TDEE Calculator
The total calories you burn each day — the single number every nutrition plan starts from.
How TDEE is calculated
Your TDEE is built in two steps. First, your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) — the calories your body burns at complete rest — is estimated from age, sex, height, and weight using the Mifflin–St Jeor equation. Then BMR is multiplied by a PAL (Physical Activity Level) factor that captures how much you move during a typical week.
The formula
Women: BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) − 161
TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier
Activity multipliers
- 1.2 — Sedentary: desk job, no formal exercise.
- 1.375 — Lightly active: 1–3 light workouts per week.
- 1.55 — Moderately active: 3–5 workouts per week.
- 1.725 — Very active: 6–7 intense workouts per week.
- 1.9 — Athlete: training twice a day or a physically demanding job.
Most people overestimate their activity level. Read how to pick your activity multiplier honestly.
Worked example
A 32-year-old woman, 168 cm, 68 kg, lightly active:
TDEE = 1,409 × 1.375 ≈ 1,937 cal/day
Why calculating your TDEE matters
TDEE is the anchor number for every nutrition goal. Without it, you're guessing.
- It turns weight loss into math, not willpower. A 500 cal deficit below TDEE = ~1 lb/week. You stop wondering whether you're "eating right" — you know.
- It tells you when "eating clean" is sabotaging you. Plenty of people gain weight on whole foods because they're still 400 cal over their TDEE. The number doesn't care what's on your plate.
- It prevents under-eating disasters. If your TDEE is 2,000 and you've been eating 1,100 cal, you'll feel awful, lose muscle, and rebound. Knowing your TDEE keeps deficits sensible.
- It lets you bulk without getting fat. A 200–300 cal surplus over TDEE builds muscle slowly with minimal fat gain. Without TDEE, "bulking" usually means accidentally eating in a 1,000 cal surplus.
- It calibrates your activity tracker. Fitness trackers routinely overestimate calorie burn by 20–30%. If your tracker says 2,800 but your TDEE math says 2,100 — trust the math.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE — Total Daily Energy Expenditure — is the total number of calories you burn in a day. It's the sum of your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the thermic effect of food, non-exercise activity (NEAT), and exercise activity. If you eat at your TDEE, your weight stays the same.
Which TDEE formula is most accurate?
For healthy adults, the Mifflin–St Jeor equation is the most accurate predictive equation, beating Harris–Benedict and Katch–McArdle in head-to-head trials. It estimates BMR within ~10% for ~80% of people.
How accurate is this calculator?
It uses Mifflin–St Jeor for BMR and standard PAL multipliers. Expect a ±10% margin. Treat the result as a starting point — track for 10–14 days, then adjust by ±100–200 cal based on what the scale actually does.
Should I eat at TDEE or below for weight loss?
To lose weight, eat below TDEE. A 500 cal/day deficit yields roughly 1 lb/week of fat loss. Avoid going below 1,200 cal/day (women) or 1,500 cal/day (men) without medical supervision.
Does TDEE include exercise?
Yes — when you pick an activity level (e.g., 'moderately active'), the multiplier already includes your typical training. Don't 'eat back' calories from a fitness tracker on top of that, or you'll double-count.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241–7.
- Frankenfield D, et al. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(5):775–89.
- FAO/WHO/UNU. Human energy requirements. Report of a Joint Expert Consultation, 2001.