise 4–5 times a week (activity factor 1.465). Calculate TDEE = BMR × activity factor and round it to the nearest whole number. 3. For reference, find his TDEE in the same way with activity factors of 1.2 (sedentary) and 1.725 (intense exercise, 6–7 times a week). Show the formulas you used and the numbers from the execution result. Also note that these are estimates from formulas and not medical advice.
How to Use
-
1Enter your numbersType the numbers you want to calculate with into the input fields
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2CalculatePress the "Calculate" button
-
3Check the resultThe result appears on the spot. The same page also explains the idea behind the calculation and the formula
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Related Features
BMR Calculator (Basal Metabolic Rate and Daily Calories by Activity Level)
Estimate BMR, the base of TDEE, with three formulas and see a list for 6 activity levels
Calorie Calculator (Maintenance Calories and Weight Loss or Gain Plans)
Find daily calorie targets for losing or gaining weight at different rates
BMI Calculator (Body Mass Index and Healthy Weight Range)
Find your BMI and weight category from your height and weight
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