TDEE Calculator
Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the number of calories you burn in a day once activity is included. It is your maintenance level, and it is the figure any weight goal should be set against, rather than the 2,000 a day printed on food packaging.
Formula
TDEE = BMR × activity factor
- BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor), men: 10w + 6.25h − 5a + 5
- BMR, women: 10w + 6.25h − 5a − 161
- w = kg, h = cm, a = years
BMR 1,600 kcal, lightly active (1.375): 1,600 × 1.375 = 2,200 kcal
BMR: The Starting Point
Basal Metabolic Rate is what your body uses at complete rest. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, generally the most accurate for modern populations:
- Men: (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5
- Women: (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) − 161
A 35-year-old woman, 68 kg and 165 cm, has a BMR of 1,375 kcal.
The Activity Multiplier
TDEE is BMR multiplied by an activity factor:
- Sedentary (× 1.2) — little or no exercise
- Lightly active (× 1.375) — exercise 1–3 days a week
- Moderately active (× 1.55) — exercise 3–5 days a week
- Very active (× 1.725) — exercise 6–7 days a week
- Extra active (× 1.9) — intense daily training or physical work
This is the input that matters most. The same person choosing "extra active" instead of "lightly active" gets a figure roughly 900 calories higher. If in doubt, pick a level and then drop down one.
Setting a Goal
A deficit of 500 calories a day is roughly 0.45 kg (1 lb) of loss a week, and a surplus of 500 does the reverse. Larger deficits cost you muscle as well as fat and are harder to sustain.
Recalculate every 4–5 kg: a lighter body has a lower TDEE, so the deficit that worked at the start gradually becomes maintenance.
Quick Reference
| Activity level | Typical week | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Desk job, little exercise | 1.2 |
| Lightly active | Light exercise 1–3 days | 1.375 |
| Moderately active | Moderate exercise 3–5 days | 1.55 |
| Very active | Hard exercise 6–7 days | 1.725 |
| Extra active | Physical job or twice-daily training | 1.9 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
- BMR is what you burn at complete rest. TDEE is BMR plus everything else you do in a day, including exercise and digestion. TDEE is your maintenance calorie level.
- How accurate is a TDEE calculation?
- Individual metabolic rates vary by roughly ±10% around the prediction, so treat the result as a starting point and adjust it against several weeks of real-world results.
- How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
- About 500 below your TDEE for roughly a pound a week. Intakes below about 1,500 calories for men or 1,200 for women should only be undertaken with medical supervision.
- Why has my weight loss stalled?
- Usually water weight masking fat loss, a TDEE that has fallen as you lost weight, or portion estimates drifting upward. Judge progress on a weekly average rather than a single morning.