TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure for weight management.
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About This Calculator
"How many calories do I actually burn in a day?" That's the million-dollar weight loss questionāand your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the answer.
Your TDEE is the exact number of calories your body burns every 24 hours. It's the most important number for any weight goal: eat less than your TDEE to lose weight, more to gain, match it to maintain. Simple math, right? The problem is, most people have no idea what their real TDEE isāand the estimates they've been given are often wildly off.
Here's what makes TDEE so tricky: your metabolism isn't just about your BMR (resting calorie burn). That's only 60-70% of the picture. The rest comes from digesting food (about 10%), exercise (5-15%), and something called NEATāNon-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. NEAT is everything from fidgeting to walking to your car to standing instead of sitting. Research shows NEAT can vary by 2,000 calories per day between peopleāwhich explains why your friend seems to "eat whatever they want" while you count every calorie.
We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990), which studies show is significantly more accurate than the century-old Harris-Benedict formula that many calculators still use. That outdated formula overestimates calorie needs by 5-15%āif you've ever eaten at your "calculated maintenance" and gained weight, a bad formula might be why.
The most common TDEE mistake? Overestimating your activity level. Most office workers who hit the gym 3x/week are still "lightly active," not "moderately active." When in doubt, round down.
Disclaimer: TDEE is an estimate based on averages. Your actual needs may vary by 10-15%. Track your weight for 2-3 weeks and adjust based on real results. Consult a healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.
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How to Use the TDEE Calculator
- 1**Enter your basic stats**: Age, biological sex, height, and current weight. Accuracy mattersāmeasure yourself properly, without shoes, at the same time of day.
- 2**Select your activity level honestly**: This is where most people go wrong. If you have a desk job and work out 3x/week, you're likely "Lightly Active"ānot moderately active. Be conservative.
- 3**Choose your goal**: Select fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain. The calculator will adjust your target calories accordingly.
- 4**Review the breakdown**: You'll see your BMR (calories burned at complete rest), your full TDEE (total daily burn), and a goal-specific calorie target.
- 5**Start tracking at your calculated target**: Use a food scale (not cups or eyeballing) and track everything you eat for at least 2 weeks.
- 6**Weigh yourself daily, but average weekly**: Daily weight fluctuates 2-5 lbs from water, food, and waste. Look at weekly trends, not daily numbers.
- 7**Adjust based on results**: If you're losing faster or slower than expected, adjust by 100-200 calories and give it another 2 weeks.
The Four Components of Your Daily Calorie Burn
Your TDEE isn't one numberāit's four different types of calorie burn added together:
1. BMR - Basal Metabolic Rate (60-70% of TDEE)
This is the calories your body burns doing absolutely nothingājust keeping you alive:
- Breathing and blood circulation
- Cell repair and regeneration
- Brain function (your brain uses ~20% of BMR)
- Temperature regulation
The Mifflin-St Jeor Formula:
Men: BMR = (10 Ć weight in kg) + (6.25 Ć height in cm) - (5 Ć age) + 5
Women: BMR = (10 Ć weight in kg) + (6.25 Ć height in cm) - (5 Ć age) - 161
Example: A 35-year-old woman, 5'6" (168 cm), 150 lbs (68 kg): BMR = (10 Ć 68) + (6.25 Ć 168) - (5 Ć 35) - 161 = 1,414 calories
2. TEF - Thermic Effect of Food (~10% of TDEE)
Energy spent digesting, absorbing, and processing food:
| Macronutrient | Thermic Effect |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20-35% of calories |
| Carbohydrates | 5-15% of calories |
| Fat | 0-5% of calories |
This is one reason high-protein diets workāyou literally burn more calories just digesting protein.
3. EAT - Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (5-15% of TDEE)
Your planned workouts: gym sessions, runs, cycling classes, sports. Despite feeling like a lot of effort, exercise is usually the smallest controllable component of TDEE.
4. NEAT - Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (15-30% of TDEE)
Everything else: walking, fidgeting, standing, cooking, cleaning, even talking. This is where the real magic (and frustration) happens.
The NEAT Wild Card: Studies show NEAT can vary by 2,000 calories/day between people. Some individuals unconsciously increase movement when they eat more (keeping them lean), while others become more sedentary. This single factor explains most "fast metabolism" claims.
Activity Level Selection: Where Most People Go Wrong
The biggest source of TDEE calculation error is overestimating your activity level. Research shows people typically select one full category higher than their actual activity.
Activity Multipliers Explained
| Level | Multiplier | You Are This If... |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Desk job, under 4,000 steps/day, little to no exercise |
| Lightly Active | 1.375 | Desk job + 1-3 light workouts/week OR 5,000-7,000 steps/day |
| Moderately Active | 1.55 | 7,000-10,000 steps/day AND 3-5 moderate workouts/week |
| Very Active | 1.725 | 10,000+ steps/day AND 6-7 intense workouts/week |
| Extremely Active | 1.9 | Professional athlete OR physical job + daily training |
Common Selection Mistakes
| What People Think | Reality Check |
|---|---|
| "I go to the gym 3x/week" | If you sit 8+ hours daily, you're still sedentary/lightly active |
| "I have an active job" | Waiters/nurses are moderately active, not very active |
| "I work out every day" | 30 min of yoga daily ā intense training |
| "I walk a lot" | Track actual stepsāmost people overestimate by 50% |
The Honest Test
Before selecting your level:
- Track actual steps for one week (use your phone)
- Count real workout minutes (warm-up doesn't count)
- Consider your non-gym hours (12+ hours of sitting?)
Rule of thumb: When in doubt, select one level LOWER. You can always add calories if you're losing too fastābut it's much harder psychologically to reduce calories if you're not losing at all.
Using Your TDEE: Fat Loss, Maintenance, and Muscle Gain
Once you know your TDEE, here's how to use it for any goal:
Fat Loss: Creating a Deficit
| Daily Deficit | Weekly Fat Loss | Muscle Loss Risk | Sustainability |
|---|---|---|---|
| -250 calories | ~0.5 lb/week | Very Low | Very High |
| -500 calories | ~1 lb/week | Low | Good (recommended) |
| -750 calories | ~1.5 lb/week | Moderate | Moderate |
| -1000 calories | ~2 lb/week | High | Low |
Critical Minimums:
- Women: Never go below 1,200 calories/day
- Men: Never go below 1,500 calories/day
Going lower risks nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, metabolic adaptation, and binge triggers.
Maintenance: Finding Your True TDEE
- Start at calculated TDEE
- Track weight for 2-3 weeks
- Adjust by Ā±100 calories if trending up or down
- Expect daily fluctuations of 2-5 lbs (water, sodium, food weight)
Muscle Gain (Bulking)
| Daily Surplus | Weekly Gain | Fat Gain Risk |
|---|---|---|
| +200-300 cal | ~0.5 lb/week | Low (lean bulk) |
| +500 cal | ~1 lb/week | Moderate |
| +1000 cal | ~2 lb/week | High (dirty bulk) |
Reality check: Natural lifters can only build about 0.25-0.5 lb of actual muscle per week at best. Larger surpluses mostly add fat, not muscle.
Example: 2,400 TDEE
| Goal | Daily Calories | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| Aggressive cut | 1,400 | -2 lb/week |
| Moderate cut | 1,900 | -1 lb/week |
| Maintenance | 2,400 | Weight stable |
| Lean bulk | 2,700 | +0.5 lb/week |
Why Your TDEE Changes (And What To Do About It)
Your TDEE isn't a fixed numberāit changes based on several factors:
1. Weight Loss Decreases TDEE
As you lose weight, you burn fewer calories:
- Less mass to move: A 150-lb person burns fewer calories walking than a 180-lb person
- Metabolic adaptation: Your body becomes more efficient (burns less)
- Unconscious NEAT reduction: You move less without realizing it
Rule: Recalculate every 10-15 lbs of weight change.
2. Metabolic Adaptation ("Starvation Mode")
Prolonged dieting triggers survival mechanisms:
- Thyroid hormone output decreases
- NEAT drops unconsciously (you fidget less, take fewer steps)
- Core body temperature drops slightly
This can reduce TDEE by 10-15% beyond what weight loss alone predicts.
The Fix: Diet breaks. Every 8-12 weeks of dieting, spend 1-2 weeks eating at maintenance. This helps reset hormones and prevents long-term metabolic damage.
3. Age Decreases BMR
| Age Range | Approximate BMR Decline |
|---|---|
| 20-30 | Baseline |
| 30-40 | -2-3% |
| 40-50 | -5-6% |
| 50-60 | -7-8% |
| 60+ | -10%+ |
Most of this decline is due to muscle loss (sarcopenia), not aging itself. Strength training can prevent much of it.
4. Muscle Mass Increases TDEE
Each pound of muscle burns ~6 calories per day at rest (vs. 2 calories for fat). Building 10 lbs of muscle adds only ~40 calories to daily burnānot huge, but it compounds over years.
TDEE vs. BMR: Understanding the Difference
These terms are often confused, but they measure very different things:
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
- Calories burned in complete rest (lying still, not moving)
- What your body needs just to stay alive
- Typically 1,200-2,000 calories for most adults
- Does NOT include any activity whatsoever
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)
- Calories burned in an entire day including all activity
- Your BMR + digestion + exercise + all daily movement
- Typically 1,600-3,500 calories for most adults
- This is what you eat to maintain weight
Common Confusion
| Mistake | Reality |
|---|---|
| "I should eat at my BMR to lose weight" | NOāyour body needs more than BMR to function. Eat at a deficit from TDEE, not BMR. |
| "My TDEE is 1,800 so I burn 1,800 at rest" | NOāthat's BMR. TDEE of 1,800 includes activity. |
| "I burned 500 calories at the gym, so my TDEE is BMR + 500" | NOāTDEE also includes walking, digestion, and all other movement. |
Example Comparison
30-year-old woman, 5'5", 140 lbs, desk job, gym 3x/week:
- BMR: ~1,400 calories (complete rest)
- TDEE: ~1,925 calories (including all activity)
She should eat ~1,925 to maintain, ~1,425-1,675 to lose 0.5-1 lb/week.
Tracking and Adjusting: The Real-World Process
TDEE calculations are estimates. Here's how to dial in your actual number:
Week 1-2: Establish Your Baseline
- Calculate your TDEE using this calculator
- Eat at your target for 2 weeks
- Track food accurately using a food scale (critical!)
- Weigh daily at the same time (morning, after bathroom)
Week 3+: Adjust Based on Results
| Result | What It Means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Lost 1-2 lbs/week | On track for fat loss | Continue |
| Lost 0-0.5 lbs/week | Deficit too small or TDEE overestimated | Reduce by 100-200 cal |
| Gained weight | TDEE overestimated significantly | Reduce by 200-300 cal |
| Lost 2+ lbs/week | Deficit too aggressive | Add 100-200 cal |
| Weight stable (maintenance goal) | TDEE accurate | Continue |
Common Tracking Mistakes
| Mistake | Impact |
|---|---|
| Eyeballing portions | Undercount by 30-50% |
| Not tracking cooking oils | 1 tbsp = 120 calories |
| "Forgetting" small bites | Can add 200-500 cal/day |
| Weekend overeating | 2 cheat days can erase 5-day deficit |
| Not counting drinks | Lattes, alcohol, juices add up |
The 80/20 Rule
Don't aim for perfectionāaim for consistency:
- Hit your targets 80% of the time
- Allow 20% flexibility for social events
- Weekly average matters more than daily perfection
Special Situations: Athletes, Older Adults, and Extreme Cases
Standard TDEE formulas work for most people, but some situations require adjustments:
Athletes and Very Active People
Standard multipliers may underestimate for:
- Professional athletes (can burn 4,000-6,000+ calories/day)
- Endurance athletes (marathon training = 500-1,000 extra cal/day)
- Manual laborers (construction, farming)
Solution: Add estimated exercise calories to your base TDEE, or use a sports-specific calculator.
Older Adults (65+)
Standard formulas may overestimate for seniors due to:
- Lower muscle mass
- Reduced activity levels
- Slower metabolic rate
Solution: Use the lower end of activity multipliers and monitor weight closely.
Very Overweight Individuals
At higher body weights (BMI 35+):
- Standard formulas may overestimate TDEE
- More body mass is fat (less metabolically active)
- Consider using adjusted body weight formulas
Very Underweight/Eating Disorder Recovery
If recovering from restriction:
- Metabolism may be significantly suppressed
- TDEE may be 20-30% lower than calculated
- Work with a registered dietitian
- Increase calories gradually (100-200/week)
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
| Stage | Approximate Extra Calories |
|---|---|
| 1st trimester | +0-100 cal/day |
| 2nd trimester | +340 cal/day |
| 3rd trimester | +450 cal/day |
| Breastfeeding | +330-400 cal/day |
Always consult a healthcare provider for pregnancy nutrition guidance.
Pro Tips
- š”Track your actual steps for a week before selecting an activity levelāmost people overestimate their activity by one full category.
- š”Weigh yourself daily at the same time (morning, after bathroom), but only compare weekly averages, not day-to-day numbers.
- š”Use a food scale, not measuring cups. Studies show people undercount calories by 30-50% when eyeballing portions.
- š”Don't trust exercise calorie estimates from machines or watchesāthey typically overestimate by 20-50%.
- š”Increase NEAT for easy extra calorie burn: park farther away, take stairs, get a standing desk, walk during phone calls.
- š”Take diet breaks every 8-12 weeks: eat at maintenance for 1-2 weeks to reset hormones and prevent metabolic adaptation.
- š”Eat at least 0.7-1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. High protein increases satiety and preserves muscle during fat loss.
- š”If fat loss stalls for 3+ weeks despite consistent tracking, either drop calories by 100-200 OR add 2,000-3,000 steps daily.
- š”Your weekend eating counts. Two "cheat days" of overeating can completely erase a 500-calorie daily deficit from the weekdays.
- š”Focus on weekly calorie averages, not daily perfection. Life happensāwhat matters is consistency over time.
- š”Log food BEFORE you eat it, not after. This prevents "forgetting" to track those extra bites and snacks.
- š”Be especially careful with liquid caloriesālattes, smoothies, alcohol, and juices can add 300-500+ untracked calories.
Frequently Asked Questions
The four most common reasons: (1) Underestimating food intakeāstudies show people undercount by 30-50%, so use a food scale, not cups or eyeballing. (2) Overestimating activity levelātry selecting one level lower. (3) Weekend overeatingātwo "cheat days" can erase a week's deficit. (4) Water retention masking fat lossāhormones, sodium, and stress cause 2-5 lb fluctuations. Give it 3-4 weeks of consistent tracking before concluding the deficit isn't working.
