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TDEE & Calorie Needs Calculator
Daily calorie needs from BMR and your training load.
BMR, then TDEE
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the energy your body burns at complete rest, just keeping you alive. This tool uses the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, the one most dietitians reach for, which reads your weight, height, age, and sex. Multiplying BMR by an activity factor gives your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) — roughly the calories you burn across a normal day of training and living.
Maintenance, deficit, surplus
Eating at your TDEE holds your weight steady. A consistent shortfall of about 500 kcal a day tends to take off roughly half a kilo (a pound) a week; the same surplus does the reverse. The targets below are starting points — your real numbers will drift with training load, sleep, and how your weight actually responds over a few weeks.
For endurance athletes
Big training days can push expenditure well above any formula, and under-fuelling a heavy block hurts both performance and recovery. Treat this as a baseline to adjust from, not a ceiling, and lean toward the higher activity settings during peak weeks.
Questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is the energy you burn at complete rest just to stay alive. TDEE multiplies BMR by an activity factor to estimate everything you burn across a normal day, including training. TDEE is the number to eat around.
Which formula does it use?
The Mifflin–St Jeor equation, widely regarded as the most accurate of the common BMR formulas for the general population. It uses your weight, height, age, and sex.
How do I lose or gain weight with it?
Eating roughly 500 kcal under your TDEE tends to take off about half a kilo (a pound) a week; the same surplus does the reverse. These are starting points — adjust based on how your weight actually moves over a few weeks.