BMR & TDEE Calculator
Estimate your basal metabolic rate and daily calories with Mifflin-St Jeor
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
- 1,649 kcal/day
- Total Daily Energy (TDEE)
- 2,556 kcal/day
Calorie targets
- Cut (-20%)
- 2,044
- Maintain
- 2,556
- Bulk (+10%)
- 2,811
TDEE by activity level
| Activity | kcal/day |
|---|---|
| Sedentary (little/no exercise) | 1,979 |
| Light (1–3 days/week) | 2,267 |
| Moderate (3–5 days/week) | 2,556 |
| Active (6–7 days/week) | 2,844 |
| Very active (intense daily / labor) | 3,133 |
About this tool
Enter your sex, age, height, and weight to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then pick an activity level to get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). The tool also surfaces typical cutting (-20%), maintenance, and bulking (+10%) calorie targets so you have a starting point for diet planning. Both metric (cm/kg) and imperial (in/lb) units are supported.
How to use
- Pick units, then enter your sex, age, height, and weight.
- Pick the activity level that best matches your weekly exercise.
- BMR, TDEE, and cut/maintain/bulk calorie targets are calculated automatically.
FAQ
What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is the calories you'd burn just lying in bed all day — the cost of staying alive. TDEE adds activity (movement, exercise, work) on top. Diet planning usually targets ±X% of TDEE, not BMR.
Why Mifflin-St Jeor over Harris-Benedict?
Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) was validated as more accurate (~5%) for healthy adults than the older Harris-Benedict equation, and it's now the recommended formula by ACSM and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Is a 20% cut too aggressive?
A 20% deficit (~500–700 kcal/day) typically yields 0.5–1 kg per week of fat loss, which is the standard sustainable range. Bigger deficits raise the risk of muscle loss and rebound — staying within 10–20% is usually best.
Do unusual body compositions throw it off?
Yes. Mifflin-St Jeor assumes average body composition. Very lean, very muscular athletes (bodybuilders, etc.) get more accurate estimates from the Katch-McArdle equation, which uses lean body mass directly.