Nutrition & energy

Nail your daily calorie and macro targets.

Estimate your total daily energy expenditure — try the TDEE calculator on this page, then save your number with a free account.

By Aziz Mezlini, PhD · Founder & Scientist, Carthalis · Updated 2026-05-25

Estimate your daily calorie target (TDEE)

Get a quick Pavlidou RMR + PAL estimate of total daily energy expenditure. Sign up for MET-based precision, meal planning, and logging tools.

Your inputs

We don't store these values until you sign up.

Your result

Fill in your inputs to see your personalised result here. The calculator runs entirely on this page — no signup required to try.

Wellness education, not medical or nutrition advice.

Sign up to use the more accurate MET-based estimation in the app, plus tools such as meal suggestions, meal planning, and meal logging / optimization against your daily targets.

Save your result with a free account

Methodology

  • Pavlidou et al. 2023 — resting metabolic rate equation (Nutrients 15:1165)
  • FAO/WHO/UNU 2004 — physical activity level (PAL) multipliers
  • MET reference (Ainsworth 2011) — used by the in-app calculator

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What this number actually measures

Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the kilocalories your body uses in a day — resting metabolism plus everyday movement — as an educational planning number for your daily calorie needs, not a medical prescription.

  • Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

    Energy needed to keep you alive at rest. RMR is usually 60–75% of your total daily burn — we estimate it with the Pavlidou equation, a modern validated formula.

  • Activity & movement

    Exercise, work and daily movement add to your resting metabolism. On this page we use WHO/FAO activity levels; in the app, the activities you log.

  • Personalized

    Factors in your age, sex, weight, height, and activity level — not a generic 2,000 kcal label.

  • Dynamic

    Adapts as your lifestyle, training, or health context changes — recalculate every 4–6 weeks.

  • Precise

    Small calorie errors compound over time — a clearer TDEE target supports steadier progress.

Example: RMR 1,600 kcal × 1.55 (moderate activity) = 2,480 kcal TDEE

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is roughly 60–75% of total daily energy expenditure; activity and movement make up the remainder.

Scientific basis: FAO/WHO/UNU (2004) Human Energy Requirements and Pavlidou equation (2023)

Adjusting for fat loss / muscle gain

Once you have a TDEE baseline, adjust for your goal — general wellness guidance, not a clinical prescription. Discuss medically supervised diets with a qualified clinician.

  • Fat loss

    ~15% deficit below maintenance TDEE

    Example: 2,480 kcal maintenance → ~2,108 kcal target

    Moderate deficits tend to preserve muscle and adherence better than extreme cuts.

  • Maintenance

    Eat at your estimated TDEE

    Example: 2,480 kcal in ≈ 2,480 kcal out

    Balance energy in and out to hold current weight — general wellness guidance.

  • Muscle gain

    ~10% surplus above maintenance TDEE

    Example: 2,480 kcal maintenance → ~2,728 kcal target

    A modest surplus fuels recovery and growth without excessive fat gain.

How it's calculated, sources and more

On this page vs in the app

The best TDEE calculator methodology starts with a validated resting metabolic rate, then layers activity honestly. On this page, PAL multipliers use broad lifestyle bands — practical for a quick estimate. After signup, Carthalis models work, exercise, sleep, and leisure with MET values from the Adult Compendium of Physical Activities.

Why broad PAL categories have limits

Physical Activity Level (PAL) multipliers group people into bands like sedentary, moderate, or active. A desk worker who trains three times per week may land in the same band as someone with a physically active job — so on-page PAL is an educational starting point, not a clinical measurement.

Methodology sources: Pavlidou et al. 2023; FAO/WHO/UNU 2004; Adult Compendium of Physical Activities 2024

TDEE estimates are general guidance — consult a clinician for medically supervised diets.

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Common questions

Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the calories your body uses in a day: resting metabolism plus everyday movement and exercise. The free calculator on this page uses the Pavlidou resting-metabolism equation with WHO/FAO activity levels. In Carthalis, your estimate updates with the workouts you log and comes with meal suggestions and meal logging against your targets. A planning estimate, not a medical prescription.

Yes. Try the calculator on this page to estimate your total daily energy expenditure using Pavlidou RMR and PAL multipliers. Save your results with a free account; in the app, your estimate updates with the activities you log.

The on-page calculator estimates resting metabolic rate with the Pavlidou equation, then multiplies by a WHO/FAO physical-activity level (PAL) factor for your activity band. That product is total daily energy expenditure — an educational estimate, not a clinical measurement. In the app, your estimate uses the workouts you log.

Recalculate every 4–6 weeks, or when your weight, activity level, or goal changes meaningfully. Energy needs shift as body mass and training volume change — adjust targets to stay aligned.

PAL multipliers use broad activity categories from FAO/WHO/UNU guidelines — a practical on-page estimate. MET values from the Adult Compendium of Physical Activities let the app model work, exercise, sleep, and leisure separately when you sign up and log activity. Both start from Pavlidou RMR; MET adds granularity in the app.

For general wellness planning, many people use roughly a 10–15% calorie deficit below maintenance for fat loss and roughly a 5–10% surplus for muscle gain — always individualized. Use the on-page calculator for a baseline TDEE, then apply your goal in the widget or save with a free account for ongoing coaching support.

The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and metabolize what you eat — roughly 8–15% of daily calories, with protein costing the most (about 20–30% of its calories) and fat the least. On-page PAL estimates fold TEF into the maintenance number through standard activity factors; the app refines it as your protein share changes when you log meals.

No. TDEE estimates on Carthalis are wellness education for nutrition planning — not medical diagnosis, treatment, or prescription. Discuss significant diet changes with a qualified clinician, especially with health conditions or medications.

Save your number + plan meals

Create a free account to save your estimate. In the app it updates with the activities you log, alongside meal suggestions and meal logging against your targets.

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