TDEE Calculator

TDEE calculator at a glance#

Your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is roughly how many calories you burn in a day. The calculator finds it by working out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplying that BMR by an activity factor that matches how active you are. In short, TDEE = BMR x activity factor.

Say your BMR is 1,650 calories. The table below shows the TDEE each activity level gives, using the same multipliers as the calculator above.

To work it out by hand, multiply your BMR by the multiplier for your activity level. For a moderately active person with a BMR of 1,650, that is 1,650 x 1.55, which is about 2,558 calories a day. That number is your maintenance calories: eat around it and your weight holds steady.

To lose weight, eat below your TDEE. A deficit of about 500 calories a day is a common target and tends to drop close to 1 pound a week. To gain weight or build muscle, eat above your TDEE in a smaller surplus. Enter your age, sex, height, weight and activity level in the calculator above for your exact TDEE. These figures are estimates, so individual metabolism and day-to-day activity can shift the real number.

What makes up your TDEE#

TDEE is the total calories you burn in a day, and it has four parts. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the energy your body uses at rest and accounts for most of the total. On top of that are physical activity, the thermic effect of food (the energy used to digest meals, higher on protein-rich diets), and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), the calories from everyday movement like walking and fidgeting. The calculator estimates BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies by an activity factor to capture the rest.

Using TDEE for your goal#

Eat at your TDEE to hold your weight, below it to lose, and above it to gain. A deficit of about 10 to 20% below TDEE, or roughly 300 to 500 calories a day, is a sustainable pace and tends to drop close to 1 pound a week. For muscle gain, start with a small surplus of about 10% above TDEE. Very aggressive deficits can cost lean mass and slow metabolism, so adjust gradually and keep protein high to protect muscle.

Why and when to recalculate#

TDEE is an estimate that changes as you do. Recalculate after a noticeable change in weight, activity, or body composition, since more muscle raises your resting burn while weight loss lowers it. If progress stalls, your actual expenditure has likely drifted from the original estimate. Common ways to break a plateau are raising NEAT, tracking intake more carefully, and briefly returning to maintenance calories before resuming a deficit.

Body composition beyond the scale#

Weight alone does not show if you are losing fat or muscle. The goal in a deficit is to lose fat while preserving lean mass, which methods like skinfold calipers, bioelectrical impedance, and DEXA scans track better than a scale. More lean mass raises TDEE because muscle burns energy at rest, so strength training and adequate protein both support body composition and a higher maintenance level.

TDEE calculator FAQ#

What is TDEE?#

TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure, the total calories you burn in a day. It combines your basal metabolic rate with activity, the thermic effect of food, and non-exercise movement.

How does a TDEE calculator work?#

It estimates your BMR from age, sex, height, and weight using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies that by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active) to give your daily calorie burn.

How do I use TDEE for weight loss?#

Eat below your TDEE. A deficit of about 500 calories a day is a common target and loses roughly 1 pound a week. Deficits beyond 20% of TDEE risk muscle loss.

How do I use TDEE to gain muscle?#

Eat in a small surplus, about 10% above TDEE, paired with strength training and high protein. If you stop gaining, raise the surplus toward 20% and reassess.

How often should I recalculate my TDEE?#

Recalculate after a significant change in weight, activity level, or body composition. A few pounds gained or lost, or a new training routine, is enough to shift your real number.