BMR & Daily Calorie Calculator

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is how many calories your body burns just to stay alive (breathing, circulation, cell repair). Multiply BMR by your activity level to get your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). This tool uses the current clinical standard — the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.

How to use

Enter your gender, age, height and weight.
Pick your typical activity level.
Submit to see BMR, TDEE, and cut/bulk reference values.

How the calculation works

Mifflin-St Jeor (1990): male BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5; female BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161. Multiply by the activity multiplier: sedentary × 1.2, light × 1.375, moderate × 1.55, very active × 1.725, extra active × 1.9. Source: Wikipedia — Basal metabolic rate

FAQ

Is BMR the same as daily calories?

No. BMR is the resting/minimum calories your body needs to stay alive. Daily calories (TDEE) = BMR × activity multiplier.

How many calories should I eat to lose fat?

A common approach is to create a mild deficit — typically 200–500 kcal/day below TDEE — while keeping protein adequate and adding exercise. Very large deficits tend to lose muscle and are hard to sustain.

Why has it gotten harder to lose weight as I get older?

BMR falls with age and with muscle loss. Once your TDEE drops, the same intake that worked earlier will no longer create a deficit.

How strict should I be with the number?

The formula is a population average. Individual variation is significant. Use it as a starting point, track for a week or two, then adjust.

References

Wikipedia — Basal metabolic rate (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basal_metabolic_rate)
Wikipedia — Physical activity level (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_activity_level)
Mifflin & St Jeor (1990), American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

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