Mifflin-St Jeor Equation Activity Multipliers

TDEE Calculator

Total Daily Energy Expenditure and maintenance calories.

Use this free TDEE calculator to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — your maintenance calories. This daily calorie calculator combines your BMR with an activity multiplier and shows calorie targets for losing, maintaining, or gaining weight.

Sex

Units

Age

yrs

Height

Weight

Activity level

Maintenance calories (TDEE) — kcal / day

Mild loss

—

≈ 0.25 kg/wk

Weight loss

—

≈ 0.5 kg/wk

Maintain

—

stable weight

Weight gain

—

≈ 0.5 kg/wk

This calculator provides estimates based on published formulas and methodologies. Results are for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.

Understanding your result

Total Daily Energy Expenditure estimates the calories you burn in a typical day, including rest, movement and exercise. It is often called your maintenance calories.

Eating at your TDEE tends to keep weight stable. A consistent deficit below it is associated with weight loss, and a surplus with weight gain.

Activity multipliers are broad estimates. Real expenditure varies day to day, so treat the result as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results over a few weeks.

Methodology

We first calculate BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiply it by an activity factor ranging from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active).

The activity multipliers are the widely used Harris-Benedict activity factors, applied on top of the modern Mifflin-St Jeor BMR.

Suggested calorie targets apply a ±250 to ±500 kcal/day adjustment, corresponding to roughly 0.25–0.5 kg per week.

The formula

TDEE is BMR multiplied by an activity factor.

TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier

Sedentary 1.2 · Light 1.375 · Moderate 1.55 · Very 1.725 · Extra 1.9

A 500 kcal/day deficit corresponds to roughly 0.5 kg of weight change per week.

References

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is a TDEE estimate?

TDEE formulas give a reasonable estimate but individual metabolism varies. Use the number as a baseline, track your weight for two to three weeks, and adjust intake based on what actually happens.

Which activity level should I pick?

Choose based on your honest weekly average. Most people with desk jobs who exercise a few times a week fall between Lightly and Moderately active. Overestimating activity is a common mistake.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

A common approach is a 500 kcal/day deficit below TDEE for about 0.5 kg of loss per week. This is educational guidance, not a personalised plan — consult a professional for individual advice.

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