TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) to determine how many calories you burn per day. Get personalized macro recommendations.
Your Details
Your TDEE (Maintenance Calories)
2,556
calories per day
Maintenance Calories
2,556
Recommended Macros
140g
Protein
339g
Carbs
71g
Fat
How Your Calories Are Burned
What is TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It includes:
- BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): Calories burned at rest for basic bodily functions (~60-70% of TDEE)
- TEF (Thermic Effect of Food): Calories burned digesting food (~10%)
- TEA (Thermic Effect of Activity): Calories burned during exercise
- NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): Calories from daily movements like walking, fidgeting
How to Use TDEE for Weight Loss
- 500 calorie deficit: Lose ~1 lb per week
- 1000 calorie deficit: Lose ~2 lbs per week (max recommended)
- Never go below 1200 calories (women) or 1500 calories (men)
- Recalculate TDEE every 10-15 lbs lost
- Include protein to preserve muscle mass
How to Use TDEE for Muscle Gain
- 250-500 calorie surplus: Lean bulk
- 500+ calorie surplus: Traditional bulk
- Aim for 1.6-2.2g protein per kg body weight
- Combine with resistance training
- Expect to gain some fat alongside muscle
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories you burn at complete rest. TDEE includes BMR plus all activities. TDEE is always higher than BMR.
How accurate is the TDEE calculator?
TDEE calculators provide a good estimate (within 10-15%). For exact numbers, track your calories and weight for 2-3 weeks and adjust accordingly.
Should I eat my TDEE to lose weight?
No. To lose weight, eat below your TDEE. A 500 calorie deficit results in approximately 1 pound of weight loss per week.
Why is body fat percentage optional?
If you know your body fat %, we can use the Katch-McArdle formula which calculates BMR based on lean body mass, providing more accurate results for muscular individuals.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate every 10-15 pounds of weight change, or every 4-6 weeks if your activity level changes significantly.
What is TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) represents the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. Unlike BMR (which only measures calories burned at rest), TDEE accounts for all your daily activities - from walking to the kitchen to intense gym workouts.
Understanding your TDEE is the foundation of any successful nutrition plan. It tells you exactly how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, making it simple to calculate targets for weight loss or gain.
TDEE consists of four components:
- BMR (60-70%): Basal Metabolic Rate - calories burned at complete rest
- TEF (10%): Thermic Effect of Food - calories burned digesting food
- EAT (5-15%): Exercise Activity Thermogenesis - planned exercise
- NEAT (15-30%): Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis - daily movement, fidgeting, standing
For most people, NEAT is the most variable component and the easiest to increase without formal exercise.
How TDEE is Calculated
TDEE is calculated by multiplying your BMR by an activity factor that represents your overall daily activity level.
TDEE Formula
Where:
- BMR= Basal Metabolic Rate (calories burned at rest)
- Activity Factor= Multiplier based on your activity level (1.2 to 2.0)
Understanding Activity Levels
Choosing the correct activity level is crucial for an accurate TDEE calculation. Be honest - most people overestimate their activity by one level.
| Activity Level | Factor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Desk job, little to no exercise, mostly sitting |
| Lightly Active | 1.375 | Light exercise 1-3 days/week, or on-your-feet job |
| Moderately Active | 1.55 | Moderate exercise 3-5 days/week |
| Very Active | 1.725 | Hard exercise 6-7 days/week, or physical job with exercise |
| Extremely Active | 1.9 | Very intense daily training, physical labor job, or athletes training multiple times daily |
How to choose your level:
- Count your formal exercise sessions per week
- Consider your job type (desk vs. active)
- Think about your daily step count
- When in doubt, choose the lower level
The Hidden Power of NEAT
NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) is the calories you burn from all movement that isn't formal exercise. This includes walking, standing, fidgeting, taking stairs, household chores, and even typing.
NEAT can vary by 2,000 calories per day between individuals! This explains why some people seem to eat more without gaining weight - they simply move more throughout the day.
Easy ways to increase NEAT:
- Take walking meetings or phone calls
- Use a standing desk for part of the day
- Park farther away or get off transit one stop early
- Take stairs instead of elevators
- Set reminders to walk every hour
- Do household chores more frequently
- Pace while thinking or waiting
Aim for 7,000-10,000 steps daily. Each 1,000 extra steps burns approximately 40-50 additional calories.
How to Use This TDEE Calculator
Our TDEE calculator provides accurate estimates using validated formulas:
- Enter Personal Details: Age, sex, weight, and height
- Select Activity Level: Be conservative - choose the lower option if unsure
- View Your Results: See your estimated TDEE and BMR
- Choose Your Goal: The calculator shows targets for weight loss, maintenance, and gain
Finding Your True TDEE Through Tracking:
For the most accurate TDEE, track your food intake and weight for 2-3 weeks:
- Log every calorie consumed (accurately weigh food)
- Weigh yourself daily at the same time
- After 2-3 weeks, calculate your average intake
- If weight stayed stable, that average IS your TDEE
- If you gained/lost, adjust accordingly (3,500 calories ≈ 0.5 kg)
Using TDEE for Your Goals
Once you know your TDEE, adjusting for any goal becomes straightforward:
For Fat Loss:
- Eat 300-500 calories below TDEE for gradual, sustainable loss
- Maximum deficit: 750-1,000 calories for faster (but harder) loss
- Never go below your BMR to avoid metabolic adaptation
- Expected loss: 0.25-0.5 kg per week at moderate deficit
For Muscle Gain:
- Eat 200-300 calories above TDEE for lean gains
- 400-500 calories surplus for faster gains (with some fat)
- Prioritize protein: 1.6-2.2g per kg of bodyweight
- Expected gain: 0.25-0.5 kg per month of lean mass (with proper training)
For Maintenance:
- Eat at your TDEE to maintain current weight
- Allow for daily fluctuations of 100-200 calories
- Focus on food quality and nutrient density
Why Your TDEE Changes Over Time
TDEE isn't a fixed number - it changes based on several factors:
1. Weight Changes
As you lose weight, your body requires fewer calories. Recalculate TDEE for every 5-10 pounds lost to avoid plateaus.
2. Metabolic Adaptation
Prolonged dieting can reduce TDEE by 10-15% beyond what weight loss alone would predict. This is why diet breaks and refeeds help maintain metabolism.
3. Activity Changes
Subconsciously, people in calorie deficits often move less (reduced NEAT). Tracking steps can help maintain activity levels during dieting.
4. Age
TDEE naturally decreases with age, primarily due to muscle loss. Strength training can minimize this decline.
5. Hormonal Factors
Thyroid function, stress hormones, and menstrual cycles can all impact TDEE by several hundred calories.
Worked Examples
TDEE for Weight Loss Planning
Problem:
A 40-year-old woman, 160 cm, 70 kg, with a desk job who exercises 3 times per week wants to lose weight.
Solution Steps:
- 1Calculate BMR using Mifflin-St Jeor: BMR = (10 × 70) + (6.25 × 160) - (5 × 40) - 161
- 2BMR = 700 + 1000 - 200 - 161 = 1,339 calories
- 3Select activity level: Moderately Active (exercises 3x/week) = 1.55
- 4Calculate TDEE: 1,339 × 1.55 = 2,075 calories
- 5For weight loss: 2,075 - 500 = 1,575 calories daily target
Result:
TDEE: 2,075 calories | Weight loss target: 1,575 calories | Expected loss: ~0.5 kg/week
TDEE for Muscle Building
Problem:
A 25-year-old man, 178 cm, 75 kg, who trains 6 days per week wants to build muscle.
Solution Steps:
- 1Calculate BMR: BMR = (10 × 75) + (6.25 × 178) - (5 × 25) + 5
- 2BMR = 750 + 1112.5 - 125 + 5 = 1,742.5 calories
- 3Select activity level: Very Active (trains 6x/week) = 1.725
- 4Calculate TDEE: 1,742.5 × 1.725 = 3,006 calories
- 5For lean bulk: 3,006 + 300 = 3,306 calories daily
Result:
TDEE: 3,006 calories | Muscle gain target: 3,306 calories | Protein: 120-165g/day
Adjusting TDEE After Weight Loss
Problem:
Someone who started at 90 kg has lost 15 kg. Their initial TDEE was 2,800. What's their new TDEE?
Solution Steps:
- 1Original weight: 90 kg, New weight: 75 kg
- 2Weight loss: 15 kg (16.7% reduction)
- 3Original TDEE: 2,800 calories
- 4TDEE decreases roughly proportionally to weight loss
- 5New estimated TDEE: 2,800 × (75/90) ≈ 2,333 calories
- 6Add 5-10% reduction for metabolic adaptation: 2,333 × 0.92 ≈ 2,146 calories
Result:
New maintenance TDEE: approximately 2,150-2,300 calories (recalculate with current stats for accuracy)
Tips & Best Practices
- ✓Choose activity level conservatively - most people overestimate by one level
- ✓Recalculate TDEE every 5-10 pounds of weight change to avoid plateaus
- ✓Track accurately for 2-3 weeks to find your true maintenance calories empirically
- ✓Increase NEAT (daily movement) to boost TDEE without formal exercise
- ✓Take diet breaks (1-2 weeks at maintenance) every 8-12 weeks of dieting
- ✓Don't trust fitness tracker calorie burns - they overestimate by 20-50%
- ✓Weight fluctuates daily by 1-2 kg - track weekly averages, not daily numbers
- ✓If progress stalls for 2+ weeks, adjust calories by 100-200, not more
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
Last updated: 2026-01-22