TDEE Calculator

Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure and personalized calorie targets for your fitness goals

🔥 TDEE Calculator

What is TDEE?

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) represents the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It includes your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the energy used for digestion (Thermic Effect of Food), daily activities (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), and structured exercise.

Understanding your TDEE is crucial for achieving any body composition goal. Whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, or maintain your current weight, knowing how many calories you burn daily allows you to create an appropriate nutrition plan.

Our TDEE calculator uses scientifically validated formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor and Katch-McArdle) to provide accurate estimates based on your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. The results give you personalized calorie targets for various goals.

How to Use This Calculator

Choose your preferred unit system (US Units or Metric Units)
Enter your age, gender, height, and weight
Select your activity level based on your typical weekly exercise routine
Optional: Click 'Advanced Settings' to choose a different BMR formula or enter your body fat percentage for more accurate results
Click 'Calculate TDEE' to see your results
Review your TDEE and personalized calorie targets for different goals (weight loss, maintenance, or gain)

Latest Insights on TDEE

Components of TDEE

TDEE is composed of four main components:

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): The calories your body burns at complete rest to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. BMR typically accounts for 60-75% of total daily energy expenditure.
TEF (Thermic Effect of Food): The energy required to digest, absorb, and process nutrients. This accounts for approximately 10% of total calories consumed, varying by macronutrient (protein has the highest thermic effect).
NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): Calories burned through daily activities like walking, typing, fidgeting, and maintaining posture. NEAT can vary significantly between individuals and accounts for 15-30% of total expenditure.
Exercise Activity: Calories burned during structured physical activity and workouts. This is the most variable component and can range from 5% to 30% of TDEE depending on training frequency and intensity.

BMR Calculation Formulas

Our calculator offers two scientifically validated formulas:

Mifflin-St Jeor (Default): Widely regarded as the most accurate formula for the general population. It considers age, gender, height, and weight. Research shows it provides estimates within 10% of measured metabolic rate for most adults.
Katch-McArdle: Uses lean body mass (requires body fat percentage) and is more accurate for individuals with known body composition, especially athletes or those with higher muscle mass.

Practical Application

Current best practices in nutrition and fitness:

Use TDEE as a starting point, not an absolute number. Individual metabolic rates can vary by 200-300 calories from calculated estimates.
Monitor your weight, measurements, and performance for 2-4 weeks before making adjustments. Real-world data is more valuable than calculations.
Adjust calorie intake based on results: if weight isn't changing as expected after 2-3 weeks, modify intake by 100-200 calories and reassess.
Recalculate TDEE after significant weight changes (every 5-10 lbs or 3-6 kg) or major changes in activity level.

Important Limitations

TDEE calculators provide estimates, not exact measurements. Actual needs can differ by several hundred calories based on genetics, hormones, stress, sleep quality, and other factors.
Activity level selection is subjective and often overestimated. Most people should start with a lower activity multiplier and adjust based on results.
Avoid prolonged calorie intakes below your BMR, as this can lead to metabolic adaptation, muscle loss, hormonal disruption, and decreased energy levels.
TDEE changes with body weight, composition, age, and activity. Regular recalculation ensures your targets remain appropriate for your current state.

Detailed Information

Activity Level Descriptions

Sedentary (1.2): Little or no exercise, desk job, minimal daily movement beyond basic activities.
Light (1.375): Light exercise or sports 1-3 days per week, or an active job with moderate movement.
Moderate (1.465): Moderate exercise 4-5 days per week, or a combination of light daily activity and regular workouts.
Active (1.55): Daily exercise or intense exercise 3-4 times per week, or a physically demanding job.
Very Active (1.725): Intense exercise 6-7 days per week, or a very physically demanding job combined with regular training.
Extra Active (1.9): Very intense daily exercise (2+ hours), competitive athlete training, or extremely physically demanding job.

Calorie Targets Explained

Based on your TDEE, here's what each calorie target means:

Mild Weight Loss (-250 cal): Approximately 0.5 lb (0.25 kg) per week loss. Ideal for those close to goal weight or wanting to preserve maximum muscle mass.
Weight Loss (-500 cal): Approximately 1 lb (0.5 kg) per week loss. The sweet spot for most people balancing fat loss with muscle preservation and adherence.
Extreme Loss (-1000 cal): Approximately 2 lbs (1 kg) per week loss. Only recommended for individuals with significant weight to lose and under professional supervision. Risk of muscle loss and metabolic adaptation increases.
Mild Weight Gain (+250 cal): Approximately 0.5 lb (0.25 kg) per week gain. Ideal for lean muscle building with minimal fat gain (lean bulk).
Weight Gain (+500 cal): Approximately 1 lb (0.5 kg) per week gain. Standard muscle-building approach with moderate fat gain.
Fast Gain (+1000 cal): Approximately 2 lbs (1 kg) per week gain. Rapid mass gain with higher fat accumulation. Generally not recommended unless underweight or under professional guidance.

Macronutrient Recommendations

Once you know your calorie target, distribute macronutrients appropriately:

Protein: 0.7-1.0 g per lb of body weight (1.6-2.2 g per kg) for muscle preservation during weight loss or muscle building. Higher end for athletes and during calorie deficits.
Fats: 0.3-0.5 g per lb of body weight (0.7-1.1 g per kg) for hormonal health. Never go below 0.25 g per lb (0.55 g per kg) for extended periods.
Carbohydrates: Fill remaining calories after protein and fat are set. Adjust based on activity level, performance needs, and personal preference.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is the TDEE calculator?

TDEE calculators provide estimates that are typically within 10-15% of actual expenditure for most people. However, individual variations in metabolism, genetics, hormones, and activity patterns mean your actual TDEE could differ by 200-400 calories. Use the calculator as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results over 2-4 weeks.

Should I eat exactly my TDEE to maintain weight?

Your calculated TDEE is a good starting point for maintenance, but you may need to adjust slightly based on results. Monitor your weight for 2-3 weeks. If you're losing weight, increase calories by 100-200. If gaining, decrease by the same amount. Weight can fluctuate 2-5 lbs daily due to water, food volume, and hormones, so track weekly averages.

How often should I recalculate my TDEE?

Recalculate your TDEE after every 5-10 lbs (3-6 kg) of weight change, significant changes in activity level, or every 2-3 months if your weight is stable. As you lose weight, your TDEE decreases because you have less body mass to maintain. Similarly, gaining weight increases TDEE.

Which BMR formula should I use?

For most people, the Mifflin-St Jeor formula (default) is the most accurate. Use Katch-McArdle only if you have an accurate body fat percentage measurement (from DEXA scan, hydrostatic weighing, or reliable calipers). Katch-McArdle is more accurate for athletes or individuals with higher muscle mass.

Can I lose weight faster than 2 lbs per week?

While technically possible, losing more than 2 lbs (1 kg) per week significantly increases the risk of muscle loss, metabolic slowdown, nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, and hormonal disruption. Rapid weight loss is generally only recommended for individuals with obesity under medical supervision. Sustainable fat loss preserves muscle and metabolic health.

Why am I not losing weight eating below my TDEE?

Several factors could explain this: 1) Underestimating food intake (very common - use a food scale), 2) Overestimating activity level, 3) Water retention from new exercise, stress, or hormonal changes, 4) Not enough time (give it 2-3 weeks), 5) Metabolic adaptation from prolonged dieting. If truly in a deficit for 3+ weeks with no change, reduce calories by 100-200 or increase activity slightly.

Should I eat back calories burned during exercise?

Your TDEE calculation already includes your average exercise activity through the activity multiplier. Don't eat back additional calories unless you do significantly more exercise than usual. Fitness trackers and cardio machines often overestimate calorie burn by 20-50%, so eating back these calories can prevent weight loss.

Is it safe to eat below my BMR?

Eating significantly below your BMR for extended periods can lead to metabolic adaptation, muscle loss, hormonal disruption, decreased energy, and impaired immune function. Short-term moderate deficits below BMR may be acceptable for individuals with higher body fat, but prolonged aggressive deficits should be avoided. Aim for a deficit from TDEE, not BMR, and never go below 1200 calories (women) or 1500 calories (men) without medical supervision.