TDEE Calculator — Daily Calories, BMR, Macros (Mifflin)

What's BMR vs TDEE?

• BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): calories burned at full rest over 24h — to keep heart, brain, liver, kidneys running.
• TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure): total calories burned per day = BMR × activity multiplier.
• Eat below TDEE → lose weight. Above TDEE → gain. At TDEE → maintain.

Mifflin-St Jeor formula (current standard)

The tool uses Mifflin-St Jeor — more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict:

• Male: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
• Female: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161

If you know your body fat percentage, the tool switches to Katch-McArdle — more accurate for trained people.

Activity multipliers

• 1.2 — sedentary (desk job, no exercise)
• 1.375 — light (1-3 sessions/week)
• 1.55 — moderate (3-5 sessions/week)
• 1.725 — heavy (6-7 sessions/week)
• 1.9 — very heavy (2× per day, or physical job)

Macro split — three macronutrients

• Protein: 1.6-2.2g/kg bodyweight for trained people. 1g = 4 kcal.
• Fat: 25-30% of total calories. 1g = 9 kcal.
• Carbs: the remainder. 1g = 4 kcal.

Most people undereat protein and overeat carbs → hard to build muscle. The tool suggests sensible macros for your goal.

How fast can you safely change weight?

• Safe cut: 500 kcal/day deficit → 0.5 kg/week of fat loss.
• Slow bulk: 250-500 kcal/day surplus → 0.25-0.5 kg/week (muscle + minimal fat).
• Going faster usually means losing muscle, water weight, or rebounding within a couple of months.

FAQ