Katch-McArdle BMR Calculator (Lean Mass)
Enter weight and body-fat percentage; the tool applies the Katch-McArdle formula BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean body mass (kg) to estimate resting metabolic rate, then multiplies by an activity factor to give TDEE and five common calorie targets (faster loss −500, steady loss −250, maintenance, lean gain +250, faster gain +500 kcal). Because Katch-McArdle uses fat-free mass directly, it tracks the metabolism of lean athletes, bodybuilders and anyone whose body composition is unusual for their height / weight better than Mifflin-St Jeor or Harris-Benedict.
Enter valid weight (20 – 300 kg) and body fat (3 – 60 %).
Lean body mass
61.5
kg
Fat mass
13.5
kg
BMR
1698
kcal / day
TDEE
2632
kcal / day
Calorie goals (based on TDEE)
-
Faster loss (−500 kcal)
—
-
Mild loss (−250 kcal)
—
-
Maintain weight
—
-
Mild gain (+250 kcal)
—
-
Faster gain (+500 kcal)
—
Katch-McArdle formula: BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean body mass (kg). Lean mass = weight × (1 − body fat %). More accurate than Mifflin-St Jeor for lean athletes.
Formula
LBM = weight × (1 − body fat %) · BMR = 370 + 21.6 × LBM(kg) · TDEE = BMR × activity factor
- · Original formula: Katch & McArdle, *Nutrition, Weight Control and Exercise* (1977).
- · Activity multipliers follow the Mifflin / Harris convention: sedentary 1.2, light 1.375, moderate 1.55, active 1.725, very active 1.9.
- · Requires a measured body-fat figure: DEXA, BIA (bioelectrical impedance scale), skinfold callipers, Bod Pod or hydrostatic weighing. Visual estimates can be ± 5 % off and that error flows straight into the BMR number.
- · Strengths: tracks metabolism more closely than height-based formulas for people with unusually high LBM (athletes, bodybuilders) or unusually low LBM (older adults with sarcopenia, obese individuals).
- · Limits: ignores sex, age and ethnicity entirely. Mifflin-St Jeor is often more accurate for the general public because it builds in sex- and age-specific coefficients. Rule of thumb: use Katch-McArdle when body fat has been measured; fall back to Mifflin-St Jeor otherwise.
- · Body-fat reference (ACE): male athlete 6 – 13 %, male healthy 14 – 24 %; female athlete 14 – 20 %, female healthy 21 – 31 %.
Frequently asked
Katch-McArdle vs Mifflin-St Jeor — which is more accurate?
Depends on the person. For people with above-average LBM (athletes, bodybuilders, very muscular), Katch-McArdle typically predicts 100 – 300 kcal more BMR because it uses LBM directly and is not pulled down by generic height / sex / age coefficients. For the general population (sedentary office workers, most women, the elderly) Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) is usually more accurate because its sex- and age-specific terms reflect typical body composition for those groups. Frankenfield's 2005 ADA systematic review put Mifflin around ± 10 % on non-obese adults, while Katch-McArdle underperformed on normal-composition subjects but outperformed on the muscular ones. Rule of thumb: measure body fat first — use Katch-McArdle if it is low (men < 15 %, women < 22 %); otherwise stick with Mifflin.
My body fat is from a BIA (impedance) scale — is that reliable?
Consumer BIA scales (Xiaomi, Withings, Tanita home models) are typically accurate to ± 3 – 5 %, with readings affected by hydration, recent meals, alcohol and menstrual cycle. Best practice: measure at a fixed time daily (morning, fasted, after using the bathroom), under the same conditions, and watch the seven-day rolling average rather than any single reading. For BMR estimation, ± 3 % body-fat error translates into roughly ± 50 – 80 kcal of BMR error — still better than visual estimation (± 5 – 10 %). For higher accuracy: DEXA (gold standard, < 1 % error) or Bod Pod (± 1 – 2 %); usually available at hospitals, sports-medicine clinics or premium gyms for roughly USD 80 – 200 per scan.
How should I use the TDEE for cutting or bulking?
Cutting: aim for TDEE − 250 to 500 kcal, losing 0.25 – 0.5 kg / week. Do not exceed 1 % of body weight per week or you will start losing muscle. Pair with 1.8 – 2.2 g protein per kg body weight and continued strength training. Lean bulking: aim for TDEE + 250 to 500 kcal, gaining 0.25 – 0.5 kg / week; anything above a 500 kcal surplus generally adds fat rather than muscle. Maintenance: eat at TDEE and combine with a linear strength programme (e.g. 5/3/1) to support recomposition (simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain, slowly). Important: the tool is ± 10 % accurate at best — use this target for the first week, then weigh in daily and adjust by ± 100 – 200 kcal based on the actual trend in week 2.
Related tools
BMI (Body Mass Index) Calculator
Enter height and weight to get your BMI and category (underweight / normal / overweight / obese).
BMR & TDEE Calculator
Estimate daily BMR and TDEE using Mifflin-St Jeor or Harris-Benedict, with calorie targets for cutting and bulking.
Body Fat Calculator (US Navy method)
Estimate body fat percentage using the US Navy circumference formula (neck, waist, plus hip for women).
Sleep Cycle Calculator
Suggest ideal bedtimes or wake times based on 90-minute sleep cycles, so you wake up between cycles instead of mid-deep-sleep.
Daily Water Intake Calculator
Estimate daily water intake from body weight, exercise duration and climate so you stay hydrated without overdoing it.
Running Pace Calculator
Compute pace per km / per mile from distance and time, or project finish time from a target pace — covers 5K, 10K, half- and full-marathon distances.
Heart Rate Zone Calculator
Compute 5 training heart rate zones from age and optional resting HR using the Karvonen formula (Z1 warm-up to Z5 max effort).
Lean Body Mass (LBM) Calculator
Estimate lean body mass (LBM), fat mass and body fat % from height, weight and sex using the Boer, Hume and James formulas.
Daily Macros Calculator (carbs / protein / fat)
Split a daily calorie target into grams of carbs, protein and fat at any macro ratio.
One-Rep Max (1RM) Calculator
Estimate one-rep max from a sub-maximal lift (weight × reps) with Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi and Lander formulas, plus a 50–95% intensity training table.
Body Surface Area (BSA) Calculator
Estimate body surface area from height and weight using the Mosteller, Du Bois, Haycock and Boyd formulas — commonly used in drug-dosing, chemotherapy and cardiac-index calculations.
Race Time Predictor (Riegel Formula)
Project a finish time at one distance from a known time at another distance using the classic Riegel formula T₂ = T₁ × (D₂/D₁)^1.06.
Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) Calculator
Compute mean arterial pressure from systolic and diastolic blood pressure with clinical bands and pulse-pressure context: MAP = DBP + (SBP − DBP)/3.
Pack-Year (Smoking History) Calculator
Compute cumulative smoking exposure in pack-years from cigarettes per day and years smoked, with lung-cancer-screening thresholds.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) Calculator
Divide waist by hip circumference and check the WHO risk bands — a quick screen for central obesity and cardiovascular risk.
Exercise Calorie Burn (MET) Calculator
Use METs, body weight and duration to estimate calories burned for common activities (running, hiking, swimming, cycling and more).
Caffeine Half-Life Calculator
Pick the dose (mg) and the time you drank it; the calculator uses the standard ~5-hour caffeine half-life to project how many milligrams remain hour-by-hour, including the level at bedtime.
Body Adiposity Index (BAI) Calculator
Bergman’s BAI estimates body-fat percentage from hip circumference and height alone (BAI = hip ÷ height^1.5 − 18) — no scale required.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) Calculator
Enter age, sex, height and weight to compare all five activity levels side-by-side — instantly see the daily calories you need to maintain weight.
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Calculator
Estimate blood alcohol concentration (BAC %) with the Widmark formula from drinks consumed, body weight, sex and hours elapsed — and compare against the Hong Kong 0.05% drink-driving limit.
VO₂ Max Calculator (Cooper 12-Minute Run Test)
Enter your distance covered in a 12-minute run to estimate VO₂ max and read off the age/sex fitness category.
Daily Protein Intake Calculator
Enter your bodyweight and training goal to get a science-backed daily protein range (g/day) and per-meal split, based on RDA, ISSN and ACSM/AND/DC guidelines.
Ovulation & Fertility Window Calculator
Enter your last menstrual period (LMP) date and average cycle length to estimate the next ovulation day, fertile window and next period.
Total Body Water (TBW) Calculator
Estimate total body water (in litres) and the percentage of body weight using the Watson formula based on age, sex, height and weight.
Steps to Distance & Calories Calculator
Enter step count, height (auto-derives stride length) and body weight to estimate distance walked (km / mi), stride length, calories burned and your daily activity tier.
Glycemic Load (GL) Calculator
Enter a food's glycemic index (GI) and grams of carbs per serving to compute glycemic load GL = GI × carbs ÷ 100 — a better predictor of real blood-sugar response than GI alone.
HbA1c ↔ Average Blood Glucose (eAG) Converter
Convert HbA1c (%) to estimated average glucose (eAG) in both mg/dL and mmol/L — and back again — to help diabetes and prediabetes patients read their lab reports.
FFMI (Fat-Free Mass Index) Calculator
Enter height, weight and body-fat percentage to compute Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI) and the height-adjusted FFMI used to gauge muscularity.
Ideal Body Weight Calculator (Devine / Robinson / Miller / Hamwi)
Enter height and sex to compare the four classic ideal-body-weight formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller, Hamwi), with their average and a ±10 % healthy-weight band.
APGAR Newborn Score Calculator
Select 0–2 points for each of the five APGAR signs (Appearance / Pulse / Grimace / Activity / Respiration) to get the total APGAR score (0–10) and clinical band (normal / moderately depressed / severely depressed).
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Calculator
Pick eye-opening (1–4), verbal (1–5) and motor (1–6) responses to compute the Glasgow Coma Scale total (3–15) with mild / moderate / severe banding.
Pulse Pressure Calculator (PP = SBP − DBP)
Enter systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure; the tool returns the pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure (MAP), then classifies the result as low / normal / elevated using the < 40, 40–60 and > 60 mmHg bands — the textbook signal for cardiovascular risk on a routine BP report.
eGFR Calculator (Kidney Function, CKD-EPI 2021)
Enter serum creatinine, age and sex; the tool applies the 2021 NKF / ASN-recommended CKD-EPI formula (race-free) to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and classifies the result into CKD stages G1–G5 — the standard reading of a kidney-function lab report.
Creatinine Clearance Calculator (Cockcroft–Gault)
Enter age, weight, serum creatinine and sex; the tool applies the 1976 Cockcroft–Gault formula to estimate creatinine clearance (CrCl, mL/min) — still the FDA- and EMA-required formula for renal dose adjustment in most drug labels.
Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator (WHtR)
Enter waist circumference and height in any units; the tool returns the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and classifies it against the universal "keep your waist to less than half your height" cut-off (< 0.5) — a more sensitive central-obesity signal than BMI.
Pediatric Maintenance Fluid Calculator (Holliday-Segar)
Computes the pediatric maintenance IV fluid rate (mL/hr and mL/day) from body weight using the Holliday-Segar 4-2-1 rule — the standard since the original 1957 publication.
Friedewald LDL Cholesterol Calculator
Enter total cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides; the Friedewald equation (LDL = TC − HDL − TG / 5 or / 2.2 SI) estimates LDL-C and grades the result by NCEP ATP III risk bands.
Weight-Loss Timeline Calculator (Calorie Deficit)
Enter your current weight, target weight and daily calorie deficit; the tool uses the "≈ 3 500 kcal per lb of body fat" rule of thumb to project the number of weeks and the expected date you will reach your goal — a sanity check for setting a sustainable pace.
Sweat Rate Calculator (Hydration)
Enter pre / post-exercise body weight, fluids consumed and session length; the tool returns sweat rate per hour (L/h) and a suggested fluid intake every 15 minutes per the ACSM hydration guidelines — used by runners, cyclists, footballers and recruits.
Standard Drinks Calculator
Enter a drink's volume (ml) and alcohol content (ABV %); the tool converts to standard drinks using each region's definition (US 14 g, UK 8 g, AU/HK 10 g, JP 20 g of pure alcohol) and compares with WHO and national low-risk guidelines (e.g. ≤ 10 drinks/week).
Body Roundness Index (BRI) Calculator
Enter height and waist circumference; the tool applies the Thomas (2013) Body Roundness Index BRI = 364.2 − 365.5·√(1 − ((WC/2π) ⁄ (0.5·h))²). BRI tracks visceral fat and metabolic-disease risk more closely than BMI — a JAMA 2024 study linked BRI to cardiovascular mortality.
Visual Acuity Converter (Snellen ⇄ 6/6 ⇄ LogMAR ⇄ Decimal)
Enter visual acuity in Snellen (20/20, 20/40, etc.), metric Snellen (6/6, 6/12), LogMAR or decimal; the tool returns the other three formats with reference thresholds for driving licences and the legal-blindness cut-off — the standard conversion for ophthalmology, optometry and driving / occupational medicals.
Burn Surface Area (Rule of Nines, %TBSA)
Tick the burned regions (head, anterior / posterior torso, arms, legs, perineum) and the patient age group (adult / child); the tool applies Wallace's Rule of Nines to return total body-surface-area burned (%TBSA) and shows the Parkland fluid-resuscitation target — the standard field tool in emergency medicine, fire-rescue and first-aid.
Wilks Score Calculator (Powerlifting Normalisation)
Enter body weight, sex and the powerlifting total (squat + bench + deadlift, in kg or lb); the tool applies the Wilks 2020 coefficients to return the Wilks score — the standard way to compare powerlifters across body-weight classes and sexes, and the basis of best-lifter awards in IPF, USAPL and many federations.
Net Carbs Calculator (Keto / Low-Carb)
Enter total carbohydrates, dietary fibre and sugar alcohols (per serving); the tool returns Net Carbs = total carbs − fibre − ½ × sugar alcohols. The standard keto / low-carb / diabetic-diet metric for absorbable carbs per serving.
Cardiac Output Calculator (CO / Cardiac Index)
Enter heart rate (HR) and stroke volume (SV); the tool computes cardiac output Q = HR × SV (L/min) and, given body surface area (BSA), the cardiac index CI = Q / BSA. Core hemodynamic math for emergency medicine, cardiology and nursing.
Pediatric Weight-Based Drug Dose Calculator (mg ⁄ kg)
Enter the child's weight (kg), prescribed dose (mg ⁄ kg ⁄ dose or mg ⁄ kg ⁄ day), dosing frequency and adult-equivalent maximum; the tool returns the per-dose and total-daily amounts and flags when the adult cap is exceeded. The bread-and-butter weight-based dosing framework used in paediatrics worldwide.