Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate and daily maintenance calories to plan safe weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
Your body burns calories constantly just breathing, pumping blood, and moving throughout the day. Calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) establishes your baseline maintenance calories so you can set sensible, sustainable nutrition goals.
Worked example: Find daily maintenance calories for an active 25-year-old aiming for steady weight loss
Input
A baseline TDEE calculated at 2,400 calories per day.
Expected result
A moderate 400-calorie deficit target of 2,000 calories per day for gradual, healthy progress.
A daily deficit of 400–500 calories supports safe, gradual progress of roughly one pound per week without exhausting energy levels.
Before you use the result
- Choose your activity level honestly; most desk workers fall into sedentary or lightly active.
- Never drop calories below safe baseline levels (typically 1,200 for women, 1,500 for men) without doctor guidance.
- Track averages over 2–3 weeks rather than stressing over day-to-day scale fluctuations.
If the result is not what you expected
The BMI reading says overweight, but I am an athlete with low body fat.
BMI calculates solely from height and weight. Because muscle is much denser than fat, muscular athletes naturally register higher BMI scores. Use body measurements and fitness milestones alongside BMI.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
Step 1
Choose Metric (cm / kg) or Imperial (feet / inches / lbs).
Step 2
Provide your age, gender, height, and current weight.
Step 3
Select your weekly exercise routine to see maintenance and deficit targets.
Pro Tip for Best Output Quality
Calculations are estimates based on standard population equations; individual metabolic rates and body compositions vary.
Key Capabilities & Features
Calculate Body Mass Index (BMI) with visual category spectrum (Underweight, Normal, Overweight, Obese).
Estimate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the scientifically validated Mifflin-St Jeor formula.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) based on customizable daily activity levels.
Target daily calorie goals for weight loss (-500 kcal/day), mild loss (-250 kcal/day), and weight gain.
Recommended Creative Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to try BMI & Daily Calorie (TDEE) Calculator?
Open BMI & Daily Calorie (TDEE) Calculator and try the example from this guide. Check the tool page for supported formats, limits, and access requirements.