TDEE Calculator
Find out how many calories your body burns each day, including activity
TDEE Calculator
BMR
1,618 cal
Calories burned at complete rest
TDEE
2,224 cal
Total calories burned daily
Weekly Energy
15,568 cal
Total weekly calorie burn
TDEE Breakdown
BMR
1,618 cal
73% of total
Activity Thermogenesis
606 cal
27% of total
Daily Activity Requirements
Activity Equivalents
Light Activity:
173 min
Walking, yoga, stretching
Moderate Activity:
104 min
Brisk walking, cycling, dancing
Intense Activity:
65 min
Running, HIIT, sports
Calculation Method
Your TDEE was calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor Formula for Basal Metabolic Rate, multiplied by an activity factor of 1.375.
TDEE represents your total daily energy expenditure and includes calories burned through your basal metabolism, physical activity, and the thermic effect of food.
For Weight Loss
1,890 cal
Moderate deficit of 15%
For Maintenance
2,224 cal
No surplus or deficit
For Weight Gain
2,446 cal
Moderate surplus of 10%
Note: These calculations provide estimates based on standard formulas and may vary based on individual factors. Consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have any health conditions.
Common Mistakes
Overestimating activity level: Just because you hit the gym 4 times a week doesn't mean you're "very active" if you sit at a desk all day. Be honest about your whole day, not just your workout time.
Not recalculating: Your TDEE changes as you lose or gain weight. If you've been dieting for a while, your body adapts and burns fewer calories. Recalculate every few weeks.
For women—ignoring your cycle: Your weight can swing 2-5 pounds throughout the month just from hormones and water retention. Track trends over a full month, not week by week.
Treating it like gospel: These calculators give you a starting point, not the absolute truth. Use the number, track your results for 2-3 weeks, then adjust based on what actually happens.
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure—basically, how many calories your body burns in a day. It's everything: keeping your organs running, digesting food, working out, and just moving around.
What Goes Into It
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): The calories you'd burn if you just laid in bed all day. This is the bulk of it—about 60-70% of your total. It's what keeps your heart beating, lungs breathing, and brain working.
Exercise: The calories you burn when you actually work out. This varies a ton depending on how often and how hard you exercise.
Daily Movement: Everything else—walking to your car, doing laundry, fidgeting at your desk. This can add up to more than you'd think.
Digesting Food: Your body burns calories just breaking down food. Protein takes the most energy to digest, which is why high-protein diets can have a slight edge.
Why It Matters
Your TDEE is your baseline. Eat less than that, you'll lose weight. Eat at that number, you'll stay the same. Eat more, you'll gain. Pretty simple in theory, though real life is messier.
Keep in mind that your TDEE isn't fixed. It changes as you lose or gain weight, get older, or change how active you are. That's why you need to recalculate every so often.
Which Formula to Use
The calculator offers three different formulas. For most people, Mifflin-St Jeor works best—it's the most accurate for the general population. The Katch-McArdle formula is better if you know your body fat percentage and you're pretty lean or muscular, but it requires an accurate body fat measurement. Harris-Benedict is the oldest formula and tends to run a bit high.
Using Your TDEE
To Lose Weight
Eat about 15-20% less than your TDEE. So if your TDEE is 2,000 calories, aim for around 1,600-1,700. Keep your protein high (roughly 0.8-1g per pound of body weight) and lift weights if you can, so you lose fat instead of muscle. Expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week.
To Maintain
Eat at your TDEE. Simple as that. Weigh yourself once a week to make sure you're staying steady. If your weight starts creeping up or down, adjust slightly.
To Gain Muscle
Eat 10-15% more than your TDEE and lift heavy. You'll need more protein—about 1-1.2g per pound of body weight. Expect to gain 0.25-0.5 pounds per week. If you're gaining faster than that, you're probably putting on too much fat.
These are starting points. Track your weight for 2-3 weeks and adjust if you're not seeing what you expect. Your actual TDEE might be a bit higher or lower than the calculator says.
Common Questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what you'd burn lying in bed all day doing nothing—just keeping your body alive. TDEE is your BMR plus everything else: exercise, walking around, digesting food. Think of BMR as your baseline and TDEE as the full picture.
How accurate are TDEE calculators?
Usually within 5-15% for most people, which is pretty good but not perfect. Your actual needs depend on genetics, metabolism, and a bunch of other factors. Use the calculator as a starting point, track your weight for 2-3 weeks, then adjust if needed.
Why do I need to know my body fat percentage for some calculations?
The Katch-McArdle formula uses your lean body mass instead of just your weight, which can be more accurate if you're muscular or lean. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so knowing your body composition helps. But you need an accurate body fat measurement—guessing won't help.
Will my TDEE change as I lose or gain weight?
Yep. Smaller bodies burn fewer calories, so your TDEE drops as you lose weight. Gaining muscle raises it. Recalculate every 10-15 pounds or so to stay on track.
How should I adjust my TDEE for weight loss that has stalled?
If you've been stuck for 2-3 weeks, try dropping calories by another 5-10%, moving more, or taking a refeed day once a week where you eat at maintenance. Sometimes a week or two at maintenance calories can help reset things.
What is metabolic adaptation and how does it affect my TDEE?
When you diet for a while, your body gets more efficient and burns fewer calories—metabolic adaptation. It can drop your actual TDEE by 10-25% below what the calculator says. Refeed days, diet breaks, and lifting weights help fight this.
How does age affect TDEE calculations?
Your metabolism slows down as you age, mostly because people lose muscle and move less. After 30, it drops about 1-2% per decade. Lifting weights and staying active helps slow this down a lot.
Should men and women use different TDEE calculation approaches?
The formulas work for both, but women might see more ups and downs because of hormones and menstrual cycles. If you're a woman, track your weight over a full month instead of week to week to see the real trend.
How do I account for different types of exercise in my TDEE?
Different workouts burn different amounts of calories. HIIT and weight training also have an 'afterburn' where you keep burning extra calories for hours afterward. Think about your total weekly activity, not just individual sessions, when picking your activity level.
What should I do if my calculated TDEE seems too high or low?
Trust the number but verify it. Track your weight for 2-3 weeks and see what happens. If you're not losing/gaining as expected, adjust by 100-200 calories and try again. Some people just burn more or less than average.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Every 10-15 pounds of weight change, or every 2-3 months if you're actively trying to lose or gain weight. Your TDEE changes as your body changes.
Can medications or health conditions affect my TDEE?
Absolutely. Thyroid issues, PCOS, diabetes, and certain medications can mess with your metabolism. If you have health conditions or take meds that might affect your metabolism, talk to your doctor about what's realistic for you.