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TDEE Calculator

Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. Find exactly how many calories you burn per day based on your body stats and activity level.

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How to Use This TDEE Calculator

Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and select your typical activity level. The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to compute your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then multiplies it by an activity factor to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. You will also see how your TDEE changes across all five activity levels, so you can plan for rest days versus training days.

What is TDEE?

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It includes your Basal Metabolic Rate (the energy required for basic body functions at rest), the Thermic Effect of Food (energy used to digest what you eat), Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (calories burned through daily movements like walking and fidgeting), and Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (calories burned during intentional exercise). TDEE is the number you should base your diet on: eating below it creates a deficit for fat loss, eating above it creates a surplus for muscle gain.

TDEE vs BMR: What is the Difference?

BMR is your calorie burn at complete rest: the energy your body needs just to stay alive. TDEE takes your BMR and adds the calories you burn through all your daily activities and exercise. Think of BMR as your baseline and TDEE as the full picture. A common mistake is to set your diet to your BMR rather than your TDEE, which results in eating far too little and risking muscle loss, metabolic slowdown, and nutrient deficiencies.

How Activity Level Affects Your Calories

Your activity level is the biggest variable in your TDEE calculation. A sedentary person and a very active person of the same height, weight, and age can differ by over 1,000 calories per day. Be honest when selecting your activity level: most people overestimate how active they are. If you have a desk job and exercise 3 times a week for 45 minutes, you are likely Lightly Active, not Moderately Active. When in doubt, choose a lower activity level and adjust upward based on your results over 2 to 3 weeks.

Using TDEE for Weight Loss

To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your TDEE. A deficit of 300 to 500 calories per day is widely recommended: it is aggressive enough to see steady progress (roughly 0.3 to 0.5 kg per week) but moderate enough to preserve muscle mass and avoid metabolic adaptation. Larger deficits can accelerate initial weight loss but often lead to muscle loss, increased hunger, and rebound weight gain. Track your weight weekly and adjust your intake by 100 to 200 calories if progress stalls.

Using TDEE for Muscle Gain

Building muscle requires a calorie surplus: eating more than your TDEE so your body has the energy and raw materials to synthesise new tissue. A moderate surplus of 200 to 300 calories per day is optimal for most people. This fuels muscle growth while minimising unnecessary fat gain. Combine your surplus with a high-protein diet (1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of bodyweight) and a structured resistance training programme for the best results.

Frequently asked questions.

TDEE calculators provide a solid estimate, typically within 10% of your actual expenditure. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation used here is considered the most accurate for most populations. However, individual factors like genetics, hormonal status, and NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) can cause your true TDEE to vary. Use your calculated TDEE as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results over 2 to 3 weeks.
Yes. Eating at your TDEE should keep your weight stable over time. If you find yourself gaining or losing weight at your calculated TDEE, adjust by 100 to 200 calories. Small daily fluctuations in weight are normal due to water retention, food volume, and other factors.
Yes. As you lose weight, your body requires fewer calories to maintain its reduced mass, so your TDEE decreases. This is why weight loss often slows down over time. Recalculate your TDEE for every 5 to 10 lbs (2 to 5 kg) lost to ensure your calorie target stays accurate.
Yes. Your TDEE is higher on days you exercise. Some people cycle their calories: eating more on training days and less on rest days, while keeping the weekly average at their target. This approach, called calorie cycling, can support performance on training days while still achieving an overall deficit or surplus.
If you have a physically demanding job like construction, nursing, or retail and you also exercise regularly, you likely fall into the Very Active or Extra Active category. These jobs can burn 500 to 1,000 additional calories per day on top of your exercise, so choosing the right activity level is important to avoid undereating.
Men typically have more muscle mass and less body fat than women at the same weight. Since muscle is more metabolically active than fat, men tend to have a higher BMR and therefore a higher TDEE. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation accounts for this by using different constants for men and women.
Yes. Body recomposition means losing fat and building muscle simultaneously. Eating at or slightly below your TDEE while prioritising protein (1.6 to 2.2 g per kg) and resistance training can achieve this, especially for beginners, people returning to training, or those with higher body fat percentages.

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