Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories you burn in a day, including exercise and everyday movement. Eat below it to lose weight, at it to maintain, and above it to gain. Enter your details below for your BMR, your TDEE, and a calorie target matched to your goal.
TDEE Calculator
Suggested macros for your goal calories (30% protein / 40% carbs / 30% fat):
Estimate only — not medical advice.
How the TDEE Calculator Works
The calculator first estimates your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) — the calories you would burn at complete rest — using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely considered the most accurate BMR formula for most adults:
- Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5
- Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161
Your BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor to get your TDEE:
- Sedentary (desk job, little exercise): × 1.2
- Lightly active (1–3 workouts/week): × 1.375
- Moderately active (3–5 workouts/week): × 1.55
- Very active (6–7 workouts/week): × 1.725
- Athlete / physical job plus training: × 1.9
Worked Example
A 30-year-old man, 80 kg, 178 cm, training 4 times a week: BMR = (10 × 80) + (6.25 × 178) − (5 × 30) + 5 = 1,768 kcal. TDEE = 1,768 × 1.55 = 2,740 kcal/day to maintain his weight. To lose fat at a steady pace, the calculator suggests 2,740 × 0.80 ≈ 2,192 kcal/day.
How Many Calories Should You Eat?
- Lose weight: TDEE minus 20%. A moderate deficit protects muscle and is far easier to stick to than crash dieting.
- Maintain: Eat at your TDEE and adjust by ±100 kcal if your weight drifts for two weeks in a row.
- Gain muscle: TDEE plus 15%. A small surplus builds muscle with minimal fat gain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — all the calories you burn in 24 hours, from your resting metabolism, daily movement, and exercise combined. It is the number your diet should be built around.
How accurate is this TDEE calculator?
The Mifflin-St Jeor formula is accurate to within roughly ±10% for most people. Treat the result as a starting point and adjust by 100–200 kcal based on two weeks of real weight change.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is the calories you burn at rest just to stay alive. TDEE is BMR plus everything you do — walking, working, training. You should almost never eat as low as your BMR.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate every 5 kg of weight change, or whenever your activity level changes significantly.