How to Use DailyCalorie

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns over the course of a full day. TDEE is made up of several components: your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which accounts for roughly 60-70% of daily calorie burn and covers basic life-sustaining functions like breathing and circulation; the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), which is the energy used to digest and absorb nutrients (approximately 10% of intake); physical activity, including both structured exercise and general daily movement; and Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT), which covers fidgeting, walking around the house, and other non-exercise movements. Knowing your TDEE is the foundation of any evidence-based nutrition plan because it tells you exactly how many calories you need to maintain your current weight.

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is a formula published in 1990 by researchers M.D. Mifflin and S.T. St Jeor. It is widely regarded by dietitians and the American Dietetic Association as the most reliable method for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate in healthy adults. The formulas are: For men: BMR = (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age in years) + 5. For women: BMR = (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age in years) - 161. DailyCalorie uses this equation because it has been validated across numerous studies and consistently outperforms older formulas like Harris-Benedict in terms of predictive accuracy for the general population.

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is accurate to within approximately plus or minus 10% for most healthy adults. However, individual variation exists due to differences in lean muscle mass, genetics, hormonal status, medications, and metabolic adaptations. People with significantly more or less muscle than average for their weight may find the estimate slightly off. For the best results, use the calculator's output as a starting point and track your weight over 2-4 weeks. If your weight is not changing as expected, adjust your intake by 100-200 calories and re-evaluate. This iterative approach, combining the scientific estimate with real-world feedback, is the gold standard method recommended by nutrition professionals.

Choosing the right activity level is one of the most important steps for an accurate estimate. Here is a guide to help you decide: Sedentary (x1.2): You have a desk job or spend most of the day sitting with little or no formal exercise. Lightly Active (x1.375): You do light exercise or sports 1-3 days per week, such as casual walking, yoga, or light gym sessions. Moderately Active (x1.55): You exercise at moderate intensity 3-5 days per week, for example jogging, swimming, or cycling for 30-60 minutes per session. Very Active (x1.725): You train hard 6-7 days per week or have a physically demanding job such as construction or warehouse work. Extra Active (x1.9): You are a competitive athlete training twice daily, or you combine intense exercise with a very physical occupation. When in doubt, choose one level lower than you think. It is easier to add calories later than to undo overeating.

Your TDEE is the number of calories needed to maintain your current weight. To change your weight, you create a calorie surplus or deficit relative to this number. For weight loss: Eat 300-500 calories below your TDEE each day. This creates a weekly deficit of 2,100-3,500 calories, which translates to roughly 0.25-0.5 kg (0.5-1 lb) of fat loss per week. Avoid cutting more than 500-750 calories below TDEE, as aggressive deficits can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic slowdown. For weight gain: Eat 250-500 calories above your TDEE each day. A moderate surplus promotes lean muscle gain when combined with resistance training while minimizing unnecessary fat gain. For maintenance: Eat at or very close to your TDEE. This is also useful during body recomposition phases where you aim to build muscle and lose fat simultaneously. As a safety guideline, women should not consume fewer than 1,200 calories per day and men should not go below 1,500 calories per day without medical supervision.

Macronutrients, or "macros," are the three primary nutrients your body requires in large quantities to function properly: Protein (4 kcal per gram): Essential for building and repairing muscle tissue, producing enzymes and hormones, and supporting immune function. Good sources include chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and tofu. A minimum intake of 1.6 g per kg of body weight is recommended for active individuals. Carbohydrates (4 kcal per gram): Your body's preferred energy source, especially during high-intensity exercise. Found in grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Carbohydrates also fuel brain function and replenish glycogen stores in muscles. Fat (9 kcal per gram): Necessary for hormone production, nutrient absorption (vitamins A, D, E, K are fat-soluble), cell membrane integrity, and long-duration energy. Healthy sources include olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish. Tracking macros, rather than just total calories, helps you optimize body composition, maintain energy levels throughout the day, and ensure your diet supports your specific health and fitness goals.

DailyCalorie currently provides four scientifically informed preset diet plans, each designed for a specific nutritional strategy: Balanced (50/25/25): Follows mainstream dietary guidelines and suits most people looking for a well-rounded approach to nutrition. Low Carb (25/35/40): Reduces carbohydrate intake to help manage blood sugar levels and promote satiety with higher fat and protein. High Protein (40/35/25): Maximizes protein intake for people focused on muscle growth, athletic performance, or preserving lean mass during a cut. Keto (5/25/70): Minimizes carbohydrates to approximately 20-50 g per day to induce ketosis, a metabolic state where the body primarily burns fat for fuel. While fully custom ratios are not available yet, the four presets cover the most evidence-based dietary approaches. Simply select a plan on the calculator and watch the macro chart update in real time to see exactly how many grams of each nutrient you should aim for each day.

Yes, DailyCalorie is completely free to use with no sign-up required. There are no premium tiers, no paywalls, and no hidden costs. All features including the TDEE calculator, BMI calculation, macro breakdown charts, diet plan presets, meal logging, and CSV export are available to every visitor at no charge. The tool runs entirely in your browser, so your personal data stays on your device and is never sent to external servers. We believe that access to quality nutrition tools should not be restricted by cost, and we are committed to keeping DailyCalorie free and accessible for everyone.