BMR & TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the calories you burn at rest and in a typical day — based on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.
Units
Sex
BMR
1,780 cal/day
TDEE
2,137 cal/day
How it's calculated
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely considered one of the more accurate BMR formulas for the general population: for men, BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5. For women, subtract 161 instead of adding 5.
BMR estimates the calories your body burns at complete rest just maintaining basic functions. TDEE multiplies BMR by an activity factor (from 1.2 for sedentary to 1.9 for very active) to estimate your total daily calorie burn including exercise and daily movement.
TDEE is commonly used as a baseline for weight management — eating around your TDEE tends to maintain your current weight, while a consistent deficit or surplus moves you toward weight loss or gain.
Worked example
A 30-year-old man weighing 80 kg (176 lb) at 180 cm (5'11") tall has a BMR of about 1,780 calories per day.
If he's sedentary (little or no exercise), his TDEE is about 1,780 × 1.2 = 2,136 calories per day. If he's very active instead, his TDEE rises to about 1,780 × 1.9 = 3,382 calories per day — the same body burning very different amounts of energy depending on activity level.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?
- BMR is the calories your body needs at complete rest just to function. TDEE adds in the calories burned through daily activity and exercise, giving a more realistic picture of your total daily calorie needs.
- How do I use TDEE for weight loss or gain?
- Eating consistently below your TDEE creates a calorie deficit for weight loss; eating above it creates a surplus for weight gain. A common approach is a 500-calorie daily deficit for roughly 1 lb of weight loss per week, though actual results vary by individual.
- Why does activity level make such a big difference?
- The activity multiplier scales your BMR up to account for all the extra energy your body uses during exercise and daily movement — the gap between a sedentary lifestyle and a very active one can easily be over 1,000 calories per day.