Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the number of calories your body burns each day. Use this to set accurate goals for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period, accounting for everything — from keeping your heart beating while you sleep, to walking, working, and exercising. It is the single most important number for managing your body weight.
If you eat at your TDEE, your weight stays the same. Eat below it and you lose weight. Eat above it and you gain.
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is considered the most accurate BMR formula for most adults by major dietetic associations:
Men: BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Women: BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) − 161
TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor
| 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 |
| Super Active | Physical job or 2× daily training | × 1.9 |
| Goal | Calorie Target | Expected Result |
|---|---|---|
| Lose weight (slow) | TDEE − 300 kcal | ~0.5 lb/week loss |
| Lose weight (standard) | TDEE − 500 kcal | ~1 lb/week loss |
| Maintain weight | TDEE | No change |
| Gain muscle (lean) | TDEE + 250 kcal | ~0.25 lb/week gain |
| Gain weight (faster) | TDEE + 500 kcal | ~0.5–1 lb/week gain |
💡 Pro tip: When starting, track your actual food intake and weight for 2–4 weeks. If your weight isn't changing as expected, adjust your calories by 100–200 kcal. Real-world results always trump calculator estimates.
Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories needed to keep your body alive at complete rest — breathing, circulation, cell repair. Your TDEE adds all activity on top. For most people, TDEE is 20–80% higher than BMR. Always use TDEE — not BMR — as your daily calorie baseline.