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An evidence-based walkthrough of energy balance, TDEE, and how to set a calorie target you can actually hold.
Your daily calorie target is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) adjusted for your goal: roughly maintenance for weight stability, a 15–20% deficit to lose fat, or a 10–15% surplus to gain lean mass. TDEE is your resting metabolism multiplied by an activity factor.
Your daily calorie target is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) adjusted for your goal: roughly maintenance for weight stability, a 15–20% deficit to lose fat, or a 10–15% surplus to gain lean mass. TDEE is your resting metabolism multiplied by an activity factor.
The Mifflin–St Jeor equation predicts resting energy expenditure from your sex, weight, height and age, then an activity multiplier (1.2 sedentary to 1.9 athlete) scales it to real life. It is the most accurate predictive equation for non-obese adults and carries about a ±10% margin versus laboratory calorimetry.
Set protein first (1.6–2.2 g/kg), fats next (~25–30% of calories), and fill the rest with carbohydrate. Track your real-world response for two to three weeks and adjust — a calculator gives the starting point, not the final answer.
Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 · Tanaka H, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001 · Morton RW, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2018 · Last updated Feb 2026.
Drafted with AI assistance, then edited and fact-checked by the Clinarix editorial team against the cited primary research. Educational information only — not medical advice. See our standards.