Macros
BMI, BMR and TDEE are estimates from general formulas, not medical advice.
This TDEE calculator estimates your total daily energy expenditure, the calories you burn in a day including activity, which is the amount that keeps your weight stable. It then gives calorie targets to lose or gain weight at a steady pace and splits them into grams of protein, carbs and fat.
How to use
- Choose metric (cm, kg) or imperial (ft, in, lb) units; your choice is remembered.
- Enter your height and weight. Your BMI, WHO category and healthy weight range appear below.
- On BMR, add your sex and age and pick a formula. Katch–McArdle also needs your body fat percentage.
- On TDEE, pick your activity level to see daily calories to maintain, lose or gain weight and a macro split in grams. Tap any result to copy it.
- These are estimates for healthy adults, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or dietitian before major changes.
- BMI doesn’t tell fat from muscle: athletes may read as overweight, and older adults may have a normal BMI with little muscle. For children and teens under 20, use BMI-for-age percentiles instead.
- In studies, Mifflin–St Jeor (1990) usually comes closest for most adults. Harris–Benedict uses the 1984 revision. Katch–McArdle uses lean body mass and works best if you know your body fat.
- Calorie targets use about 7,700 kcal per kg (3,500 per lb) of body weight. Very low targets are flagged: most adults shouldn’t go below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) kcal a day without supervision.
- Macros use 4 kcal per gram of protein and carbs and 9 kcal per gram of fat. Nothing you enter leaves your device or is stored.
How TDEE is worked out
TDEE = BMR × activity factor. The factors are 1.2 (sedentary, desk job), 1.375 (light exercise 1–3 days a week), 1.55 (moderate, 3–5 days), 1.725 (hard, 6–7 days) and 1.9 (very hard training or a physical job). A man with a BMR of 1,780 kcal who trains 3–5 times a week has a TDEE of about 2,760 kcal.
Weight change uses about 7,700 kcal per kg of body weight (3,500 per lb), so a daily deficit of 500 kcal works out to roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week, slowing as you get lighter.
Macros in grams
Macro splits convert calories into grams with 4 kcal per gram of protein and carbs and 9 per gram of fat. On 2,000 kcal, the balanced split (25% protein, 50% carbs, 25% fat) gives 125 g protein, 250 g carbs and 56 g fat. Low-carb and high-protein splits are available too.
Targets below about 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men are flagged, as they are hard to meet nutritionally without supervision. These are estimates from population formulas, not medical advice, and they are not meant for children, pregnancy or medical conditions. Nothing you enter leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
Total daily energy expenditure: your basal metabolic rate plus digestion and all activity. Eating at your TDEE keeps your weight roughly stable.
Which activity level should I choose?
Pick by your whole day, not just workouts. Most office workers who exercise a few times a week fit light (1.375) or moderate (1.55). When unsure, choose the lower one.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A common target is TDEE minus 500 kcal, which loses about 0.5 kg or 1 lb a week. Track your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust.
How many calories to gain muscle?
A small surplus of 250–500 kcal over TDEE with enough protein and strength training. Larger surpluses mainly add fat.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
It is a starting estimate that can be off by 10–20% for an individual. Your weight trend over a few weeks shows your real maintenance level.