TDEE Calculator - Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure and exact calorie targets for fat loss, maintenance, and muscle gain.
🔥 What is Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period, accounting for all sources of energy use: your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the thermic effect of food (TEF), non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), and deliberate exercise. TDEE is the single most important number in nutrition - it is your maintenance calorie level, the intake at which your weight remains stable over time.
TDEE is calculated by first finding your BMR - the calories burned at complete rest for essential bodily functions - using a validated equation such as Mifflin-St Jeor or Harris-Benedict. BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor ranging from 1.2 (sedentary, desk job with no exercise) to 1.9 (very heavy physical labour plus hard daily training). This product accounts for all daily movement and gives you a practical daily calorie target.
Understanding TDEE transforms how you approach nutrition goals. For fat loss, eat 250–500 kcal below TDEE to create a deficit. For muscle gain ("lean bulk"), eat 250–400 kcal above TDEE with adequate protein. For body recomposition, eat at or just above TDEE with high protein intake (1.8–2.2 g/kg) and progressive resistance training. Without knowing your TDEE, all calorie advice is guesswork.
This calculator provides two modes: a Standard TDEE calculation with a full 7-goal calorie table, and an Activity Comparison mode that shows your TDEE at all five activity levels simultaneously - useful for weeks where training volume varies, or for understanding the caloric impact of a lifestyle change such as starting a physically demanding new job or transitioning from sedentary to active.
📐 Formula
TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR (men) = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR (women) = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
Harris-Benedict BMR (men) = 88.362 + 13.397 × weight(kg) + 4.799 × height(cm) − 5.677 × age
Harris-Benedict BMR (women) = 447.593 + 9.247 × weight(kg) + 3.098 × height(cm) − 4.330 × age
Activity Factors: Sedentary 1.2 • Light 1.375 • Moderate 1.55 • Very Active 1.725 • Extra Active 1.9
Example (75 kg, 175 cm, age 30, male, moderate): BMR = 10×75 + 6.25×175 − 5×30 + 5 = 750 + 1,093.75 − 150 + 5 = 1,698.75 kcal. TDEE = 1,698.75 × 1.55 = 2,633 kcal.
📖 How to Use This Calculator
Steps
1
Enter your measurements - input weight, height, and age. Use the unit selector to switch between metric (kg/cm) and imperial (lbs/in) at the top of the calculator.
2
Select gender and BMR formula - choose Male or Female, then pick Mifflin-St Jeor (recommended for most people) or Harris-Benedict. Both produce similar results; Mifflin-St Jeor is more accurate in most validation studies.
3
Choose your activity level - be honest. Most desk workers with 3–4 gym sessions per week are Lightly to Moderately Active. Overestimating activity is the most common TDEE calculation mistake.
4
Click Calculate - see your BMR, TDEE, activity multiplier, and the 7-goal calorie table covering everything from extreme cut to lean bulk.
5
Switch to Activity Comparison (optional) - click the Activity Comparison tab to view your TDEE at all five activity levels simultaneously, useful for planning around variable training schedules.
💡 Example Calculations
Example 1 — 30-Year-Old Man, Moderately Active
Male, 75 kg, 175 cm, age 30, moderately active (gym 4×/week)
1
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR = 10×75 + 6.25×175 − 5×30 + 5 = 750 + 1,093.75 − 150 + 5 = 1,698.75 kcal.
2
Moderately Active multiplier = 1.55. TDEE = 1,698.75 × 1.55 = 2,633 kcal.
3
Goal targets: Fat loss (−500) = 2,133 kcal • Maintenance = 2,633 kcal • Lean Bulk (+400) = 3,033 kcal.
TDEE = 2,633 kcal/day
Try this example →Example 2 — 28-Year-Old Woman, Lightly Active
Female, 62 kg, 163 cm, age 28, lightly active (walks daily, gym 2×/week)
1
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR = 10×62 + 6.25×163 − 5×28 − 161 = 620 + 1,018.75 − 140 − 161 = 1,337.75 kcal.
2
Lightly Active multiplier = 1.375. TDEE = 1,337.75 × 1.375 = 1,839 kcal.
3
Fat loss target (−500): 1,339 kcal. Mild cut (−250): 1,589 kcal. Lean Bulk (+400): 2,239 kcal.
TDEE = 1,839 kcal/day
Try this example →Example 3 — 45-Year-Old Man, Sedentary Office Worker
Male, 90 kg, 180 cm, age 45, sedentary - no regular exercise
1
Mifflin-St Jeor BMR = 10×90 + 6.25×180 − 5×45 + 5 = 900 + 1,125 − 225 + 5 = 1,805 kcal.
2
Sedentary multiplier = 1.2. TDEE = 1,805 × 1.2 = 2,166 kcal.
3
Adding 3 gym sessions/week would push him to Lightly Active (1.375×): TDEE = 1,805 × 1.375 = 2,482 kcal - 316 more calories to play with daily.
TDEE = 2,166 kcal/day
Try this example →❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE and how is it different from BMR?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories burned at complete rest - keeping your heart, lungs, and cells functioning. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for all movement: exercise, walking, standing, and daily tasks. TDEE is what you actually burn each day; BMR is the absolute floor. Eating at your TDEE keeps your weight stable.
Which BMR formula is more accurate - Mifflin-St Jeor or Harris-Benedict?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990) is more accurate for most adults in modern validation studies, with an average error of ±10% versus measured metabolic rate. Harris-Benedict (revised 1984) typically overestimates BMR by 5–15% compared to Mifflin-St Jeor. For most people, both formulas produce results within 100–200 kcal of each other. Mifflin-St Jeor is the default recommendation of most registered dietitians.
How many calories should I eat to lose 0.5 kg per week?
One kilogram of body fat contains approximately 7,700 kcal. To lose 0.5 kg per week, create a daily deficit of 550 kcal from your TDEE. A 500 kcal/day deficit produces roughly 0.45–0.5 kg/week of fat loss in practice. Eat at TDEE minus 500 kcal, maintain adequate protein (1.6–2.2 g/kg), and recalculate TDEE every 4–6 weeks as your weight changes.
What activity level should I choose for TDEE?
Sedentary (1.2×): desk job, no exercise. Lightly Active (1.375×): desk job plus 1–3 days gym. Moderately Active (1.55×): active work or 3–5 gym days at moderate effort. Very Active (1.725×): hard training 6–7 days or a physically demanding job. Extra Active (1.9×): hard daily exercise plus physical labor. Most gym-goers overestimate - if in doubt, start at one level lower and adjust based on actual weight change.
How accurate is an online TDEE calculator?
TDEE calculators estimate within ±10–20% of true expenditure for most adults. Individual variation in metabolism, NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), gut microbiome, and body composition creates a real-world range around the formula. Use the calculator as a starting point, track your actual weight weekly for 2–3 weeks at the calculated intake, and adjust ±100–200 kcal if weight isn't moving as expected.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate every 4–6 weeks or after every 3–5 kg of weight change. As you lose weight, your BMR decreases (less body mass to maintain), so your calorie target should drop slightly to preserve the same deficit. Athletes increasing training load should recalculate upward. Skipping this recalculation is the most common reason weight loss plateaus - the target becomes maintenance calories instead of a deficit.
What is NEAT and why does it affect TDEE?
NEAT is Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis - all the energy burned through movement that is not formal exercise: fidgeting, walking, standing, gesticulating, and daily tasks. NEAT varies up to 2,000 kcal/day between individuals with identical formal exercise habits. High NEAT is why some people seem to "never gain weight" despite eating a lot - they are unconsciously more active throughout the day. Standard TDEE formulas capture NEAT only approximately through the activity multiplier.
How many calories do I need to gain muscle on a lean bulk?
A lean bulk requires a modest calorie surplus above TDEE: typically 250–400 kcal/day for most natural athletes. This produces approximately 0.1–0.25 kg of lean mass per week. Larger surpluses (500+ kcal) gain weight faster but also accumulate more fat. Adequate protein (1.6–2.2 g/kg body weight) and progressive resistance training are more important than the exact surplus size for optimising lean mass gain.
Does the thermic effect of food affect TDEE?
Yes. The thermic effect of food (TEF) contributes roughly 10% of total daily energy expenditure - the energy your digestive system uses to process food. Protein has the highest TEF (20–30% of its calories), meaning higher-protein diets have a slight metabolic advantage. Standard TDEE activity multipliers incorporate a general TEF estimate, so you do not need to calculate TEF separately when using this calculator.
Should I eat back calories burned during exercise?
Not if you used your exercise activity level when calculating TDEE - exercise calories are already factored into your TDEE through the activity multiplier. Only eat back exercise calories if you calculated TDEE at Sedentary and then did unexpected extra activity. Fitness trackers typically overestimate exercise calorie burn by 20–90%, so eating back full tracker calories usually creates a surplus and stalls fat loss.
Can I use TDEE for weight maintenance without tracking food?
Yes. Once you know your TDEE, you can use it as a reference to build sustainable eating habits without calorie tracking. Strategies include eating consistent portion sizes, learning to recognize high-calorie foods, and using plate composition guidelines (half vegetables, quarter protein, quarter starch). Track your weight weekly as a feedback signal - if weight drifts up or down over several weeks, adjust portion sizes accordingly. Intuitive eating guided by TDEE awareness is a practical long-term approach.
What is a safe minimum calorie intake below TDEE?
Most health organizations recommend not eating below 1,200 kcal/day for women or 1,500 kcal/day for men without medical supervision. Below these floors, it becomes very difficult to meet micronutrient needs and protein targets, and muscle loss accelerates. If your TDEE minus 500 kcal falls below these minimums, aim for a smaller deficit (250 kcal) and increase activity to preserve metabolic rate. Always prioritise protein intake (at least 1.2–1.6 g/kg body weight) during any calorie restriction.