Health and nutrition · Energy and calories
Estimate total daily energy expenditure
TDEE here is Mifflin-St Jeor resting metabolism times an activity factor. It includes no deficit, no surplus, and no 1,200 kcal floor.
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How the calculator works
The calculator reuses the same resting equation as the calories page, then stops at BMR × factor. That is this tool’s “maintenance” in a strictly arithmetic sense: the energy the model assigns to a typical day at the chosen rung. Nothing is measured (no VO₂, no step count, no food log). FAO/WHO/UNU 2004 describes how energy needs are framed at population scale; our five coefficients remain Harris-Benedict-style shortcuts, and the page says so rather than treating 1.55 as your personal PAL.
Formula and method
MB Mifflin-St Jeor (femme : −161 ; homme : +5)
Estimated rest, without the activity rung.
TDEE = MB × {1,2 ; 1,375 ; 1,55 ; 1,725 ; 1,9}One factor, chosen from the list, applied to the whole day.
TDEE means total daily energy expenditure. In research it is sometimes approached with measurements (doubly labeled water, metabolic chambers). Here it is a projection: 1990 equation × list coefficient. We do not add diet-induced thermogenesis line by line, or the cost of a 10 km run. Running pace converts time and distance only — it does not “complete” this TDEE with jogging calories. If you want a weight offset, go to the calorie calculator, which starts from this same TDEE.
Worked example
Woman, 62 kg, 165 cm, 34 years, moderate activity
62 kg, 165 cm, 34 years, female, factor 1.55.
- BMR = 10 × 62 + 6.25 × 165 − 5 × 34 − 161 = 620 + 1,031.25 − 170 − 161 = 1,320.25 kcal/day.
- TDEE = 1,320.25 × 1.55 ≈ 2,046 kcal/day.
Estimated TDEE ≈ 2,046 kcal/day, for a Mifflin BMR ≈ 1,320 kcal/day.
Input notes
- Weight
- Same role as on the calories page: 10 kcal per kilogram in Mifflin.
- Height
- 6.25 kcal per centimeter. No need to round to the nearest 5 cm if you know your height.
- Age
- Integer, 15 to 100, to stay in an adult / late-teen range, outside pediatrics.
- Sex
- Sets only the Mifflin constant, not a hormone panel.
- Activity level
- The only lifestyle lever on this page. Changing rungs moves TDEE more than a kilogram on the scale.
Assumptions and limits
Assumptions
- The activity rung is an average day, not a hiking weekend.
- Mifflin BMR is a prediction; individual error is not displayed (we do not invent a confidence interval).
- No correction for climate, altitude, or fever.
Limits
- Does not measure your real expenditure.
- Ignores training detail (duration, intensity, rest).
- Coefficients 1.2–1.9 are not copied table-by-table from FAO/WHO/UNU 2004.
- Useless as proof of a “slow” or “fast” metabolism.
How to read the result
A TDEE of 2,000 kcal does not mean eating 2,000 kcal will hold your weight tomorrow. It is the model’s starting point. If weight moves the same way for several weeks while intake is near this figure, the activity rung may be a poor fit — that is still not a diagnosis. For rest without a factor, see BMR.
Common mistakes
Adding TDEE to “workout calories” from another gadget.
The activity factor is already supposed to cover a lifestyle. Stacking a sport tracker often double-counts.
Confusing TDEE with BMR.
BMR is rest. TDEE multiplies it. This page shows both to avoid the mix-up.
Using TDEE as a deficit already “built in.”
There is no goal here. The deficit is set on the calories page, with its own limits.
Comparison
| Element | In this calculator |
|---|---|
| Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) | Yes, for rest |
| Five-rung activity factor | Yes, lump |
| Individual FAO/WHO/UNU PAL | No |
| Loss or gain offset | No (see calories) |
| Running calories (MET) | No (pace is another tool, without METs) |
Related calculations
- Calorie calculatorThree steps: Mifflin-St Jeor resting burn, times a lump activity factor, then a goal offset. The result is an estimate, not a diet.
- Basal metabolic rateTwo resting-energy equations: Mifflin-St Jeor as the main result, revised Harris-Benedict (1984) as a comparison. No activity factor is applied.
- Running pacePace is total time divided by distance. Average speed is the inverse. No calories are estimated: ACSM METs are not applied here.
- Water intakeTwo distinct figures: a 35 ml per kilogram rule of thumb, optionally raised by an internal activity bonus, and the EFSA 2010 adequate intake (2.0 L/day women, 2.5 L/day men, water from drinks and foods). Neither is an order.
- Heart-rate zonesAge and resting pulse. The tool estimates max HR (220 − age) and five zones on the reserve.
- Macro calculatorThe tool applies an energy percent to the calories you type, then converts with 4 kcal/g for protein and carbohydrate and 9 kcal/g for fat. These are templates, not a care plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is TDEE measured or calculated?
Calculated: Mifflin-St Jeor then an activity coefficient from a list.
No metabolic chamber is attached to the form. The figure is reproducible: the same inputs give the same TDEE. How well it matches your real burn depends mostly on the activity rung and whether Mifflin resembles you.
How do I choose between light and moderate?
If unsure, the lower rung is usually more conservative for maintenance.
Labels here do not map to a step count or a session count required by a society. Desk work plus two hour-long sessions often sits at light or moderate, rarely at “very active.” Watching weight over time beats arguing about the label.
Does TDEE change if I lose weight?
Yes in the model: Mifflin BMR depends on weight, so TDEE does too.
Fewer kilograms, all else equal, lower the estimate. The activity factor moves only if you change rungs. Real expenditure can also adapt (less mass to move, sometimes less NEAT). We do not model that adaptation.
Must I eat exactly the TDEE shown?
No. It is an order of magnitude, not a mandatory ration.
Labels, leftovers, and weekends already swing intake. Aiming at a range rather than the last kcal keeps an estimator from becoming a constraint. This is not personalized dietetic advice.
Author and update
Written by Rédaction HexaCalc (editorial team). Content last updated: August 25, 2026. No third-party medical or financial review is claimed.
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO — A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals (1990) — The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Human energy requirements (2004) — FAO / WHO / UNU
Add a weight goal
TDEE is the base without deficit or surplus. The calories page reuses the same math and applies an offset, with a 1,200 kcal display floor.
Estimate a calorie targetTDEE calculated here is a projection (resting equation × coefficient), not a measurement of your expenditure and not a meal plan. Figures on this page are estimates from published formulas, not a diagnosis, not medical advice, and not a personalized eating plan. They do not replace a visit with a clinician. The tool is not designed for children, pregnancy, breastfeeding, eating disorders, or many illnesses and medications. If you are unsure, ask a health professional.
Category: Health and nutrition