Calorie Maintenance Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) to find your perfect daily calorie intake for weight loss, maintenance, or gain.
Calorie & TDEE Calculator
Find your daily maintenance calories using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation
Biological sex is used in the BMR formula
Your current age in years
Enter your current body weight
Enter your current height
Choose the level that best matches your average week
Your Calorie Needs
TDEE, BMR, and weight goals
Enter your details and activity level, then click Calculate to see your daily maintenance calories and weight loss/gain targets.
Activity Level Multipliers
Quick reference guide for the activity multipliers used to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
| Activity Level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Little or no exercise, desk job | × 1.2 |
| Lightly Active | Light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week | × 1.375 |
| Moderately Active | Moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week | × 1.55 |
| Very Active | Hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week | × 1.725 |
| Extra Active | Very hard exercise, physical job or 2x/day training | × 1.9 |
Calorie Maintenance FAQ
Everything you need to know about TDEE, BMR, and calculating your daily calorie needs.
Your calorie maintenance level, also known as Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), is the total number of calories you burn in a day. It includes your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—the calories your body needs just to stay alive at rest—plus the calories burned through digestion, daily movement, and exercise. Eating exactly your TDEE will maintain your current weight.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is most accurately calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is the gold standard in nutrition. For men, the formula is: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age) + 5. For women, it is: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age) – 161. This calculator uses this exact formula to determine your baseline calorie needs.
To lose weight safely and sustainably, you should eat in a caloric deficit. A standard recommendation is to subtract 500 calories from your TDEE, which results in approximately 0.5 kg (1 lb) of weight loss per week. For a more gradual approach, subtract 250 calories. Never eat below your BMR for extended periods, as this can negatively impact your metabolism and health.
To calculate TDEE, your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor: Sedentary (1.2) for little or no exercise; Lightly Active (1.375) for light exercise 1-3 days/week; Moderately Active (1.55) for moderate exercise 3-5 days/week; Very Active (1.725) for hard exercise 6-7 days/week; and Extra Active (1.9) for very hard exercise and a physical job. Choose the level that best matches your average week.
Calorie calculators provide a highly accurate starting estimate, but they are not perfect. They don’t account for individual differences in muscle mass, genetics, or hormonal factors. The best approach is to use the calculated TDEE as a baseline, track your weight and food intake for 2-3 weeks, and adjust your calories up or down by 100-200 based on your actual results.
Yes. As you lose or gain weight, or as your activity levels change, your TDEE will change. A heavier body requires more energy to move and maintain itself. It is recommended to recalculate your maintenance calories every 5-10 kg (10-20 lbs) of weight change, or whenever your daily activity level significantly increases or decreases.