TDEE Calculator: How Many Calories Do You Burn a Day?
Enter your age, sex, height, weight and activity level. This TDEE calculator estimates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (maintenance calories), and daily calorie targets to lose or gain weight.
Your details
| Goal | Daily calories | Expected change |
|---|
| Macros at maintenance | Grams/day | Calories |
|---|
What Is TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It’s also called your maintenance calories: eat this amount and your weight stays roughly the same. Our TDEE calculator estimates it by combining four parts:
BMR (about 60–70%)
Energy to keep you alive at rest: breathing, circulation and organ function.
NEAT (about 15–30%)
Non-exercise activity: walking, standing, fidgeting and chores.
Exercise + TEF
Planned workouts plus the roughly 10% of calories used to digest food (the thermic effect of food).
How to Use the TDEE Calculator
- Choose US or metric units and enter your sex, age, height and current weight.
- Pick the activity level that honestly matches a typical week. Most people overestimate, so when in doubt choose one level lower.
- Add your body fat percentage if you know it from a DEXA scan or a reliable scale. The calculator then switches to the Katch-McArdle formula, which accounts for muscle mass.
- Read your BMR, maintenance calories, goal-based targets and a starting macro split.
How TDEE Is Calculated
First the TDEE calculator estimates your BMR, then multiplies it by an activity factor.
Mifflin-St Jeor equation (default)
Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
Research has found Mifflin-St Jeor to be among the most accurate predictive equations for healthy adults, which is why most dietitians use it.
Katch-McArdle equation (with body fat %)
Example: a 30-year-old man, 5’10” (178 cm), 180 lb (81.6 kg), moderately active:
BMR = 816.5 + 1,111.3 − 150 + 5 ≈ 1,783 kcal → TDEE = 1,783 × 1.55 ≈ 2,763 kcal/day.
Activity Level Multipliers
| Activity level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Desk job, little or no exercise | × 1.2 |
| Lightly active | Light exercise 1–3 days/week | × 1.375 |
| Moderately active | Moderate exercise 3–5 days/week | × 1.55 |
| Very active | Hard exercise 6–7 days/week | × 1.725 |
| Extremely active | Physical job plus intense training | × 1.9 |
TDEE Calculator to Lose Weight
Weight loss happens when you eat fewer calories than your TDEE. A common rule of thumb is that a deficit of about 500 calories a day leads to roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) of loss per week, though real results slow over time as your body adapts.
- Moderate deficit (250–500 kcal): sustainable, and easier to keep muscle and energy.
- Large deficit (750–1,000 kcal): faster, but harder to stick to, and more risk of muscle loss.
- Don’t go too low: health authorities generally advise against eating below about 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) a day without medical supervision.
- Prioritize protein (around 1.6 g per kg of body weight) and strength training to protect muscle.
Recalculate every 10 to 15 lb lost. A lighter body burns fewer calories, so your TDEE drops too.
Need a detailed macro plan? Our macro calculator splits your calories into protein, carbs and fat by diet style and meal.
Calories to Build Muscle
To gain mostly lean mass, eat roughly 200 to 300 calories above maintenance, train with progressive overload, and aim for about 0.25% to 0.5% of body weight gained per week. Bigger surpluses usually add more fat than muscle.
How Accurate Is a TDEE Calculator?
Any TDEE calculator gives an estimate, usually within about 10% for most people. Genetics, hormones, muscle mass, sleep and daily step count all shift your true number. The best approach is to use the result as a starting point, track your weight and intake for 2 to 3 weeks, then adjust. If your weight is stable, you’ve found your real maintenance level.
Health disclaimer: this calculator provides general estimates for healthy adults and is not medical advice. It isn’t suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, for people under 18, or for anyone with a medical condition or a history of disordered eating. Please talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making major changes to your diet.
TDEE Calculator FAQs
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is the calories you burn at complete rest. TDEE adds everything else you do, including movement, exercise and digestion, so TDEE is always higher than BMR.
What is my TDEE if I’m sedentary?
Multiply your BMR by 1.2. For many adults this lands between about 1,600 and 2,400 calories a day depending on size, age and sex.
Should I eat my BMR or TDEE to lose weight?
Eat below your TDEE, not at or below your BMR. A moderate deficit of 250 to 500 calories under TDEE is a sustainable starting point for most people.
Which formula does this TDEE calculator use?
Mifflin-St Jeor by default. If you enter your body fat percentage, it uses Katch-McArdle, which can be more accurate for lean or very muscular people.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Every time your weight changes by about 10 to 15 lb (5 to 7 kg), or when your activity level changes significantly.