How accurate is a TDEE calculator?

It is an estimate with a genuine margin of error, typically 10-15% for an individual. The equations are population averages. The reliable method is to use the estimate as a starting point, track weight over two to three weeks, and adjust based on what actually happens.

How much protein should I eat?

Research on people doing resistance training generally supports around 1.6 g per kg of bodyweight per day, with little additional benefit above roughly 2.2 g/kg. In a calorie deficit, the higher end helps preserve muscle.

Why has my weight not moved despite a deficit?

Daily weight is dominated by water, glycogen, salt and digestive contents, which can swing 1-2 kg without any change in fat. Judge progress on a weekly average over at least two to three weeks, not on single readings.

Is a very low calorie target better for fast results?

Aggressive deficits increase muscle loss, worsen adherence and are harder to sustain. A deficit of roughly 15-20% below maintenance is a common recommendation. Targets below about 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 for men should involve medical supervision.

TDEE and macro calculator

Estimate how many calories you burn in a day, then get a protein, carbohydrate and fat target for cutting, maintaining or building.

Open the TDEE calculator →

What TDEE actually means

Total daily energy expenditure is everything your body spends in 24 hours. It has four parts:

BMR — what you would burn lying still all day. Usually 60–70% of the total.
NEAT — walking, fidgeting, standing, chores. Varies enormously between people, sometimes by hundreds of calories a day.
Exercise — deliberate training. Almost always a smaller share than people expect.
Thermic effect of food — the energy used digesting. Roughly 10% of intake, higher for protein.

Palarid uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation for BMR, which is the one that performs best in validation studies for the general population, then applies an activity multiplier.

Choosing your activity multiplier honestly

Level	Multiplier	What it really means
Sedentary	1.2	Desk job, little walking, no training
Light	1.375	Light exercise 1–3 days a week
Moderate	1.55	Training 3–5 days, reasonably active otherwise
Active	1.725	Hard training 6–7 days, or a physical job
Very active	1.9	Physical job and hard daily training

Most people overestimate here. Three gym sessions a week with a desk job and a car is "light", not "moderate". If in doubt, pick the lower option — you can always adjust upward once you have real data.

Setting a target

Fat loss

A deficit of roughly 15–20% below maintenance is a widely used range. That is typically 0.5–1% of bodyweight lost per week. Larger deficits lose more lean mass, are harder to stick to, and rarely produce a better outcome by the end.

Maintenance

Eat at the estimate and adjust until weekly average weight is flat over a month. This is genuinely useful after a diet, and most people skip it.

Muscle gain

A surplus of about 10% is usually enough. Gaining faster than roughly 0.25–0.5% of bodyweight per week mostly adds fat, especially for anyone past their first year or two of training.

Macros

Protein — around 1.6 g per kg bodyweight for people doing resistance training, up to about 2.2 g/kg when in a deficit. Above that the evidence shows little added benefit.
Fat — at least about 0.6 g/kg to support hormone production. Going very low on fat for long periods is unpleasant and unnecessary.
Carbohydrate — whatever remains. Carbs are the lever you adjust; they fuel training and make the diet liveable.

Total calories decide whether weight goes up or down. Macros decide what the weight change is made of and how you feel while it happens.

Your body data never leaves this device.

Weight, height, age and targets are stored in your browser only. Palarid has no account system and no server-side record of your health figures.

Use it as a starting point, not a verdict

Every equation of this kind is a population average applied to an individual. Real TDEE varies by 10–15% or more from the estimate, largely because NEAT differs so much between people. The reliable method is:

Eat at the estimate for two to three weeks.
Weigh yourself under consistent conditions and use the weekly average.
If the trend is not moving as intended, adjust by roughly 100–200 kcal and repeat.

After one cycle of that you know your actual maintenance, which is worth more than any calculator.

Common questions

Why did I gain 1.5 kg overnight?

Water, glycogen, salt and food still in transit. Fat gain of 1.5 kg would require an extra ~11,000 calories. Weekly averages exist precisely because daily readings are noise.

Should I eat back exercise calories?

If you selected an activity multiplier, exercise is already included — adding tracker calories on top double-counts, and wearable estimates for calorie burn are known to be unreliable.

Is this medical advice?

No. This is a general fitness estimate. If you are pregnant, under 18, have an eating disorder history, diabetes, kidney disease, or are on medication affected by diet, speak to a GP or registered dietitian before changing your intake. If food or weight is causing you distress, the National Alliance for Eating Disorder helpline can help.

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