Calorie Calculator - TDEE & Daily Caloric Needs Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and daily calorie needs. Determine calories for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain based on age, weight, height, gender, and activity level using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.🔒 All processing happens in your browser. Your data never leaves your device.
🔥 Understanding Your Metabolism
Your body burns calories 24/7: BMR (60-75% - keeping you alive), Activity (15-30% - exercise and movement), TEF (10% - digesting food). Calculate your TDEE to manage weight effectively.
Weight Loss
TDEE - 500
1 lb/week
Maintenance
TDEE
Stay same
Muscle Gain
TDEE + 300
Lean bulk
How to Use
- 1Enter your age
- 2Select gender (affects BMR calculation)
- 3Input weight in kg
- 4Enter height in cm
- 5Choose activity level
- 6Select goal: lose weight, maintain, or gain muscle
- 7Calculate your personalized calorie target
Example
Input:
30 years, male, 70kg, 175cm, moderate activityOutput:
TDEE: 2,600 calories | Weight loss: 2,100 caloriesFrequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the total calories you burn daily including BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate - calories at rest) + calories from activity + digestion. It's your maintenance calories.
How many calories for weight loss?
500 calorie daily deficit = 1 lb/week loss (3,500 cal/lb). 1000 deficit = 2 lbs/week (maximum safe rate). Never go below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) calories without medical supervision.
How accurate is the Mifflin-St Jeor formula?
It's the most accurate formula for most people (within 10% for 70% of population). Doesn't account for body composition - muscular people burn more. Track results for 2-3 weeks and adjust.
📚 Complete Guide to Calorie Calculator
Calorie Calculator is a practical tool for turning inputs into a clear, reproducible output. The goal is not only to get an answer quickly, but to get an answer you can explain, verify, and repeat.
In everyday terms: Calculate daily calorie needs. In professional use, clarity about definitions, assumptions, and formatting often matters as much as the numeric or structural result itself.
This guide explains what the tool does, the concepts behind it, how to use it responsibly, and how to validate results so they are reliable for planning, reporting, and real-world decisions.
🔬 Core Technical or Conceptual Foundations
Calorie needs are often estimated using basal metabolic rate (BMR) and an activity factor to approximate total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
These calculations provide a starting estimate; individual metabolism and lifestyle differences can be significant.
Weight goals depend on energy balance over time; short-term fluctuations can be influenced by water and glycogen.
📊 Advanced Capabilities & Metrics
Professional planning often pairs calorie targets with macronutrient planning and sustainable adherence strategies.
Body composition goals may require different approaches than scale-weight goals.
Medical conditions, medications, and life stages can materially change needs; professional guidance may be appropriate.
💼 Professional Applications & Use Cases
🏥 Clinical nutrition support
Estimates can inform discussions, but individualized assessment is often required for clinical decisions.
🏋️ Coaching and training plans
Calorie targets can support performance goals when paired with training load and recovery.
📊 Population health and wellness programs
Aggregated estimates can support education and planning, with appropriate limitations.
⚖️ Legal, Regulatory, or Compliance Context (If Applicable)
For medical nutrition therapy, follow clinical guidelines and qualified professional advice.
Do not use general estimates as a substitute for diagnosis or treatment decisions.
Document assumptions (activity level, inputs) when using outputs in programs.
🎓 Academic, Scientific, or Research Applications
Energy expenditure estimation is used in physiology and nutrition education.
It also supports teaching modeling limitations and individual variance.
🧭 Personal, Business, or Planning Use Cases
Use the output as a starting point, then adjust based on observed trends and well-being.
Focus on sustainable changes and consider consulting professionals for health goals.
📋 Milestones, Thresholds, or Reference Tables (If Applicable)
Common planning milestones include weekly trend checks and periodic recalibration after changes in weight or activity.
Thresholds often include maintenance vs deficit vs surplus targets.
✅ Accuracy, Standards & Reliability
Ensure inputs are accurate (age, height, weight, activity level).
Treat results as estimates and adjust based on outcomes over time.
Seek qualified guidance for medical conditions or specialized needs.
🧾 Disclaimer
Disclaimer: While this tool provides highly accurate calculations suitable for most professional and personal use cases, results should not be considered a substitute for certified professional advice in legal, medical, financial, or regulatory matters.
🧩 Additional Notes & Tips
BMR vs TDEE
BMR estimates calories your body burns at rest. TDEE includes daily activity and exercise. Most people should base weight goals on TDEE rather than BMR.
Deficit and surplus basics
Weight loss typically requires a calorie deficit; muscle gain often benefits from a small surplus plus adequate protein and progressive training. Consistency matters more than perfection.