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TDEE Calculator

Estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure and calorie targets for maintaining, losing, or gaining weight.

How this calculator works

Enter your sex, age, weight, and height, along with your typical activity level, and this calculator computes your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by your activity level to estimate your TDEE: the number of calories you burn in an average day.

The formula

BMR (men)   = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
BMR (women) = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161

TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier
(sedentary 1.2 / light 1.375 / moderate 1.55 / active 1.725 / very active 1.9)

Lose weight  ≈ TDEE − 500 kcal/day
Gain weight  ≈ TDEE + 500 kcal/day

Worked example

A 30-year-old man, 80kg (176 lb), 180cm (5’11”), sedentary:

  • BMR = 10×80 + 6.25×180 − 5×30 + 5 = 1,780 kcal/day
  • TDEE = 1,780 × 1.2 (sedentary) = 2,136 kcal/day
  • To lose weight: ≈1,636 kcal/day. To gain weight: ≈2,636 kcal/day.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the energy your body burns at complete rest just to keep you alive: breathing, circulation, cell repair. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) adds your activity level on top of BMR, giving your actual estimated daily calorie burn.

Which activity level am I?

Sedentary means little to no exercise (a desk job with minimal movement); light is exercise 1-3 days/week; moderate is 3-5 days/week; active is 6-7 days/week; very active combines hard daily exercise with a physically demanding job. Most people overestimate their own activity level, so when in doubt, pick the lower option.

Why do calorie calculators disagree with each other?

Different calculators use different BMR formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle) and different activity multiplier scales, which can shift the estimate by a few hundred calories. This calculator uses Mifflin-St Jeor, the formula most current research considers the most accurate for the general population.

Is a 500-calorie deficit really equal to a pound a week?

It's a widely used approximation (roughly 3,500 calories per pound of fat), not an exact guarantee. Actual weight change depends on individual metabolism, water retention, and how consistently the deficit is maintained. Treat it as a starting point, not a precise prediction.

Should I eat back the calories I burn from exercise?

If you selected an activity level that already reflects your typical exercise routine, your TDEE already accounts for it, so there's no need to add exercise calories back on top. Only add back calories from unusually intense one-off workouts that fall outside your normal routine.

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