TDEE Calculator
Total Daily Energy Expenditure from age, weight, height, sex, and activity level
Last updated:
What this calculator computes
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories an individual burns in a day, accounting for basal metabolic rate (the energy needed to keep the body alive at rest), the thermic effect of food (the energy spent digesting it), and the calories burned during physical activity. The calculator estimates TDEE in two steps: first computing basal metabolic rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most widely-validated BMR formula in current clinical use, accurate to within about 10% for most adults — then multiplying BMR by an activity multiplier ranging from 1.2 (sedentary, desk job, no exercise) up to 1.9 (very active, hard physical labour or twice-daily training). The Mifflin-St Jeor formula is BMR = (10 × weight_kg) + (6.25 × height_cm) − (5 × age_years) + s, where s is +5 for males and −161 for females. The result is the maintenance calorie figure: eat at TDEE to maintain weight, eat below it to lose weight, eat above it to gain weight. Most weight-loss guidance suggests a deficit of 500 kcal/day below TDEE for a target loss of about 0.5 kg per week, since 1 kg of fat is about 7700 kcal. **For informational purposes only. Consult a registered dietitian or healthcare professional before starting any significant calorie-restriction or weight-gain plan, particularly if you have diabetes, an eating-disorder history, or any condition affecting metabolic rate.** The activity multiplier is the largest source of error in TDEE estimates; people consistently overestimate their activity level, and a "moderately active" multiplier of 1.55 often produces a maintenance figure 200–400 kcal/day above what users actually maintain weight on.
Calculator
The formula
Formula
BMR = 10w + 6.25h − 5a + s TDEE = BMR × activity_multiplier
Worked example
When to use this calculator
Use this calculator as a starting point for any calorie-budget decision: weight loss, weight maintenance, lean-mass gain, or athletic-performance fueling. The TDEE figure is the daily target around which to set a deficit (for loss) or surplus (for gain). Begin tracking actual intake against the calculated TDEE for two weeks; adjust the activity multiplier downward if weight is moving differently than the calculated maintenance figure suggests. The calculator is appropriate for healthy adults aged 18–65 of typical body composition; it is less accurate for elite athletes (who have higher muscle mass and often need TDEE measured by indirect calorimetry), for very lean physique-sport competitors, for the elderly (where activity multipliers should drop), and for people with metabolic conditions such as untreated thyroid disease, PCOS, or recent significant weight loss (where adaptive thermogenesis can lower TDEE 10–20% below the calculated figure). For pregnant or breastfeeding women, add 300–500 kcal/day to the calculated TDEE under medical guidance.
Common input mistakes
- Overestimating the activity multiplier. The "moderately active" 1.55 multiplier assumes structured exercise 3–5 days per week plus a job that involves standing or walking; a desk job with three weekly gym sessions is closer to 1.4. Selecting too high a multiplier produces a TDEE figure 200–400 kcal too high and explains why many users find calorie-tracking ineffective on the maintenance figure the calculator returns.
- Treating the TDEE figure as an exact daily requirement. TDEE is an estimate accurate to about ±10% for most users; daily energy needs vary with sleep, stress, the thermic effect of specific foods, and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Use the calculator's figure as a starting point and adjust based on 2–4 weeks of weight tracking — the only true measure of energy balance is whether your weight moves up, down, or stays stable.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the total number of calories you burn in a day, including basal metabolic rate (the energy used at rest to keep you alive), the thermic effect of food (energy spent digesting), and the calories burned through physical activity. It is the maintenance figure: eat at TDEE to maintain weight, below it to lose, above it to gain. Most calorie-tracking apps and dietitians use TDEE as the baseline around which to plan deficits or surpluses.
Which BMR formula does this use?
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published in 1990 and the most widely-validated BMR formula in current clinical use. It is preferred over the older Harris-Benedict equation because it is more accurate for the modern population (which is on average heavier than the 1919 cohort Harris-Benedict was derived from). Mifflin-St Jeor is accurate to within about 10% for most healthy adults; it under-predicts BMR slightly for very lean athletes and over-predicts slightly for the obese.
What activity multiplier should I use?
Sedentary (1.2) for desk job, no exercise. Lightly active (1.375) for desk job plus 1–3 light workouts per week. Moderately active (1.55) for desk job plus 3–5 moderate workouts, or a job involving standing/walking with no extra exercise. Very active (1.725) for daily hard exercise or a physical job. Extra active (1.9) for hard physical labour plus daily training, or twice-daily competitive training. Most users err high; if weight is not tracking the calculated maintenance figure after 2–4 weeks, drop one level.
How do I use TDEE for weight loss?
Set a deficit below TDEE and track intake. A 500 kcal/day deficit produces about 0.5 kg per week of loss (since 1 kg of fat is roughly 7700 kcal); a 1000 kcal/day deficit produces about 1 kg per week but is harder to sustain and risks losing lean tissue. Most guidance recommends starting at 500 kcal below TDEE, adjusting after 2–3 weeks based on actual rate of loss. Aggressive deficits below 1200 kcal/day for women or 1500 for men should be done under medical supervision.
Is the TDEE figure exact?
No — TDEE is an estimate accurate to about ±10% for most healthy adults. Individual variation in BMR, NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), the thermic effect of specific foods, and adaptive responses to caloric deficits or surpluses all create deviation from the calculated figure. The most accurate method to determine actual TDEE is to track intake and weight for 2–4 weeks and compute the empirical TDEE that matches the observed weight change. The calculator's figure is the right starting point; the empirical figure is the right ongoing target.