Physical Activity Level Calculator

About this calculator

The Physical Activity Level (PAL) is a multiplier used in nutrition science to convert Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) into Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE): TDEE = BMR × PAL. It ranges roughly from 1.2 for a sedentary lifestyle with little movement beyond daily living, up through 1.375 (light exercise 1–3 days/week), 1.55 (moderate exercise 3–5 days/week), 1.725 (heavy exercise 6–7 days/week), and 1.9 for very hard physical labor or athletic training — the same scale used by the FAO/WHO/UNU and popularized in TDEE calculators worldwide.

Dietitians, personal trainers, and sports scientists use PAL to set calorie targets for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain, since BMR alone only reflects the energy burned at rest and ignores how active someone actually is day to day.

This calculator lets you pick your lifestyle category, enter your BMR, and instantly see your PAL factor along with the resulting total daily energy expenditure — a quick step for anyone building a calorie or macro plan without needing a wearable tracker.