Calorie calculator (TDEE)
Daily calorie need has two parts: the basal metabolic rate, the energy to stay alive at rest, and an activity multiplier for movement. Their product is the total expenditure at which weight holds steady.
- Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
- 1,483kcal
- To lose weight (−500 kcal)
- 1,539kcal
- To gain weight (+500 kcal)
- 2,539kcal
Basis of the calculation
This uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation for basal metabolic rate, multiplied by an activity factor. The result is an estimated starting point, not a precise measurement — real needs vary between people.
Rates and thresholds
- Formula
- Mifflin-St Jeor
- BMR, men
- 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5
- BMR, women
- 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age − 161
- Activity multipliers
- 1.2 · 1.375 · 1.55 · 1.725 · 1.9
- Weight-change step
- ±500 kcal a day
What is the difference between BMR and daily calorie need?
The basal rate is what the body would burn at complete rest — breathing, heartbeat, holding temperature. The daily need is that figure times an activity multiplier covering everything from the commute to training. The basal rate is usually about two thirds of the total, which is why the activity choice moves the answer more than most people expect.
How accurate is the number?
It is an estimate, not a measurement. Mifflin-St Jeor is a population average and knows nothing about your muscle mass, thyroid or real movement — people of the same height, weight and age differ noticeably. Treat it as a starting point: watch your weight for a couple of weeks and adjust to what actually happens. For anything persistent, the right address is a doctor, not a calculator.
Why is the weight-change step 500 calories?
It is the conventional starting point: about 500 calories a day is 3,500 a week, historically associated with roughly half a kilo of fat. The link is a simplification — the body adapts, and real change slows over time — but as a step it is sensible: large enough to see over weeks, small enough not to leave you short of nutrients.
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