What This Calculator Does
This tool compares your estimated TDEE with what your recent intake and weight trend imply. It is intended for calibration after you have at least 2 weeks of reasonably consistent tracking.
Formula Used
Estimated maintenance = average intake + trend gap
A negative weight change means your intake was likely below maintenance; a positive change means it was likely above maintenance.
How To Use The Result
Do not chase the number daily. Use it to decide whether your original TDEE estimate is close enough or whether a small adjustment is warranted for the next 2-week block.
Important Limits
Scale weight is noisy. Menstrual cycle changes, sodium, carbohydrate intake, digestion, training soreness, medication, illness, and inconsistent tracking can all distort the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this calibrate maintenance calories?
It estimates the daily energy gap implied by your weight trend, then adds that gap back to your average intake.
Why use 2 to 4 weeks?
Shorter windows can be dominated by water, sodium, digestion, and measurement noise. A multi-week trend is still imperfect but more useful.
Is 3,500 calories per pound exact?
No. It is a simplified planning approximation. Real weight change includes water, glycogen, lean mass, adherence error, and metabolic adaptation.