Free tool
Your maintenance calories, and what to eat to cut, hold or bulk. Nothing to sign up for — the numbers update as you type.
Sex
Activity level
Goal
Daily calories · Maintain
Mifflin–St JeorBMR
1,748
at complete rest
TDEE
2,709
×1.55 activity
Protein
125g
Fat
66g
Carbs
403g
An estimate for your starting point, not a rule. Track intake and weight for two to three weeks and adjust by 100–150 kcal if the trend is not what you want.
Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the number of calories you burn in a day: the energy your body uses to stay alive, digest food, move around and train. Eat roughly that amount and your weight holds steady. Eat less and you lose weight; eat more and you gain it.
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the part of that total you spend at complete rest, breathing, circulating blood and keeping organs warm. It is usually the largest share of the day. BMR differs from person to person because it rises with body size and muscle mass and falls with age; sex matters too, since men typically carry more lean mass at the same height and weight. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation above is the formula most dietitians reach for, because it estimates resting needs from weight, height, age and sex with reasonable accuracy.
The activity multiplier turns that resting figure into a daily total. Sedentary (×1.2) assumes a desk job and little movement; light (×1.375) one or two sessions a week; moderate (×1.55) three or four; active (×1.725) five or six; very active (×1.9) daily training or a physical job. Most people overestimate this part, so pick the level you actually average rather than your best week.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
It gives you a solid starting point, usually within a couple of hundred calories of your real expenditure. Equations like Mifflin-St Jeor cannot see your muscle mass, genetics or how much you fidget, so treat the number as an estimate and adjust after two to three weeks of consistent logging.
How many calories should I eat to lose fat?
Roughly 500 calories below your TDEE, which is what the cut option above shows. That pace usually produces about half a kilo of loss a week without leaving you hungry all day. Bigger deficits work faster but are harder to hold and cost more muscle.
Should I eat back the calories I burn in a workout?
No, if you picked an activity level that already includes your training. The multiplier assumes those sessions are part of your week. Eating them back on top counts the same work twice.
Do I need to recalculate as my weight changes?
Yes. A lighter body burns fewer calories at rest, so re-run the numbers every 4 to 5 kg, or whenever your weight has stalled for three weeks despite consistent intake.
Macro calculator
Protein, fat and carbs per day, split across 3, 4 or 5 meals
Apex is a training and nutrition tool, not medical advice. Speak to a professional before making large changes to how you eat.