TDEE and Macro Calculator
Turn TDEE into simple daily and per-meal macros
TDEE, deficits and daily macro targets FAQ
What is TDEE and how is it different from BMR?
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is your estimated resting energy use—the calories your body spends lying still for 24 hours. Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) multiplies BMR by an activity factor that reflects everyday movement, structured exercise and digestion. The calculator uses Mifflin–St Jeor for BMR and typical activity multipliers drawn from exercise and nutrition practice.
Where do the protein, carb and fat ranges come from?
This page aims to land you inside mainstream guideline ranges for macronutrients—often about 10–35% of calories from protein, 20–35% from fats and the remainder from carbohydrates—while nudging protein a little higher for people who train. The protein-per-kilogram numbers sit near values often used in sports nutrition and active adult research.
How aggressive should a calorie deficit or surplus be?
Many adults do well with a modest deficit or surplus rather than extremes. The mild and moderate fat-loss options here (roughly 15–25% below maintenance) are similar to numbers often used in research and practice, while the slow and faster gain options add about 10–20% above maintenance. Larger changes may be appropriate only under close professional supervision.
Can I use this calculator if I am pregnant, breastfeeding or under 18?
No. Energy and macro needs in pregnancy, breastfeeding and adolescence are more complex and depend on growth, medical history and lab work. Those groups should work directly with clinicians or registered dietitians using tools and references designed for them instead of general TDEE calculators.
What if the calorie target looks very low or very high?
Equations are averages. Short stature, very low or very high body weight, unusual schedules, medications, hormonal conditions and measurement error can all push estimates away from what feels sustainable. If your target looks unusually small or huge, treat that as a flag to slow down, not as a command—take the numbers to a clinician or dietitian and sanity-check them together.
Do I need to hit these macros perfectly every day?
No. Most people do fine aiming for ballpark ranges across the week rather than perfection at every meal. Protein is often worth keeping fairly steady; carbs and fats can flex around training days, appetite and food preferences. Think of this tool as giving you a map, not a scorecard.
How often should I recalc TDEE and macros?
You usually only need to recalc when your weight, routine or goals change by more than a few percent—after a big weight shift, a new job that changes activity, a training block, or a different step count. Week-to-week fluctuations on the scale or in appetite are not a reason to rebuild everything from scratch.
Who should be extra careful with any calorie or macro tool?
Anyone with active or past eating disorder concerns, major medical conditions, complex medication regimens, or recent surgery should treat online calculators as education only. In those cases, personalised care plans from qualified professionals matter more than any generic equation or macro target.
How to use this TDEE and macro calculator
The aim of this page is to take you from a single TDEE number to daily protein, carb and fat targets you can actually apply to meals. Instead of juggling several calculators and spreadsheets, you enter a small set of basics and get a tidy summary plus a copy-and-paste block for your notes or tracker.
1. Enter honest, current measurements
Use your current height and weight, not your ideal or goal numbers. In US mode, enter height as feet and inches and weight in pounds; in metric mode, use centimetres and kilograms. Add your sex and an adult age. The calculator converts everything into metric behind the scenes so the Mifflin–St Jeor BMR equation works correctly.
2. Pick an activity level that matches most weeks
Choose the activity band that feels most like your typical week, not your most heroic day. Sedentary suits low daily movement and little intentional exercise; “lightly active” covers a few workouts and a reasonable step count; “very active” is more for daily training or physical jobs. This choice controls the activity factor that scales BMR up to TDEE.
3. Choose a goal and macro style
The goal dropdown applies a simple deficit or surplus to estimated maintenance. If you are unsure, start with “Maintain” and use the number as a neutral reference. Macro style changes protein emphasis: everyday balanced sits near 1.6 g/kg, higher protein moves closer to 2.0 g/kg for heavy training or dieting phases, and plant-friendly uses a slightly lower protein-per-kilo that may be easier with mostly plant sources.
4. Read the TDEE, goal calories and macros
Hit Calculate TDEE and macros to see:
- Your BMR from Mifflin–St Jeor.
- An estimated TDEE for maintenance based on your activity level.
- Goal calories after applying your chosen deficit or surplus.
- Daily targets in grams and percentages for protein, carbohydrates and fats.
- Approximate per-meal macros based on how many eating times you chose.
Use the Copy summary button to drop the key lines into a meal-planning app, spreadsheet or note on your phone, so you do not need to remember the numbers.
5. Adjust based on trends, not single days
Once you are using these targets, watch weekly averages for weight, energy, training performance, sleep and appetite. If progress stalls or feels unsustainable for a few weeks, adjust calories in small steps (often 5–10%) rather than making huge jumps. Bring the numbers and your tracking to any doctor or dietitian you work with so they have a concrete starting point.
Above all, treat these outputs as guide rails, not verdicts. Your lived experience, lab work and mental health matter more than hitting a particular macro split on paper.
How the TDEE and macro math works
The math behind this calculator stays close to mainstream nutrition references so you can trace each step. It combines an evidence-based BMR equation, standard activity multipliers and macro ranges anchored to guidelines.
1. Mifflin–St Jeor for BMR
Inputs are first converted to metric if needed. The calculator then applies the Mifflin–St Jeor formula:
BMR (kcal/day) = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age(years) + s
where s = +5 for males and s = −161 for females. This equation often predicts resting energy better than older formulas in modern adult samples.
2. Activity factors and TDEE
To estimate maintenance calories, the tool multiplies BMR by an activity factor (for example 1.2 for sedentary, 1.55 for moderately active). These factors are similar to those used in many exercise and nutrition texts, blending structured training, daily movement and digestion costs into one number.
3. Applying goals and setting macros
Goal calories are created by applying a small deficit or surplus (for example ×0.85 for mild loss or ×1.10 for slow gain). Protein grams are then set using grams per kilogram of body weight in the 1.4–2.0 g/kg range depending on macro style. Fat is set near 30% of goal calories; carbohydrates receive the remaining calories after protein and fat are accounted for. This keeps most people inside guideline bands while allowing for slightly higher protein when training.
4. Rounding and per-meal splits
All calories and grams are rounded to whole numbers or one decimal place. Per-meal macros are simply daily grams divided by your chosen number of eating times, then rounded again so you can think in spoonfuls, slices and scoops instead of decimals. The goal is a clear, adjustable framework, not a command to weigh every bite.
References and further reading on TDEE and macronutrients
These resources explain where the equations and macro ranges in this tool come from:
- Mifflin MD et al. — A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals — original paper describing the Mifflin–St Jeor BMR equation widely used in adult nutrition planning.
- Institute of Medicine — Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids — core reference for macronutrient ranges and energy balance guidance used in many national recommendations.
- American Heart Association — Protein and heart health — explains the 0.8 g/kg protein RDA, typical macro percentages and cautions around very high intakes for some medical conditions.
Use these for background reading and pair the calculator’s outputs with individual guidance from your healthcare or nutrition team, especially if you live with medical conditions or complex training goals.