TDEE Calculator — Find Your Daily Calorie Needs

TDEE Calculator — Your Complete Calorie Blueprint

Most diets fail because people guess their calories. Whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, or just maintain your weight, you need to know your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) — the total calories your body burns in a day.

This TDEE Calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to turn your age, height, weight, and activity level into a personalized calorie target. Generic calorie charts are usually wrong because they don't account for these variables. Use the calculator above to get your baseline.

Reviewed by: Saim S., independent health & fitness tool developer
Methodology: Mifflin-St Jeor equation (Mifflin et al., 1990) — validated in peer-reviewed studies; recommended according to Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics guidance
Last Updated: March 2026
Privacy: All calculations run in your browser. No data is stored or transmitted.

What Is TDEE? (Total Daily Energy Expenditure Explained)

TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It's the total number of calories your body burns in 24 hours. This includes everything: breathing, digesting food, walking, and working out. Think of it as the full price your body charges to stay alive and active for a day.

Quick Comparison:

BMR = Calories burned at complete rest (~60–70% of TDEE)
TDEE = BMR + all daily activity (what you actually burn)

Need to find your baseline? Calculate your BMR first.

Four things make up your TDEE:

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): The calories you burn at complete rest. This keeps your heart beating and brain working, and makes up roughly 60–70% of your total burn.
NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): Calories from everyday movement like walking to your car, fidgeting, or typing. A construction worker has a much higher NEAT than a desk worker.
EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): Calories burned during workouts like lifting, running, or cycling.
TEF (Thermic Effect of Food): About 10% of your burn. Your body uses energy just to digest food, and digesting protein takes the most energy.

The takeaway: Don't base your diet on your BMR. You need your TDEE to get the full picture.

How to Use This TDEE Calculator

Select your gender — The formula uses different constants for men and women to account for average lean mass differences.
Enter your age — Metabolism naturally slows as we get older, and the math adjusts for that.
Enter your height — Use CM or FT/IN. You can mix and match units.
Enter your weight — Use KG or LBS.
Select your activity level — Be honest. Most people with desk jobs are Sedentary or Lightly Active, even if they hit the gym a few times a week.
Calculate — You'll instantly see your maintenance calories, plus targets for cutting or bulking.

Pro tip: If you aren't sure which activity level to pick, go with the lower one. Overestimating activity is why most people stall on diets.

How to Calculate TDEE Manually

Calculating TDEE takes two steps. We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation because it's the most accurate method for most people, and it's been widely validated since 1990.

Step 1: Find your BMR

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

Source: Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51(2), 241–247. View on PubMed

Step 2: Multiply by your Activity Factor

TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor

Here's an example for a 30-year-old man who weighs 80 kg, is 180 cm tall, and is moderately active:

BMR = (10 × 80) + (6.25 × 180) − (5 × 30) + 5
    = 800 + 1125 − 150 + 5
    = 1,780 calories

TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 = 2,759 calories/day

He needs about 2,759 calories a day to maintain his weight.

TDEE by Activity Level — Reference Table

Activity Level	Who It Describes	Multiplier	Example
Sedentary	Desk job, no exercise	1.2×	Office worker, remote worker
Lightly Active	Exercise 1–3 days/week	1.375×	Casual gym-goer
Moderately Active	Exercise 3–5 days/week	1.55×	Regular gym routine
Very Active	Exercise 6–7 days/week	1.725×	Athlete in training
Super Active	Physical job + heavy training	1.9×	Construction worker who lifts

How to Use Your TDEE Results

Once you know your TDEE, you can set your target:

Maintenance: Eat your exact TDEE to keep your weight stable.
Weight Loss (Cut): Subtract 500 calories a day. This creates a 3,500-calorie weekly deficit, which usually leads to about 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week. Learn about safe deficits
Muscle Gain (Bulk): Add 500 calories a day. The extra energy fuels muscle growth.

How to Verify Your Number

1. Track your weight for 2–3 weeks.
2. If your weight stays stable, your TDEE estimate is spot on.
3. If the scale moves unexpectedly, adjust your calories by ±200.
4. Recalculate your TDEE every time your weight changes by 10–15 lbs.

Tips for using your TDEE

As you lose weight, your TDEE drops. Recalculate every 10–15 lbs (5–7 kg) so you don't hit a plateau.
Don't "eat back" calories your watch says you burned. Your activity level already accounts for your workouts.
Use your BMI as an extra data point, but don't rely on it alone. You can check it with our BMI Calculator.
If you're cutting, aim for 0.7–1g of protein per pound of bodyweight to avoid losing muscle. Getting at least 30% of your calories from protein is a solid baseline.
Calorie cycling works well for some people. You can eat slightly more on training days and slightly less on rest days, as long as your weekly average is right.
Pay attention to your energy. If you're always tired or losing strength in the gym, your deficit might be too big.

What to do if you hit a plateau

If the scale hasn't moved in 14 days, don't slash your calories right away. Try this first:

Check your tracking. Are you guessing portion sizes? Forgetting to log cooking oil or weekend snacks?
Keep your daily steps and workouts consistent for another week to see if it's just a temporary stall.
If nothing changes, drop your intake by 200 calories a day and watch what happens over the next two weeks.
Recalculate your TDEE if you've recently lost 10–15 lbs (5–7 kg).

Remember that short-term scale spikes are usually just water, glycogen, or sodium—not true fat gain. Wait for a clear 14-day trend before you change your plan. Keep your hydration consistent (try our Water Intake Calculator) and focus on sticking to your target.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE? +

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is what your body burns at complete rest, just staying alive. TDEE is your BMR plus the calories you burn moving, exercising, and digesting food. You should always base your diet on your TDEE. If you use your BMR, you'll end up chronically undereating. You can estimate your baseline rest burn with the BMR Calculator.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight? +

Subtract 500 from your TDEE to lose about 1 lb (0.45 kg) per week. That's usually the safe maximum for sustainable fat loss without losing significant muscle. For faster loss, don't drop below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 calories (men) without talking to a doctor.

How accurate is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation? +

It's the most validated BMR formula available for the general population, accurate to within 10% of measured metabolic rate for most people. It's more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict formula, though results can vary for very muscular athletes or people with hormonal conditions.

Should I eat back the calories my fitness tracker shows? +

No. Wrist-worn devices often misestimate energy expenditure by 20–50% (see the wearable accuracy review). More importantly, the activity multiplier you selected already accounts for your exercise. Eating back tracker calories often double-counts activity and erases your deficit.

How often should I recalculate my TDEE? +

You should recalculate your TDEE every time you lose or gain 10–15 lbs (5–7 kg). As your body gets lighter, it needs fewer calories to run. Forgetting to adjust is why most people hit weight loss plateaus.

What is a safe calorie deficit? +

Start with a 500-calorie daily deficit for sustainable progress, which typically yields about 1 lb/week of fat loss. A 1,000-calorie deficit is an upper limit for selected cases with close monitoring, because larger deficits raise the risk of muscle loss, hormonal disruption, and nutrient deficiency.

Why do men and women have different TDEEs? +

Men usually have more muscle mass and denser bones than women of the same size. Since muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue, the Mifflin-St Jeor formula uses a +5 constant for men and a -161 constant for women to account for this.

What macros should I eat at my TDEE? +

A good starting point is 30% protein, 35% fats, and 35% carbs. If you're in a calorie deficit, prioritize protein (0.7–1g per lb of bodyweight) to preserve muscle. You can adjust carbs and fats based on what you like and how you train.

About the Developer & Methodology

Hi, I'm Saim S., an independent developer dedicated to building fast, evidence-based, and privacy-first tools. This TDEE calculator relies on the clinically validated Mifflin-St Jeor equation and standard activity multipliers established in sports nutrition research to provide scientifically sound caloric estimates.

Data Privacy: All calculations happen securely in your browser. No personal health metrics or data are ever saved, tracked, or transmitted to our servers.

Limitations & Special Populations

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is most accurate for adults aged 18–60 with typical body composition. Results can differ significantly for:

Very muscular/athletic individuals (formula underestimates; add 10–15%)
Those with significant obesity (formula overestimates; subtract 10–15%)
Individuals with metabolic conditions (thyroid, PCOS, diabetes) — consult a healthcare provider
Those with a history of restrictive dieting (adaptive thermogenesis may reduce total energy expenditure beyond predicted values)
Adolescents and elderly individuals (different metabolic patterns)

Evidence note: adaptive thermogenesis is documented after weight loss and can reduce expenditure beyond model predictions. Review source

Medical & Nutritional Disclaimer

Nutritional & Medical Advisory: The results provided by this TDEE Calculator are estimates based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and standard activity multipliers from sports nutrition research. Metabolism varies significantly by individual due to genetics, hormonal health, body composition, dietary history, and metabolic adaptation. These numbers should be used as a starting point only. Monitor your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust your intake by ±200 calories if necessary. Always consult a physician or registered dietitian before starting a strict diet, supplementation plan, or exercise program, especially if you have any endocrine, metabolic, cardiovascular, or other medical conditions.

Our calculation methodology follows the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (Mifflin MD et al., 1990, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) and standard activity multipliers used by registered dietitians and certified personal trainers. Data privacy: All calculations run locally in your browser and are never transmitted, stored, or tracked by our servers.

Last updated: March 2026 | Next scheduled review: March 2027

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