TDEE Calculator
Find out how many calories you burn each day based on your body stats and activity level.
TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Moderate exercise 3-5 days/week
Your TDEE
2,633 cal/day
Total Daily Energy Expenditure
1,699
2,133
3,133
Macro Splits (at maintenance)
Balanced
Low Carb
High Carb
Keto
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your age, sex, height, and weight to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most accurate formula validated by research.
Select your activity level honestly. This multiplier converts your resting BMR into your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. Most people overestimate their activity level.
Use the goal calories to plan weight loss (-500 cal/day ≈ 1 lb/week loss) or lean muscle gain (+500 cal/day). The macro splits help you distribute calories across protein, carbs, and fat.
Understanding TDEE and BMR
Your BMR accounts for 60-75% of daily calorie burn. It powers breathing, circulation, brain function, and cellular repair — the energy you'd burn lying in bed all day.
Physical activity adds 15-30% depending on how active you are. The thermic effect of food (digesting what you eat) accounts for roughly 10% of total expenditure.
NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) — fidgeting, walking, standing — can vary by up to 2,000 calories between individuals and is often the biggest hidden variable.
Tips for Using Your TDEE
Track for 2-3 weeks before adjusting. Weigh yourself at the same time daily and use the weekly average. If your weight is stable, your TDEE estimate is accurate.
Don't crash diet. Extreme deficits (over 1,000 cal below TDEE) cause muscle loss, metabolic adaptation, and are unsustainable. Aim for a moderate 500-calorie deficit.
Recalculate every 10-15 lbs. As your weight changes, so does your TDEE. A lighter body burns fewer calories, so your deficit needs adjustment over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your basal metabolic rate (BMR), physical activity, and the thermic effect of food. Knowing your TDEE helps you set calorie targets for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
What is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate formula for estimating BMR. For men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) - 5 × age + 5. For women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) - 5 × age - 161. Your TDEE is then BMR multiplied by an activity factor.
How do I choose my activity level?
Be honest about your typical week. Sedentary means a desk job with no exercise. Lightly active is 1-3 light workouts per week. Moderately active is 3-5 moderate sessions. Very active is 6-7 hard sessions. Extra active includes athletes or people with physically demanding jobs who also train.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A safe and sustainable deficit is 500 calories below your TDEE, which equates to roughly 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week. Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) without medical supervision.
What are macro splits?
Macro splits divide your daily calories into protein, carbohydrates, and fat. A balanced split is 30/40/30. Low-carb diets use 40/20/40. High-carb (endurance athletes) use 25/55/20. Keto is 25/5/70. The best split depends on your goals and preferences.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
TDEE calculators provide a solid starting estimate, typically within 10% of your actual expenditure. Factors like genetics, hormones, NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), and muscle mass create individual variation. Use your TDEE as a starting point, then adjust based on real-world results over 2-3 weeks.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep you alive (breathing, circulation, cell repair). TDEE includes BMR plus calories burned through physical activity, exercise, and digesting food. TDEE is always higher than BMR.
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