TDEE Calculator
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — your complete daily calorie burn including activity.
| Goal | Daily Calories | Weekly Change |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme Weight Loss | 1,507 | -2 lbs/week |
| Moderate Weight Loss | 2,007 | -1 lb/week |
| Mild Weight Loss | 2,257 | -0.5 lb/week |
| Maintenance (TDEE) | 2,507 | 0 |
| Mild Weight Gain | 2,757 | +0.5 lb/week |
| Moderate Weight Gain | 3,007 | +1 lb/week |
For informational purposes only. Consult a healthcare professional before making dietary changes.
For informational purposes only. Consult a registered dietitian or healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes.
What Is TDEE?
TDEE — Total Daily Energy Expenditure — is the total number of calories your body burns in a typical 24-hour period. It includes everything: the energy required to keep your heart beating and your cells functioning at rest (your BMR), the calories burned through deliberate exercise, the energy used for non-exercise activity like walking and fidgeting (NEAT), and the thermic effect of food — the calories your body uses to digest and process the meals you eat.
TDEE is the most practical number in nutrition because it represents your true maintenance calorie intake. Eat consistently below your TDEE and you will lose weight. Eat consistently above it and you will gain weight. Eat at your TDEE and your weight stays roughly stable. Everything else in nutrition planning — macros, meal timing, food choices — sits on top of this foundation.
How TDEE Is Calculated
TDEE is calculated in two steps. First, your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is estimated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate predictive formula available for non-obese adults. Then your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor that reflects how much you move throughout the day.
For Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
For Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier
Activity Level Multipliers
| Activity Level | Multiplier | Who It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Desk job, drive everywhere, little to no exercise |
| Lightly Active | 1.375 | Light exercise 1–3 days/week (walking, casual yoga) |
| Moderately Active | 1.55 | Gym or sport 3–5 days/week at moderate intensity |
| Very Active | 1.725 | Hard training 6–7 days/week |
| Extra Active | 1.9 | Twice-daily training, elite athlete, or physical labor job |
The most common mistake people make with TDEE is overestimating their activity level. If you exercise 3 days per week but sit at a desk for the other 16 waking hours, "Lightly Active" (1.375) is likely more accurate than "Moderately Active" (1.55). When in doubt, start one level lower and adjust after 3–4 weeks of tracking.
Using TDEE for Weight Goals
Once you know your TDEE, setting your daily calorie target is straightforward. The table your calculator produces shows common goal levels:
| Goal | Calorie Adjustment | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme weight loss | TDEE − 1,000 | ~0.9 kg (2 lbs) per week |
| Moderate weight loss | TDEE − 500 | ~0.45 kg (1 lb) per week |
| Mild weight loss | TDEE − 250 | ~0.25 kg (0.5 lb) per week |
| Maintenance | TDEE | Weight stable |
| Mild weight gain | TDEE + 250 | ~0.25 kg (0.5 lb) per week |
| Moderate weight gain | TDEE + 500 | ~0.45 kg (1 lb) per week |
Extreme weight loss (1,000 calorie deficit) is generally only recommended for people with a TDEE above 2,800 calories and significant excess body fat. For most people, a 500-calorie deficit is the sweet spot — aggressive enough to produce visible results but moderate enough to preserve muscle mass and avoid excessive hunger.
The Components of TDEE
Your TDEE has four components, each contributing a different share to your daily total:
- BMR (60–75%): The largest share. Calories burned at complete rest. Primarily determined by lean muscle mass, organ size, and body weight.
- NEAT (15–30%): Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis — all movement that isn't deliberate exercise. Walking to your car, standing, fidgeting. Surprisingly variable between individuals; studies show NEAT can differ by up to 2,000 calories per day between two people of the same weight.
- Exercise (5–10% for most people): Structured workouts contribute less than most people expect. A 45-minute run burns roughly 400–600 calories — significant, but not as large as the NEAT component for an active person.
- TEF (8–10%): Thermic Effect of Food. Protein has the highest TEF (20–30% of its calories), fat the lowest (0–3%), carbohydrates intermediate (5–10%). High-protein diets have a metabolic advantage partly because of this.
TDEE vs. Calorie Calculators
Most "calorie calculator" tools simply calculate TDEE and label it as a maintenance calorie number. Our Calorie Calculator does the same thing. The TDEE Calculator here adds the full goal table so you can immediately see calorie targets for multiple weight loss or gain scenarios without doing manual arithmetic.
For a breakdown of how those calories should be split between protein, carbohydrates, and fat, use our Macro Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE and why does it matter?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a day, accounting for both your resting metabolism and all physical activity. Knowing your TDEE is the single most useful number for nutrition planning. If you eat below your TDEE you lose weight; if you eat above it you gain weight. Unlike BMR, which only estimates calories burned at rest, TDEE gives you a real-world target you can act on.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body needs at complete rest — breathing, circulation, temperature regulation, and organ function. It represents roughly 60–75% of your total calorie burn. TDEE multiplies BMR by an activity factor to account for movement, exercise, and the thermic effect of food. For a sedentary person TDEE is about 1.2× BMR; for a very active athlete it can be 1.9× BMR or higher.
How accurate is the Mifflin-St Jeor formula?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990) is the most validated formula for estimating BMR in healthy adults and is recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Studies show it predicts measured BMR within about 10% for the majority of people. The bigger source of error is usually the activity multiplier — most people overestimate how active they are. If your calculated TDEE does not match your actual maintenance calories after 3–4 weeks of consistent tracking, adjust the activity level down one step.
How much of a calorie deficit should I use for weight loss?
A moderate deficit of 500 calories per day below your TDEE will produce approximately 0.45 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week. An aggressive deficit of 1,000 calories per day targets 0.9 kg (2 lbs) per week but is only appropriate for people with a high TDEE and significant excess body fat. Deficits larger than 1,000 calories per day risk lean muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic adaptation. For most people, a deficit of 300–500 calories per day is the optimal starting point.
Can TDEE change over time?
Yes. TDEE changes when your weight changes (lighter body = fewer calories burned), when your activity level changes, and when your muscle mass changes. Extended calorie restriction also causes adaptive thermogenesis — the body reduces TDEE by 100–300 calories to conserve energy. This is sometimes called "metabolic adaptation" and is why weight loss often plateaus. Periodic diet breaks, strength training to preserve muscle, and gradual rather than extreme deficits help minimize this effect.
Should I eat back calories burned during exercise?
If you chose the correct activity level when calculating TDEE, exercise calories are already factored in and you should not eat them back separately. TDEE with a "Very Active" multiplier already includes your 6–7 days per week of training. The confusion arises when people use fitness trackers that show "calories burned" during a workout — those calories are largely already counted in your TDEE multiplier. Use TDEE as a daily target and do not add exercise calories on top unless you chose "Sedentary" and do occasional unplanned exercise.
Related Calculators
- Calorie Calculator — Daily calorie needs with Mifflin-St Jeor
- BMR Calculator — Basal Metabolic Rate, the foundation of TDEE
- Macro Calculator — Protein, carb, and fat targets based on your TDEE
- BMI Calculator — Body Mass Index with WHO weight categories