TDEE Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the number of calories you burn in a day including activity.
What Is TDEE and Why Should You Care?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It represents your estimated daily calorie burn from everything you do: breathing, digestion, movement, workouts, and even fidgeting. If your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or maintenance, this is one of the most useful numbers to start with.
Think of TDEE as your baseline target. If you consistently eat above it, you generally gain weight. If you consistently eat below it, you generally lose weight. If you hover around it, you tend to maintain.
How This Calculator Works
This page calculates your TDEE in two steps:
- Step 1: BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) via the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
- Step 2: Activity Adjustment using a multiplier based on how active your lifestyle is.
Your BMR is calories burned at complete rest. Your TDEE is a practical estimate that adds everyday activity and exercise on top of BMR.
Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
- Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
- Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
After calculating BMR, we multiply by your activity level to estimate full-day energy expenditure.
How to Use Your TDEE Result
1) Maintenance
If you want to maintain current body weight, start by eating near your TDEE and monitor changes for 2–3 weeks.
2) Fat Loss
For gradual, sustainable fat loss, a deficit of about 10–20% below TDEE is common. Bigger deficits can work short-term but may affect training quality, mood, and adherence.
3) Muscle Gain
For lean gains, aim for a small surplus around 5–15% above TDEE, while ensuring progressive resistance training and sufficient protein intake.
Common Mistakes When Estimating Calories
- Choosing the wrong activity multiplier: Most people overestimate activity; be conservative.
- Ignoring consistency: Daily scale changes are noisy; watch weekly averages.
- Not adjusting over time: As body weight changes, calorie needs also shift.
- Tracking loosely: Portion size estimation errors can easily add hundreds of calories.
Best Practices for Better Accuracy
Track Trends, Not Single Days
Use a 7-day average for body weight and compare week-to-week trends. This smooths out water retention and digestion differences.
Adjust in Small Steps
If your progress stalls for 2+ weeks, adjust by 100–200 calories per day rather than making drastic cuts or increases.
Pair Calories with Protein and Training
Calories drive energy balance, but body composition is also influenced by strength training, protein intake, sleep, and recovery. For many adults, protein in the range of 1.6–2.2 g/kg body weight can be a useful target.
Quick FAQ
Is this number exact?
No. TDEE is an estimate, but it is a very good starting point. Real-world data from your progress is what fine-tunes the target.
How often should I recalculate?
Recalculate any time your body weight changes significantly (for example 3–5 kg), your training volume changes, or your lifestyle becomes more/less active.
What if I hit a plateau?
Check sleep, stress, step count, adherence, and calorie tracking consistency first. Then make a modest calorie or activity adjustment.
Final Thoughts
Learning to calculate TDEE is a practical skill that turns vague fitness goals into measurable action. Start with this estimate, apply it consistently for a few weeks, then refine based on your actual results. Precision beats perfection.