Calorie Calculator (TDEE & BMR)
Updated · By the CalculatorDash editorial team · How we check our maths
Quick answer
Your daily calorie needs (TDEE) are your BMR × an activity factor. A 35-year-old woman, 165 cm and 70 kg, who exercises 1–3 days a week burns about 1,920 kcal a day; eating about 1,420 a day would lose roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week.
How this calculator works
Your body burns energy just to stay alive, your basal metabolic rate (BMR), plus whatever you spend moving and digesting food. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation used here is the BMR formula most dietitians use because it is the most accurate of the common equations for most adults.
Multiplying BMR by an activity factor gives total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), the calories that keep your weight stable. A deficit of about 500 kcal a day is a common target for losing roughly half a kilogram (one pound) a week, since a kilogram of body fat stores roughly 7,700 kcal.
These are estimates with a margin of around 10%. Track your weight for two or three weeks and adjust: if it isn't moving the way you expect, change the target by 100–200 kcal.
The formula
- BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor)
- 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5 (men) or − 161 (women)
- TDEE
- BMR × activity factor (1.2 to 1.9)
- Goal
- TDEE − 500 kcal to lose about 0.5 kg a week
Worked example
For a 35-year-old woman, 165 cm and 70 kg: BMR = 700 + 1,031.25 − 175 − 161 = 1,395 kcal. With light activity (×1.375) TDEE is about 1,918 kcal, so maintaining weight means eating about 1,920 kcal a day, and losing 0.5 kg a week means about 1,420.
Tips
- 01Weigh food for a week; most people underestimate what they eat by 20–30%.
- 02Higher protein and fibre make a calorie deficit much easier to stick to.
- 03Recalculate after every 5 kg of weight change, because your needs fall as you lose weight.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
About 500 kcal below your TDEE to lose roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week, without going under about 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) unsupervised.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what you burn at complete rest. TDEE adds daily activity and exercise, and is what you eat to maintain your weight.
Which BMR formula is the most accurate?
For most adults, Mifflin-St Jeor is the most accurate of the standard equations. Katch-McArdle can be better if you know your body-fat percentage.