Daily Energy Expenditure Calculator

Calculator Inputs

Unit system

Sex

Age

Weight

Use kilograms in metric mode and pounds in imperial mode.

Height

Enter height in centimeters.

Feet

Inches

Body fat percentage

Optional, but needed for lean-mass formulas.

Preferred formula

Activity factor

Additional exercise calories

Optional daily exercise calories beyond the multiplier.

Thermic effect percentage

Typical estimates often range from 8% to 12%.

Goal adjustment

Use negative values for fat loss and positive values for gain.

Example Data Table

Profile	Weight	Height	Activity	Formula	Estimated Maintenance
Female, 29 years	62 kg	168 cm	1.55	Mifflin-St Jeor	2,184 kcal/day
Male, 35 years	82 kg	180 cm	1.725	Harris-Benedict Revised	3,016 kcal/day
Male, 27 years, 14% body fat	76 kg	177 cm	1.55	Katch-McArdle	2,775 kcal/day

Formula Used

Mifflin-St Jeor

Men: BMR = 10W + 6.25H - 5A + 5

Women: BMR = 10W + 6.25H - 5A - 161

Harris-Benedict Revised

Men: BMR = 88.362 + 13.397W + 4.799H - 5.677A

Women: BMR = 447.593 + 9.247W + 3.098H - 4.330A

Katch-McArdle

BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean body mass in kilograms

Cunningham

BMR = 500 + 22 × lean body mass in kilograms

Total Daily Energy Expenditure

Activity adjusted base = BMR × activity factor

Subtotal before TEF = activity adjusted base + exercise calories

Thermic effect calories = subtotal before TEF × TEF%

Maintenance calories = subtotal before TEF + thermic effect calories

In every equation, W means weight in kilograms, H means height in centimeters, and A means age in years.

How to Use This Calculator

Select metric or imperial units.
Enter age, sex, weight, and height.
Add body fat if you want lean-mass formulas.
Choose the formula you trust most for your case.
Select an activity factor matching your usual week.
Add extra exercise calories if you track them separately.
Set thermic effect and any calorie goal adjustment.
Press calculate to review maintenance, target intake, comparison data, and the graph.

FAQs

1. What does daily energy expenditure mean?

It estimates how many calories your body uses in a day. The total includes resting metabolism, movement, exercise, and the energy cost of digesting food.

2. Which formula should I choose?

Mifflin-St Jeor is widely used for general planning. Harris-Benedict offers another classic estimate. Katch-McArdle and Cunningham can be useful when body fat is known.

3. Do I need body fat percentage?

No, it is optional. You only need it for Katch-McArdle and Cunningham because those formulas use lean body mass rather than total body weight.

4. Why are maintenance calories different across formulas?

Each equation was built from different datasets and assumptions. That causes small differences in BMR, which then change the final maintenance estimate after activity and thermic effect are added.

5. What does the goal adjustment do?

It adds or subtracts calories from maintenance. A negative value supports fat loss planning, while a positive value supports weight gain planning.

6. Should I enter exercise calories and use an activity factor?

Use both only if you intentionally want to separate structured exercise from general activity. Otherwise, keep exercise calories at zero and rely mainly on the activity factor.

7. Is this calculator suitable for medical nutrition decisions?

It is better for general planning than clinical care. People with medical conditions, pregnancy, eating disorders, or recovery needs should seek individualized advice from a qualified professional.

8. How often should I update the inputs?

Update them whenever body weight, body fat, training volume, or lifestyle changes. Rechecking every few weeks helps keep calorie targets realistic and useful.