Free Calculator
TDEE Calculator
Work out your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the calories you burn each day — plus your BMR, calorie targets for losing or gaining weight, and a full protein, carbs and fat macro breakdown.
Your details
"Skip" uses a neutral average of both.
Maintenance calories (TDEE)
—
calories / day to maintain
BMR (resting)
—
cal / day
Daily calorie goals
Macro split
At — cal/day
Estimates only, using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (protein set from your bodyweight and activity, fat at 30% of calories, carbs from the remainder). Not medical advice. Avoid eating below ~1,500 (men) or ~1,200 (women) calories a day without professional guidance.
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What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a full day. It is the single most useful number in calorie tracking, because it tells you your maintenance level: eat at your TDEE and your weight stays the same, eat below it and you lose weight, eat above it and you gain.
Your TDEE is made up of four parts:
- BMR — the calories you burn at complete rest (usually 60–70% of the total).
- Activity — walking, exercise and everyday movement.
- NEAT — non-exercise activity like fidgeting, standing and chores.
- TEF — the energy used digesting your food (roughly 10%).
How this TDEE calculator works
The calculator first estimates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which research consistently rates as one of the most accurate formulas for the general population:
- Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
It then multiplies your BMR by an activity factor to get your TDEE. Choosing the right activity level is the most common place people go wrong — most people overestimate. When in doubt, pick the level below the one you think you are.
Activity levels explained
- Low (×1.2): little or no exercise, 0–2 workouts a week.
- Light (×1.375): light exercise, 2–3 workouts a week.
- Moderate (×1.55): moderate exercise, 3–5 workouts a week.
- Active (×1.725): hard exercise 6–7 days a week or a physical job.
How to use your numbers
Pick the goal that matches what you want. To lose weight, aim for the deficit rows — a 500 calorie daily deficit gives you roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) of loss per week, which is a sustainable, muscle-sparing pace. For building muscle, a small surplus (a "lean gain") minimises fat gain.
The macro split gives you a starting point: protein scaled to your bodyweight and activity (around 1.4–2.0 g/kg) to protect muscle, fat at 30% of calories for hormones, and the rest from carbs for energy. These are guidelines, not rules — adjust to your preferences and how you feel.
A calculator gives you the starting line, not the finish line. Track your intake and weight for 2–3 weeks, then nudge your calories up or down based on what the scale actually does.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your resting metabolism plus all movement and exercise. It represents the number of calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight.
How is TDEE calculated?
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) from your age, sex, height and weight, then multiplies it by an activity factor (1.2 to 1.725) based on how active you are. BMR × activity factor = TDEE.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the energy your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive — breathing, circulation, cell repair. TDEE adds the calories you burn through daily movement, exercise and digesting food on top of your BMR, so it is always higher than BMR.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
To lose weight you need to eat below your TDEE. A deficit of about 500 calories per day leads to roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) of weight loss per week. Avoid dropping below roughly 1,500 calories (men) or 1,200 calories (women) per day without professional guidance.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
A TDEE calculator gives a strong starting estimate, but everyone burns calories a little differently. Use the number as a baseline, track your intake and weight for 2–3 weeks, then adjust up or down based on what actually happens on the scale.