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Daily Calorie Calculator (TDEE)
Resting metabolism is the energy your body uses doing nothing at all; total daily energy expenditure adds movement on top. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the one most dietitians reach for, and shows both numbers.
How to use it
- Enter age, height in centimetres and weight in kilograms, and pick sex.
- Choose the activity level that matches a normal week, not your best week.
- Read the daily maintenance figure, with resting metabolism underneath.
Examples
- A 30-year-old man, 175 cm, 72 kg, moderately active → around 2,600 kcal a day.
- The same person sedentary → around 2,000 kcal, a difference of a whole meal.
- Dropping the activity level by one step usually changes the total by 10 to 12 per cent.
Questions people ask
How accurate is the estimate?
It is a population average, and individuals commonly sit 10 per cent either side of it. Metabolism varies with muscle mass, hormones, medication and sleep, none of which the formula sees. Treat it as a starting point and adjust based on what actually happens over a few weeks.
Should I use this to plan a diet?
Use it to understand roughly where maintenance sits, not as a target to chase. Energy needs, health conditions and nutrition goals are individual, and a registered dietitian or doctor can give guidance that a formula cannot. If food or weight is causing you distress, talking to a professional is worth far more than any calculator.
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Updated: 2026-08-07