BMR & TDEE Calculator
Find the calories your body burns. Get your BMR (at rest) and TDEE (maintenance) using the accurate Mifflin–St Jeor equation.
Example: with Weight 170 lb · Height 5 ft · Age 35 yrs · Activity level Lightly active (1–3 days/wk) → BMR (calories at rest): 1696 cal.
- TDEE (maintenance calories)2333 cal
- To lose ~1 lb/week1833 cal
- To gain ~0.5 lb/week2583 cal
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
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Learn moreBMR vs TDEE
Your BMR is the energy your body uses at complete rest — just keeping you alive. Multiply it by an activity factor and you get TDEE, the calories you burn in a typical day. TDEE is the number to anchor any cutting or bulking plan to.
How it’s calculated & sources
BMR uses Mifflin–St Jeor: 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age, plus 5 (male) or −161 (female). TDEE = BMR × activity factor. Cutting subtracts ~500 cal/day (~1 lb/week); lean gaining adds ~250.
We also show two other well-known formulas for comparison. The Revised Harris–Benedict equation (the 1984 revision) is the older, original BMR formula: 13.397×kg + 4.799×cm − 5.677×age + 88.362 (male) or 9.247×kg + 3.098×cm − 4.330×age + 447.593 (female) — it tends to run slightly higher than Mifflin–St Jeor for most people. The Katch–McArdle formula instead uses your lean body mass (total weight minus body fat): 370 + 21.6×(weight in kg × (1 − body fat % ÷ 100)). It requires knowing your body-fat percentage, but tends to be the most accurate option for lean or muscular people since it accounts for body composition rather than just total weight, age and height.
The activity-multiplier table below applies the standard Harris-Benedict/Mifflin activity scale (sedentary ×1.2 up to extra active ×1.9) to your Mifflin–St Jeor BMR, so you can see estimated maintenance calories at every activity level side by side, not just your currently selected one.
Benchmark: the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, the most accurate common BMR formula per the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is generally considered the best default for most people. Katch–McArdle is typically more accurate for lean or athletic individuals who know their body-fat %; Harris–Benedict is the older, original 1919/1984 formula and is shown for reference.
Results update as you type and are general estimates, not personalized financial, tax, medical or legal advice. Verify with a professional.
Frequently asked questions
Why is TDEE higher than BMR?
BMR is at-rest energy only. TDEE adds the calories from daily movement and exercise, which is why it’s the maintenance number.
How fast should I lose weight?
A 500-calorie daily deficit (~1 lb/week) is a sustainable, common target. Steeper deficits risk muscle loss and are harder to maintain.
Which BMR formula should I trust?
Mifflin–St Jeor is the modern standard and the most accurate for most people. Katch–McArdle is usually more accurate if you're lean or athletic and know your body-fat percentage, since it's based on lean mass rather than total weight. Harris–Benedict is the original 1919 formula (revised in 1984) and tends to run a bit higher — it's shown mainly for reference and comparison.
Do I need to enter body fat % to use this calculator?
No — it's optional. Mifflin–St Jeor and Harris–Benedict only need weight, height, age and sex. Body fat % is only used to calculate the Katch–McArdle result; leave it blank if you don't know it.