Your metabolism and daily energy expenditure
Three formulas side by side — Mifflin, Harris-Benedict, Cunningham — and your expenditure for your activity level.
Your daily energy expenditure
2,106kcal
- Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin)
- 1,359 kcal
- Revised Harris-Benedict
- 1,411 kcal
BMR is what your body burns at rest; daily expenditure adds your activity. Within about 10% for most people.
By activity level
Mifflin BMR, multiplied by your activity level.
| Activity | Factor | Daily expenditure |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | × 1.2 | 1,631 kcal |
| Lightly active | × 1.375 | 1,869 kcal |
| Active | × 1.55 | 2,106 kcal |
| Very active | × 1.725 | 2,344 kcal |
| Athlete | × 1.9 | 2,582 kcal |
The three formulas
They don’t say the same thing: the gap between them is the uncertainty.
| Formula | BMR | When to prefer it |
|---|---|---|
| Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin) | 1,359 kcal | By default: the most accurate without known body fat |
| Revised Harris-Benedict | 1,411 kcal | To compare with an older calculation |
| Cunningham, from lean mass | — | If you are very muscular and know your body fat |
- Mifflin-St Jeor BMR (1990): 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age, +5 for men, −161 for women.
- Daily expenditure multiplies this BMR by an activity factor, from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (two sessions a day).
- Revised Harris-Benedict (Roza and Shizgal, 1984) and Cunningham (1980, 500 + 22 × lean mass) give a second and third opinion.
Frequently asked questions
BMR is what the body burns at complete rest. TDEE adds digestion and all your activity: it is the figure to set an intake from.
Without known body fat, Mifflin-St Jeor is the least wrong for most adults. If you are very muscular and know your body fat, Cunningham is more accurate.
A lighter body spends less to live and to move. That is why a fixed intake eventually stops working.
- Calorie calculatorYour daily calories and macros
- Calorie deficit calculatorWhen you will reach your goal weight
- Macro calculatorYour protein, fat and carbs in grams
- Protein calculatorHow much protein per day
- Water intake calculatorHow much to drink a day, training included
- Calories burnedThe calories of an activity
- Steps to caloriesHow many calories your steps burn
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