Daily energy • adult estimate
TDEE Calculator
Estimate your daily maintenance calories from your age, height, weight and usual activity. Use kilograms and centimetres or pounds and feet; the result is a starting estimate.
How to calculate your daily calories
- Choose metric or imperial units and enter your age, weight and height. For feet and inches, enter the two numbers separately.
- Select the equation coefficient and the activity description closest to your usual week, including work and everyday movement.
- Select Calculate Calories. The main result estimates maintenance energy; the resting estimate appears underneath.
Metric, US and UK measurements
Use kilograms and centimetres, or pounds with separate feet and inches. A height of 5 ft 6 in means 5 in the feet field and 6 in the inches field, not 5.6 feet. You can choose height units separately from weight units. Results show kcal per day and a kJ equivalent; these are two units for the same energy, not amounts to add together.
Understanding your result
What is the difference between resting calories and TDEE?
Resting energy is the estimated energy your body uses at rest. Total daily energy expenditure, or TDEE, also accounts for activity and everyday living. This tool multiplies estimated resting energy by the activity factor you select.
Which activity level should I choose?
Choose for your typical routine, not your busiest day. A desk job and a physically active job can give different daily patterns even with similar workouts. If two descriptions fit, compare their results to see how much this assumption changes the estimate.
Is this a weight-loss target?
No. The result estimates maintenance energy and does not prescribe a deficit. Activity categories and equations cannot measure your individual metabolism. This tool is limited to ages 19 to 78 and is not designed for pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or clinical nutrition needs.
Method, example and limitations
How the estimate works
We use the simplified Mifflin–St Jeor equation: resting energy = 10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age, then add 5 for the male coefficient or subtract 161 for the female coefficient. Daily energy is resting energy multiplied by the activity factor you choose. These factors are broad assumptions, not measurements of your metabolism.
The original study included healthy adults aged 19–78. This tool uses that age range. It is not designed for pregnancy, breastfeeding, growing children, serious illness or specialist athletic nutrition. It does not prescribe a calorie deficit or a treatment diet. Ask a qualified clinician or dietitian about individual targets.
Example
For a 30-year-old using the female coefficient, weighing 70 kg at 165 cm and using a 1.2 activity factor: resting energy is about 1,420 kcal and daily maintenance energy about 1,700 kcal. Real needs can differ.
Source: Mifflin et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990. Results are rounded estimates. This calculator does not send your entries to our server. See our Privacy Policy for site-level analytics and cookies.