How your TDEE is calculated
This calculator works out your maintenance calories in two steps. First it estimates your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), the energy your body burns at complete rest, using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation for women: 10 times your weight in kilograms, plus 6.25 times your height in centimeters, minus 5 times your age, minus 161. That last number is the female adjustment, which is why a generic calculator built for men will overshoot your needs.
Then it multiplies your BMR by an activity factor that reflects how much you move and train, from 1.2 for a desk job with little exercise up to 1.725 for someone training hard six or seven days a week. The result is your TDEE, the total calories you burn in a day. Eat that amount and your weight holds steady. That is why TDEE and maintenance calories mean the same thing.
How to use your maintenance calories
Your maintenance number is the anchor for every goal. If you want to lose fat, eat the fat-loss target above, which is a moderate 20 percent below maintenance. It is aggressive enough to see steady change without crashing your energy or your hormones. If you want to slowly build muscle, use the slow-gain target, a small surplus that adds size without much extra fat. If you are happy with your weight and want to get stronger or recomp, eat at maintenance.
Whatever your goal, keep protein high and consistent, and give any number 2 to 3 weeks before you judge it. Weigh yourself a few mornings a week, take a waist measurement, and watch the trend rather than the daily noise. If nothing is moving after a month, adjust calories by 100 to 150 and reassess.
Once you know your maintenance, the next step is dividing those calories into protein, carbs, and fat. Run the numbers in my macro calculator for women, or read the full system in my guide to macros for body recomposition.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your resting metabolism, daily movement, and exercise. Your TDEE is also called your maintenance calories, because eating that exact amount keeps your weight stable.
How many calories should a woman eat to maintain weight?
It depends on your age, height, weight, and how active you are, which is exactly what this calculator works out for you. Most women land somewhere between 1,800 and 2,400 calories a day at maintenance. Sedentary or smaller women sit lower, taller or very active women sit higher. Use your own number from the calculator rather than a generic figure.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is what your body would burn if you stayed in bed all day, just keeping you alive. Your TDEE is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor, so it accounts for everything else you do, like walking, working, and training. You should never eat below your BMR, and you should base your goals around your TDEE.
Is this TDEE calculator accurate?
It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which research shows is the most accurate calorie estimate for most women. That said, every formula is an educated estimate, usually within about 10 percent of your true needs. Use the number as a starting point, track your weight and energy for 2 to 3 weeks, then adjust. Your real-world results always beat the formula.
How do I use my maintenance calories to lose fat or build muscle?
To lose fat, eat about 15 to 20 percent below maintenance, which is the fat-loss number this calculator gives you. To slowly build muscle, eat a small surplus of around 10 percent. To stay the same and focus on performance or recomp, eat at maintenance. Keep protein high in every scenario, since it protects muscle whether you are cutting or gaining.
Want a plan built around your numbers?
A calculator gives you a starting point. Coaching gives you a custom plan that adjusts every week based on your real progress. That is what The Recomp Method is built for.
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