How to Calculate Your Daily Calories (Without Spreadsheet Madness)
TDEE, deficit, surplus — explained in plain English with the only formula you actually need.
Every nutrition plan starts here. Get this number wrong and nothing else matters.
The two numbers you need
- TDEE — Total Daily Energy Expenditure. The calories your body burns in a day.
- Goal target — TDEE adjusted for fat loss, muscle gain, or maintenance.
The formula (good enough version)
TDEE ≈ bodyweight (lb) × activity multiplier
| Activity | Multiplier | |----------|-----------| | Sedentary (desk job, no training) | 12 | | Lightly active (3 workouts/week) | 14 | | Moderately active (5 workouts/week) | 16 | | Very active (manual labor + training) | 18 |
A 180-lb lifter training 4×/week: 180 × 15 = 2,700 calories/day maintenance.
Adjusting for your goal
| Goal | Adjustment | |------|-----------| | Fat loss | TDEE − 400 to 500 cal | | Muscle gain | TDEE + 200 to 300 cal | | Recomp / maintenance | TDEE ± 100 cal |
That same 180-lb lifter wanting fat loss → 2,200–2,300 cal/day.
Why not 1,200 calories?
Because you'll lose muscle, wreck your hormones, and quit. Aggressive deficits look great for 3 weeks and terrible for the next 3 years. Slow loss = sustainable loss.
Setting protein first
Protein is non-negotiable. 0.7–1 g per lb of bodyweight. That 180-lb lifter: 130–180 g protein/day. See [protein intake for muscle growth](/blog/protein-intake-for-muscle-growth).
What about carbs and fat?
After protein is set, split the rest between carbs and fat based on preference. Both work for fat loss. See [the truth about carbs and fat loss](/blog/the-truth-about-carbs-and-fat-loss).
How to know if your number is right
Track weight weekly (morning, post-bathroom, no clothes). Average it.
- Fat loss: dropping 0.5–1% bodyweight/week → on track
- Muscle gain: gaining 0.25–0.5 lb/week → on track
- Stalled 2+ weeks → adjust calories ±150
The shortcut
Skip the math entirely. A [custom meal plan from FYRBRAND](/custom-meal-plan) calculates your target, builds the meals, and adapts as you progress.
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