TDEE Calculator
Estimate your total daily energy expenditure.
kg or lb
cm or in
Results update as you type.
This calculator provides estimates based on population research. Results are not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before making health or nutrition decisions.
How it works
Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the full count of calories your body burns over a day, from resting metabolism through everyday movement to formal exercise and the energy used digesting food. It is the single most important number in weight management, because your weight holds steady when intake matches it, falls when intake is lower, and rises when intake is higher. This tdee calculator builds the figure in two steps: first it finds your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, a regression validated by indirect calorimetry against measured resting metabolism, then it multiplies that rate by an activity factor between roughly 1.2 and 1.9. Those multipliers come from decades of research on physical-activity levels, expressing total burn as a ratio of resting burn for lifestyles ranging from desk-bound to hard daily training. Coaches, dietitians and anyone tracking calories rely on a tdee calculator as their maintenance benchmark, then set a deficit for fat loss or a surplus for muscle gain relative to it. Because it captures activity rather than just rest, a tdee calculator gives a far more usable daily target than BMR alone. Treat the output as a well-reasoned starting estimate; real-world metabolism varies between individuals, so adjust after a couple of weeks of tracking your actual weight trend.
TDEE = BMR × activity factor (1.2 sedentary … 1.9 very active)
The activity factor works as a multiplier because total energy expenditure scales in proportion to resting metabolism: someone with a higher BMR burns more during the same activity. Multiplying BMR by a value from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active) expresses this ratio, known as the physical-activity level, which research uses to convert resting burn into whole-day burn across a range of everyday lifestyles.
Source:Mifflin-St Jeor equation, Am J Clin Nutr. 1990
We review all our tools from time to time to ensure accuracy.
Worked example
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter your values
Enter sex, age, weight, height and activity level.
- 2
Adjust the options
Adjust units if they apply — sensible defaults are already set.
- 3
Read your result
TDEE updates instantly as you type — no button to press.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is a TDEE calculation?
The BMR portion is well validated, but the activity multiplier is the weak link, because self-reported activity is easy to misjudge. Expect the result to land within about 10 to 15 percent of your true expenditure. The practical fix is to use it as a starting target, track your weight for two to three weeks, and nudge calories up or down based on the real trend.
Which activity level should I pick?
Choose based on honest exercise frequency and intensity across a normal week, not your best week. Most people overestimate, so if in doubt, pick the level below your instinct. Moderate suits three to five genuine workouts a week; sedentary fits a desk job with little structured exercise. Remember that a daily gym session on top of an otherwise still day is closer to moderate than very active.
Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?
Yes. TDEE is precisely the number of calories that keeps your body weight stable, which is what maintenance means. Eat consistently at your TDEE and, all else equal, your weight holds. The terms are used interchangeably in nutrition. Deficits and surpluses are then defined relative to this figure, so knowing your TDEE is the prerequisite for setting any loss or gain target.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate after any meaningful change in body weight, because a lighter body burns fewer calories and a heavier one burns more, shifting maintenance. Also revisit it when your training load or job changes your activity level. During active dieting, checking every four to six weeks keeps your target honest, since a plateau often just means your TDEE has dropped as you have lost weight.
Does TDEE include exercise or should I add it?
It already includes exercise through the activity multiplier you select, so you should not add workout calories again on top. Adding them separately double-counts and inflates your target. The one nuance is if your training volume swings a lot week to week; in that case, pick an activity level that reflects your average, rather than adjusting for every single session.