TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total calories your body burns per day, including your basal metabolic rate (BMR) plus all physical activity. Eating at your TDEE maintains weight; eating below it causes fat loss; eating above it causes weight gain.

What formula does this calculator use?

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, considered the most accurate BMR formula for most adults. Men: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age + 5. Women: BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age − 161. BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor to get TDEE.

How big a calorie deficit should I eat for weight loss?

A 500 calorie/day deficit produces roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week — the rate most nutrition guidelines consider safe and sustainable. This calculator uses a 500 kcal deficit for the weight-loss target.

How much protein do I need?

For weight loss: 2.2 g per kg bodyweight to preserve muscle in a deficit. For maintenance: 1.8 g/kg. For muscle gain: 2.0 g/kg. These ranges are based on sports nutrition research.

Can I track these macros in NutriBalance?

Yes. NutriBalance lets you set custom calorie and macro targets, then tracks them every time you log a meal via barcode scanner, AI food label scanner, or search. The home screen widget shows your remaining macros at a glance.

Are these results guaranteed to be accurate?

TDEE calculators are estimates — individual metabolism can vary by ±10–15% due to genetics, hormones, and NEAT. Treat the output as your starting point, then adjust by 100–200 kcal/day after 2–3 weeks of tracking based on your actual results.

Free TDEE & Macro Calculator — Calories for Your Goal

Biological sex

Age

Height

Weight (kg)

Activity level Pick the level that best reflects your typical week

Lose Weight

—

kcal / day

Maintain

—

kcal / day

Gain Muscle

—

kcal / day

Now track these macros in NutriBalance

Log meals via barcode scan or AI food photo — NutriBalance shows your remaining calories and macros in real time. Streaks, XP, and weekly leagues keep you consistent. 14-day free trial, no card required.

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How it works

The maths behind your numbers

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the formula most widely recommended by dietitians and sports scientists since a 2005 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found it the most accurate predictor of resting energy expenditure for most adults.

Step 1 — Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Men: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5

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

Step 2 — Multiply by your activity level → TDEE

Level	Description	Multiplier
Sedentary	Desk job, little / no exercise	× 1.20
Lightly active	Exercise 1–3 days / week	× 1.375
Moderately active	Exercise 3–5 days / week	× 1.55
Very active	Hard exercise 6–7 days / week	× 1.725
Extra active	Hard exercise + physical job	× 1.90

Step 3 — Calorie target by goal

Lose weight: TDEE − 500 kcal/day → approx. 0.5 kg fat loss per week

Maintain: TDEE → bodyweight stays stable

Gain muscle: TDEE + 300 kcal/day → lean bulk (≈ 0.3 kg/week)

Step 4 — Macro split

Protein (lose): 2.2 g × bodyweight (kg) — preserves muscle during a deficit

Protein (maintain): 1.8 g × bodyweight (kg)

Protein (gain): 2.0 g × bodyweight (kg) — supports muscle protein synthesis

Fat: 25–30% of total calories → converted to grams at 9 kcal/g

Carbohydrates: remaining calories after protein + fat → divided by 4 kcal/g

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total calories your body burns each day — your basal metabolic rate plus all activity. It's the single most important number for managing your weight. Eat at TDEE → weight stays stable. Eat below → fat loss. Eat above → weight gain. Everything else is details.

Harris-Benedict was developed in 1919 and tends to overestimate BMR by 5–15% for modern sedentary adults. Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) was validated across a much larger and more diverse sample. A 2005 comparison in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found Mifflin-St Jeor predicts resting energy expenditure within 10% for most adults — making it the standard recommendation for dietitians today.

This calculator uses a 500 kcal/day deficit, which produces roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week — the rate most evidence-based guidelines consider safe and sustainable. Larger deficits accelerate muscle loss and spike hunger hormones, making consistency much harder. If the lose-weight target feels too low, eat at the midpoint between it and maintenance to start.

When you eat in a calorie deficit, your body can break down muscle tissue for fuel — especially if protein intake is low. A higher protein target (2.2 g/kg) signals your body to preserve lean mass and preferentially burn stored fat instead. High protein also increases satiety, so you feel fuller on fewer calories. Both effects make the deficit easier to sustain.

Yes. Once you set up NutriBalance, enter the calorie and macro targets from this calculator as your daily goals. Every meal you log — via barcode scanner, AI food label scanner, or search — automatically subtracts from those targets and updates your remaining macros. The Android home screen widget shows your progress without even opening the app.

TDEE calculators are estimates. Individual metabolism can vary by ±10–15% due to genetics, hormones, NEAT (fidgeting and incidental movement), and gut microbiome differences. Treat these numbers as your starting point. Track consistently for 2–3 weeks, then adjust by 100–200 kcal/day based on your actual trend. The formula is solid — the iteration is what makes it work for you specifically.