TDEE Calculator for Weight Loss Target Date (Accurate Daily Macro Breakdown)
Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the number of calories your body burns in 24 hours once resting metabolism, digestion (TEF), non-exercise movement (NEAT) and training are added together. This calculator runs both accepted engines — Mifflin-St Jeor when you only know age, height and weight, and Katch-McArdle when you supply a body fat percentage, because lean mass predicts resting burn far better than total mass does.
At 1,905 kcal per day you lose roughly 0.45 kg (1.00 lb) per week.
How to calculate TDEE manually for cutting
Start with BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6.25×height(cm) − 5×age + 5 (men) or −161 (women). Multiply by your honest activity factor: 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 light, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 heavy, 1.9 athlete. Subtract the deficit that suits your timeline — 500 kcal a day is the classic one-pound-a-week cut because a pound of body fat stores roughly 3,500 kcal.
Mifflin-St Jeor vs Katch-McArdle
Mifflin-St Jeor is the general-population standard and lands within about 10% of measured expenditure for most adults. Katch-McArdle (370 + 21.6 × lean mass in kg) ignores fat mass entirely, so it is more accurate for lean athletes, very obese individuals and anyone with a DEXA or calliper reading. Below 15% body fat the two formulas can differ by 200+ kcal a day.
Adaptive thermogenesis vs baseline metabolism
Baseline metabolism is what your organs and lean tissue cost simply to stay alive. Adaptive thermogenesis is the extra downshift that happens during a prolonged deficit: NEAT drops, thyroid output falls, movement becomes unconsciously more efficient. A 10-12 week cut typically loses 5-8% more energy expenditure than the arithmetic predicts, which is why recalculating TDEE every 4 kg of loss beats trusting one number all year.
Macro split for muscle maintenance
Protein at roughly 1 g per pound of body weight protects lean tissue in a deficit; fat at about 25-30% of total calories keeps hormones stable; carbohydrates fill the rest and fuel training intensity. The bar chart above shows your split by calories, with grams printed on each bar.
BMR vs TDEE by activity tier (reference)
| Age | Male BMR | Male TDEE @1.375 | Male TDEE @1.725 | Female BMR | Female TDEE @1.375 | Female TDEE @1.725 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 1780 | 2447 | 3070 | 1373 | 1888 | 2368 |
| 30 | 1730 | 2379 | 2984 | 1323 | 1819 | 2282 |
| 40 | 1680 | 2310 | 2898 | 1273 | 1750 | 2196 |
| 50 | 1630 | 2241 | 2812 | 1223 | 1682 | 2110 |
| 60 | 1580 | 2172 | 2726 | 1173 | 1613 | 2023 |
Mifflin-St Jeor at 175 cm / 80 kg (male) and 163 cm / 65 kg (female).
People also ask
How does this TDEE calculator estimate my exact weight loss target date?
It calculates your baseline Total Daily Energy Expenditure and subtracts your selected calorie deficit. Since one pound of fat stores roughly 3,500 calories, a 500-calorie daily deficit produces about one pound of loss a week, and the tool projects that rate forward to your goal weight to print a target date.
Which formula is more accurate: Mifflin-St Jeor or Katch-McArdle?
If you know your body fat percentage or lean body mass, Katch-McArdle is more accurate because lean tissue burns significantly more energy than fat tissue. Without a body composition reading, Mifflin-St Jeor is the industry standard and the safer default.
Why am I not losing weight while eating at my calculated deficit?
The usual causes are uncounted calories from oils, sauces and drinks, overstating your activity level, water retention from a new training block or high sodium, and metabolic adaptation after several months of dieting.
How big a deficit is safe?
Most guidelines cap sustainable loss at 0.5-1% of body weight per week. Aggressive 1,000 kcal deficits are usually reserved for higher starting body weights and short blocks, because they accelerate lean mass loss and appetite rebound.
Three worked examples
Same engine, three different starting points — useful if you want to see how sensitive the answer is before you type your own numbers in.
Example 1: age 23.4 years, unit system "Metric (kg / cm)"
On the lower / more conservative end. At 1,950 kcal per day you lose roughly 0.45 kg (1.00 lb) per week.
Example 2: age 30 years, unit system "Metric (kg / cm)"
A typical middle-of-the-road setup. At 1,905 kcal per day you lose roughly 0.45 kg (1.00 lb) per week.
Example 3: age 39 years, unit system "Imperial (lb / in)"
On the higher / more demanding end. At 3,558 kcal per day you lose roughly 0.45 kg (1.00 lb) per week.
Quick answers about the TDEE & Macro Calculator
What exactly does the TDEE & Macro Calculator work out?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the number of calories your body burns in 24 hours once resting metabolism, digestion (TEF), non-exercise movement (NEAT) and training are added together. You enter unit system, gender, age and body weight (plus 5 more optional details) and the result panel updates straight away, so you can compare two or three versions of the same question in a few seconds.
What do I need before I start?
Only 8 fields: unit system, gender, age, body weight, height, activity level, weight goal and goal weight. body fat % is optional — leaving it blank simply switches the tool to the simpler estimate.
How to calculate TDEE manually for cutting?
Start with BMR = 10×weight(kg) + 6. The same maths runs inside this page, so hand-checking the result on paper gives you the identical figure.
Why do two calculators give me different answers for tDEE & Macro?
Mifflin-St Jeor is the general-population standard and lands within about 10% of measured expenditure for most adults. Different sites pick different assumptions, so always check which method a calculator states before you trust the gap between two numbers.
What does the "BMR vs TDEE by activity tier (reference)" table on this page tell me?
It is the reference range this tool works against — 5 rows from "20" (1780) up to "60" (1580). Use it to sanity-check whether the number you just calculated sits where you expected it to. Mifflin-St Jeor at 175 cm / 80 kg (male) and 163 cm / 65 kg (female).
Which unit system should I pick?
The dropdown offers 2 choices — Metric (kg / cm) and Imperial (lb / in). Pick the one that matches your real situation rather than the one you would like to be true; unit system usually moves the final figure more than any other single input, so it is worth running it twice with the option above and below your guess.
Does it work in both metric and imperial (or another currency)?
Yes. The "Unit system" control converts every field and every result, so you never have to convert anything by hand before typing it in. Switch it after entering your numbers and the output re-renders instantly in the new system.
Do I have to press a button or reload the page to see the result?
No. TDEE & Macro Calculator runs completely inside your browser, so the moment you change a value the cards recalculate — there is no submit step, no page reload and no waiting for a server round trip. That also means it keeps working on a weak or intermittent mobile connection.
Is it free, and do you keep what I type?
It is free with no sign-up, no app install and no usage limit. Nothing you enter into TDEE & Macro Calculator leaves your device — the calculation is JavaScript running locally, so there is no upload of your figures to DrHint or anyone else.
Can I use it on a phone?
Yes — the layout stacks to a single column on small screens and the number fields open the numeric keypad on both Android and iOS. Many people bookmark this page or add it to their home screen and re-open it whenever the question comes up.
Anything to be careful about with the result?
It calculates your baseline Total Daily Energy Expenditure and subtracts your selected calorie deficit. Treat the output as a well-grounded estimate for planning, not as a professional, legal or medical decision on its own.
Next useful tool
Enter current weight, goal weight and daily deficit to get the exact date you reach target, weekly milestone table and a plateau-adjusted realistic date.
Compare four clinical ideal body weight formulas side by side, adjusted for frame size, plus healthy BMI range and drug-dosing lean body weight.
Estimate body fat percentage with the US Navy circumference formula. Enter neck, waist and hip measurements to get body fat %, lean mass, fat mass and Navy standard pass/fail.
Work out ketogenic net carbs, protein and fat grams from your daily calorie budget. Includes total vs net carb maths, fibre and sugar alcohol subtraction, and a keto tier table.
Estimate your one rep max from any set of 1-12 reps using Epley, Brzycki and Lombardi formulas, plus a full percentage training chart for bench press, squat and deadlift.
Project weight lost during a water fast, split into glycogen water, true fat loss and lean tissue. Includes autophagy timeline, refeed guidance and per-day loss table.