TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your resting metabolism, digestion, daily movement, and exercise. It's the calorie level that, eaten consistently, keeps your weight stable.

How is TDEE calculated?

This tool estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (athlete). TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier.

TDEE vs BMR — what's the difference?

BMR is the energy you'd burn at complete rest, just to keep your body running. TDEE adds everything else — moving around, exercise, and digesting food — so it is always higher than BMR. TDEE is the more useful number for planning how much to eat.

How do I use TDEE to lose or gain weight?

To lose weight, eat below your TDEE — a deficit of about 500 kcal/day is a common target for roughly a pound a week. To gain, eat above it by a few hundred calories. Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight.

How accurate is this TDEE estimate?

It's a solid starting estimate, but individual metabolism varies. Use it as a baseline, track your weight for two to three weeks, and adjust your calories up or down based on the actual trend rather than the formula alone.

TDEE Calculator

This TDEE calculator estimates your total daily energy expenditure — the calories you burn in a day — from your BMR and activity level using the Mifflin–St Jeor equation. Enter your details in metric or imperial for an instant result.

How it works

Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is built in two steps. First we estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) — the energy your body uses at complete rest — with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation:

BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + s

where s = +5 for men and −161 for women.

Then we multiply BMR by an activity factor that accounts for movement, exercise, and digestion:

TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier

Worked example

Take a 30-year-old man weighing 80 kg (176 lb) at 180 cm tall. His BMR = 10 × 80 + 6.25 × 180 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 800 + 1,125 − 150 + 5 = 1,780 kcal. At a moderately active level (multiplier 1.55), his TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 ≈ 2,759 kcal per day. That is roughly the amount he can eat to maintain his weight.

Activity multipliers

Pick the level that best matches a typical week:

Activity level	Multiplier	Who it's for
Sedentary	1.2	little or no exercise
Lightly active	1.375	1–3 days/week
Moderately active	1.55	3–5 days/week
Very active	1.725	6–7 days/week
Athlete	1.9	hard daily training / physical job

Using your TDEE

Eating at your TDEE holds your weight steady. To lose fat, eat below it; to gain muscle, eat above it. For a structured plan, see the Calorie Deficit Calculator or split your target calories into protein, carbs, and fat with the Macro Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is TDEE?: TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your resting metabolism, digestion, daily movement, and exercise. It's the calorie level that, eaten consistently, keeps your weight stable.
How is TDEE calculated?: This tool estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (athlete). TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier.
TDEE vs BMR — what's the difference?: BMR is the energy you'd burn at complete rest, just to keep your body running. TDEE adds everything else — moving around, exercise, and digesting food — so it is always higher than BMR. TDEE is the more useful number for planning how much to eat.
How do I use TDEE to lose or gain weight?: To lose weight, eat below your TDEE — a deficit of about 500 kcal/day is a common target for roughly a pound a week. To gain, eat above it by a few hundred calories. Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight.
How accurate is this TDEE estimate?: It's a solid starting estimate, but individual metabolism varies. Use it as a baseline, track your weight for two to three weeks, and adjust your calories up or down based on the actual trend rather than the formula alone.

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Disclaimer. This is an estimate for general fitness use and is not medical or nutritional advice.