Maintenance Calorie Calculator, TDEE

Your needs change with your activity throughout the day. Compare four estimated daily expenditure scenarios and see why a single number can create a false sense of precision.

Estimate based on your daily activity

Complete to see your result

Weight
Height
Age
Sex
Confirmation

Enter your weight, height, age, and activity factor, then confirm the calculation setting. Ranges: 20 to 350 kg, 100 to 250 cm, 19 to 99 years.

Calories

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Understand the calculation

This calculator directly uses the 2023 DRI adult equations from the National Academies. It does not multiply the Mifflin-St Jeor result by an activity factor borrowed from another method. The values assume a weight-stable adult who is not pregnant or breastfeeding.

Daily energy = constant + age coefficient × age + height coefficient × height in cm + weight coefficient × weight in kg. Published coefficients vary by sex and activity scenario.

Fictional calculation example

For a fictional 35-year-old adult weighing 75 kg and measuring 175 cm, using the male coefficient, the scenarios range from approximately 2,570 to 3,270 kcal/day after rounding. This range compares activity levels, it does not measure this person's needs.

Scientific sources

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2023. Summary, tables S-1 and S-3. doi:10.17226/26818.

2023 DRI equation coefficients

2023 DRI equation coefficients
Formula sex	Activity scenario	Constant	Age, years	Height, cm	Weight, kg
Female	Inactive	584.9	-7.01	5.72	11.71
Female	Lightly active	575.77	-7.01	6.6	12.14
Female	Active	710.25	-7.01	6.54	12.34
Female	Very active	511.83	-7.01	9.07	12.56
Male	Inactive	753.07	-10.83	6.5	14.1
Male	Lightly active	581.47	-10.83	8.3	14.94
Male	Active	1,004.82	-10.83	6.52	15.91
Male	Very active	-517.88	-10.83	15.61	19.11

Your questions

What does TDEE mean?

TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure, including rest, digestion, and activity. For an adult whose weight stays stable, it helps estimate maintenance energy needs.

How should I interpret the four activity levels?

They represent scenarios ranging from lightly active to very active. Work, commuting, daily tasks, and exercise all count together. The number of workouts alone cannot precisely determine your level; the range shows the effect of this uncertainty.

Can I use this to determine a calorie deficit?

The tool does not provide one. The results are not dietary prescriptions and promise neither a rate nor a date for weight loss. Children, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and situations requiring medical supervision need an appropriate framework.

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