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Tools/TDEE Calculator

TDEE Calculator

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including all activity. It is calculated by multiplying your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories your body needs at complete rest — by an activity multiplier. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is the most accurate formula for the general population according to peer-reviewed research.

How TDEE is calculated

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation calculates BMR as follows:

Men: BMR = (10 x weight kg) + (6.25 x height cm) - (5 x age) + 5

Women: BMR = (10 x weight kg) + (6.25 x height cm) - (5 x age) - 161

BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor (1.2–1.9) to estimate TDEE. These are averages — individual metabolism varies. Track your intake for 2–3 weeks and adjust by 100–200 kcal if weight is not changing as expected.

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How the Calculation Works

The calculator works in two steps. First it estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR) — the calories your body burns at complete rest — using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the formula research has repeatedly found most accurate for healthy adults:

Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161

Second, it multiplies BMR by an activity factor to get your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE): 1.2 for sedentary, 1.375 for light activity (1-3 sessions/week), 1.55 for moderate (3-5 sessions/week), 1.725 for very active (6-7 sessions/week), and 1.9 for athletes or physical jobs. The multiplier covers everything BMR does not — walking, training, fidgeting, and the energy cost of digesting food.

A Worked Example

Take a 30-year-old man, 80 kg, 180 cm, who lifts four times a week. BMR = 10 × 80 + 6.25 × 180 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 1,780 kcal. With the moderate activity multiplier: 1,780 × 1.55 = ≈ 2,760 kcal — his estimated maintenance. To cut, he would eat around 2,300-2,450 kcal; to lean bulk, around 2,950-3,050 kcal. Note how much the multiplier matters: choosing "very active" instead would add ~300 kcal to every target, which is why honest activity selection beats optimistic selection.

Using Your TDEE in Practice

Your TDEE is a hypothesis to test, not a verdict. Eat at the estimate for two to three weeks while weighing yourself a few mornings per week. If your average weight is stable, the estimate is your real maintenance; if you are gaining or losing, shift intake by 100-200 kcal and reassess. From a confirmed maintenance number, a 300-500 kcal deficit drives steady fat loss and a 150-300 kcal surplus supports muscle gain with minimal fat.

Remember that TDEE is a moving target — it drops as you lose weight and adapts during long diets. Recalculate whenever your weight changes by more than 3-4 kg or your training volume changes significantly, and use the macro calculator to split your calorie target into protein, carbs, and fat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?+

BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the energy your body burns at complete rest just keeping you alive — breathing, circulation, cell repair. TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is BMR multiplied by an activity factor to account for movement, exercise, and digestion. You diet against TDEE, not BMR.

Why does this calculator use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?+

In validation studies, Mifflin-St Jeor predicts measured resting metabolic rate within 10% for more people than older equations like Harris-Benedict, and the American Dietetic Association has recommended it as the most reliable option for healthy adults.

Which activity multiplier should I pick?+

Most people overestimate. If you have a desk job and train 3-5 times per week, "moderately active" (1.55) is usually right; pick "lightly active" (1.375) if sessions are short or infrequent. Only choose the highest multipliers if you do hard physical labor or train close to daily.

How accurate is a TDEE calculator?+

Treat the number as a starting estimate, typically within ±10%. Track your weight for 2-3 weeks eating that amount: if the scale holds steady, that is your true maintenance. Adjust by 100-200 kcal at a time based on the trend, not any single day.

How many calories should I cut to lose fat?+

A deficit of 300-500 kcal below TDEE loses roughly 0.25-0.5 kg per week while sparing muscle — sustainable for most people. Aggressive deficits beyond 25% of TDEE cost more muscle, energy, and adherence than they are worth.

Keep Going

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