Physical Activity Level Calculator: PAL & TDEE

This calculator works out your Physical Activity Level (PAL) — a number that shows how active you are in daily life — and your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), the calories you burn per day. You enter your age, sex, weight, height, and choose an activity description, and you get back your PAL value and your maintenance calories. The PAL is a standard ratio used by nutrition and health organizations to adjust resting energy needs for activity.

Formula

The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then multiplies by a PAL factor.

For men: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age (years) + 5

For women: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age (years) − 161

Then: TDEE = BMR × PAL

Where PAL is the activity multiplier you selected (1.2 to 1.9). The result is in kilocalories per day (kcal/day).

Worked Example

Using the defaults: a 30-year-old man, 70 kg, 170 cm, moderately active (PAL 1.55).

1. BMR = 10×70 + 6.25×170 − 5×30 + 5 = 700 + 1062.5 − 150 + 5 = 1617.5 kcal/day
2. TDEE = 1617.5 × 1.55 = 2507.125 ≈ 2507 kcal/day

The calculator shows 2507 kcal/day and a PAL of 1.55.

What the PAL Number Means

The PAL is a ratio: total energy expenditure divided by resting metabolic rate. A PAL of 1.2 means you burn 20% more than your BMR; a PAL of 1.9 means 90% more. Typical values:

• 1.2 – Sedentary: desk job, little exercise
• 1.375 – Lightly active: light exercise 1–3 days/week
• 1.55 – Moderately active: moderate exercise 3–5 days/week
• 1.725 – Very active: hard exercise 6–7 days/week
• 1.9 – Extra active: physically demanding job + intense daily training

These multipliers are based on research and are used by many health guidelines. They are estimates, not exact measurements.

How to Choose Your Activity Level

Be honest about your daily routine. The description should reflect your average week, not your best day. Consider both your job and your exercise:

• Sedentary – You sit most of the day (office work, driving) and do no structured exercise.
• Lightly active – You sit most of the day but take a 20–30 minute walk or do light yoga 1–3 times a week.
• Moderately active – You have a job that involves some standing/walking, or you do moderate exercise (jogging, cycling) 3–5 times a week.
• Very active – You do intense exercise most days, or you have a physically demanding job (construction, nursing).
• Extra active – You train twice a day, or you have a very physically demanding job (farm labor, professional athlete).

If you are between two levels, choose the lower one for weight loss, the higher one for weight gain. Many people overestimate their activity, which leads to calorie overestimation.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

Mistake 1: Using PAL to mean “calories burned from exercise.” PAL is a multiplier, not a calorie count. It affects the final TDEE, but it is not the number of calories you burn during a workout.

Mistake 2: Mixing up pounds and kilograms. The formula requires weight in kg and height in cm. If you use pounds, divide by 2.205; if you use feet/inches, convert to cm (1 inch = 2.54 cm).

Mistake 3: Rounding BMR too early. Keep at least one decimal place until the final multiplication to avoid errors.

Misconception: “I exercise, so I can eat whatever I want.” A 30-minute run might burn 300–400 kcal, but a single fast-food meal can exceed that. The calculator gives a maintenance target; eating above it will still cause weight gain.

Limitations of the Formula

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is accurate for most adults, but it has limits:

• It underestimates needs for very muscular people (they have more lean mass) and overestimates for very obese people.
• It does not account for genetics, hormones, or medical conditions that affect metabolism.
• It is less accurate for athletes and older adults (over 60).
• The PAL multipliers are averages; your actual daily activity may vary.

For most people, the result is within 10% of true TDEE. Use it as a starting point, then adjust based on your weight trend over 2–4 weeks.

How to Use the TDEE Result

Your TDEE is the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight. To lose weight, eat about 300–500 kcal less per day (or burn more through exercise). To gain weight, eat 300–500 kcal more. Do not go below 1,200 kcal/day for women or 1,500 for men without medical supervision.

Track your weight weekly. If you are losing more than 0.5–1 kg (1–2 lb) per week, you are in too large a deficit; if you are gaining unexpectedly, you are eating more than you think.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good PAL score? There is no “good” or “bad” PAL; it is simply a measure of activity. A PAL of 1.4–1.6 is typical for a moderately active person. Higher PAL means you burn more calories, which can help with weight management, but it also means you need more food to maintain weight.

Can I use PAL for weight loss? Yes. Once you know your TDEE (BMR × PAL), you can create a calorie deficit. For example, if your TDEE is 2,500 kcal, eating 2,000 kcal/day would lead to about 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week, assuming your activity stays the same.

Is PAL the same as MET? No. MET (metabolic equivalent) measures the intensity of a single activity (e.g., running = 8 METs), while PAL is a daily average multiplier. PAL is essentially your average MET level over 24 hours.

How accurate is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation? It is considered the most accurate of the common BMR formulas for non-athletic adults. It is about 10% accurate for most people, meaning your true TDEE could be 10% higher or lower. Use it as a baseline, not a precise number.

Do I need to enter my body fat percentage? No, this calculator does not use body fat. If you know your body fat, you could use the Katch-McArdle formula (which uses lean mass) for a more personalized estimate, but that requires a separate calculation.

Why does the calculator show a PAL of 1.55 when I selected “Moderately active”? Because the PAL is exactly the multiplier you chose. The calculator displays it so you can see the factor that was applied. If you want a custom PAL, you can use the “Extra active” option and adjust the multiplier manually, but the standard values are based on research.

Related

• Activity Calories Burned Calculator: How It Works
• Activity Level Calculator: How It Works
• 4 METs of Activity Calculator: Know Your Effort

in a | Age | years | 30 | 18
in s | Sex | Female=0.9, Male=1.0 | - | 0
in w | Weight | kg | 70 | 30
in h | Height | cm | 170 | 120
sel act | Activity level | Sedentary=1.2, Lightly active=1.375, Moderately active=1.55, Very active=1.725, Extra active=1.9
out tdee | TDEE (maintenance) | kcal/day | (10*w + 6.25*h - 5*a + 5*s) * act | 0
out pal | Physical Activity Level | - | act | 2