Find the exact calories
your body burns daily.
Your TDEE is the number every nutrition plan starts with. Tell us a few things about you and we'll calculate it the same way a clinical nutritionist would — instantly, and for free.
How we got to your number.
No black box. The same equation a registered nutritionist would use, applied step by step. Here's the entire calculation laid out so you can follow it yourself.
Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
BMR is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — the energy needed to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing and brain running. We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate formula in routine clinical use.
The two equations differ by a constant because, on average, men carry more lean mass per kilogram of body weight than women — and lean mass burns more calories at rest.
Multiply by your activity factor
BMR is what you'd burn lying perfectly still. To get your total daily expenditure, we factor in everything else — walking, working, training, fidgeting. The result is your TDEE.
Most people overestimate. If you're unsure between two levels, pick the lower one — you can always adjust if your weight isn't responding the way the maths says it should.
Adjust for your goal
TDEE is the maintenance number — eat that and your weight stays put. To change body composition, we shift it.
A 500 kcal daily deficit is the standard sustainable rate for fat loss — fast enough to see results, slow enough to preserve muscle. For muscle gain, a smaller surplus minimises fat gained alongside.
Inside the app, we go further. Your daily target is capped at no less than 1,500 kcal for men or 1,200 kcal for women, and your weekly rate is capped at 1% of body weight. Aggressive enough to work, safe enough to last.
Split into macros (protein, carbs, fat)
Calories alone don't build the body — macros do. Your daily calorie target is then divided into the three macronutrients in the proportions best suited to your goal.
Protein is set by bodyweight, not as a percentage — because protein needs scale with the amount of tissue you carry, not how much you eat. Fat sits at 30% to support hormones. Carbs fill what's left, fuelling training and recovery.
Recalibrate weekly (in the app)
This is where a calculator stops and a coach begins. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is an estimate — accurate to roughly ±10% for most people. The only way to know your true TDEE is to eat at your calculated number for a week or two and watch what your body does.
If you're losing weight faster than the plan says, your true TDEE was higher than estimated and we raise it. Slower? We lower it. Inside My Nutri AI this happens automatically every Sunday based on your check-in. The number you see today is your starting point — not your final answer.
A note on accuracy
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the most accurate predictive equation in clinical use, but it's still an estimate. It doesn't account for body composition, medical conditions, or medications that affect metabolism. If you're managing a condition like PCOS, hypothyroidism or diabetes, treat this number as a starting reference and consult a registered dietitian. This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.
A number is a start.
A plan is the rest.
Knowing your TDEE is step one. My Nutri AI uses it to build you a full week of meals, recipes you'll actually cook, and a check-in that recalibrates your plan every Sunday.
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