Calorie and TDEE Calculator (Mifflin–St Jeor)
BMR, maintenance calories and targets to lose or gain weight.
These numbers are estimates from a population formula, not medical or dietary advice. Individual needs can differ by several hundred calories. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before changing what you eat.
Use via API
Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin–St Jeor) and total daily energy expenditure for an adult, with calorie targets to lose, maintain or gain weight and macro grams. Send JSON, get JSON back.
POST https://pithlab.com/api/v1/tools/tdee-calculator
curl https://pithlab.com/api/v1/tools/tdee-calculator \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $PITHLAB_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"sex":"female","age":30,"units":"metric","weight":65,"height":168,"activity":"moderate"}'About the Calorie and TDEE Calculator
Estimate your BMR and total daily energy expenditure, then see calorie targets to lose, maintain or gain weight and a suggested protein, fat and carb split.
How to use the Calorie and TDEE Calculator
- Choose metric or imperial units and enter your sex, age, weight and height.
- Pick the activity level that best matches a typical week.
- Read your estimated BMR and TDEE, the calorie targets for each goal, and grams of protein, fat and carbs for the goal and split you choose.
Examples
Input
male, 30, 80 kg, 180 cm, moderate
Output
BMR about 1,780 kcal/day; TDEE about 2,759 kcal/day (1.55 × BMR)
Input
female, 35, 140 lb, 5 ft 5 in, light
Output
BMR about 1,331 kcal/day; TDEE about 1,830 kcal/day (1.375 × BMR)
Frequently asked questions
What are BMR and TDEE?
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is roughly what your body burns at complete rest. TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) adds everything you do in a day, estimated by multiplying BMR by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active).
How accurate is this?
It's an estimate. The Mifflin–St Jeor equation is one of the better formulas for adults, but studies find it is within about 10% for most people and further out for some. Treat the number as a starting point, track your weight for a few weeks and adjust.
How are the weight loss and gain targets worked out?
Using the common approximation that a kilogram of body fat holds about 7,700 kcal, losing 0.5 kg a week needs a deficit of about 550 kcal a day. Real weight change is not perfectly linear, especially early on when water weight shifts.
Is this medical or dietary advice?
No. It doesn't know your health history. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, managing a medical condition or have a history of disordered eating, speak to a doctor or registered dietitian. Targets below about 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) are flagged because they are generally not advised without supervision.
Why does the calculator ask for sex?
The Mifflin–St Jeor equation was fitted separately for men and women, mainly reflecting average differences in body composition. The female equation gives a result 166 kcal lower for the same weight, height and age.