Daily Calorie Needs by Activity Level
| Activity Level | Calories / Day |
|---|
These estimates are based on your Mifflin-St Jeor BMR. For a more detailed breakdown, try our Calorie Calculator.
What is BMR?
Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs each day just to stay alive. This includes the energy spent on breathing, pumping blood, maintaining body temperature, and keeping your organs working while you are completely at rest.
BMR typically accounts for about 60-75% of your total daily calorie burn. It varies from person to person and depends on factors like age, gender, weight, and height. Muscle mass also plays a role, since muscle tissue burns more energy than fat even at rest.
BMR vs TDEE
BMR only covers the calories you burn at rest. Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) takes it a step further by adding in calories burned through physical activity, digestion, and daily movement. In short, TDEE = BMR + activity calories.
If your goal is to lose, gain, or maintain weight, TDEE is the more useful number for planning your daily calorie intake. BMR gives you the baseline, while TDEE gives you the full picture.