TDEE Calculator

What is TDEE?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It accounts for all energy used by your body, including basic life-sustaining functions (breathing, circulation, cell production), physical activity, and the thermic effect of food (energy used to digest meals).

Knowing your TDEE is essential for any body composition goal: eating at your TDEE maintains your weight, eating below it creates a deficit for fat loss, and eating above it creates a surplus for muscle gain.

BMR vs. TDEE

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to maintain basic physiological functions while at complete rest — essentially the energy cost of being alive. It typically accounts for 60-75% of total daily energy expenditure.

TDEE builds upon BMR by adding the calories burned through physical activity and the thermic effect of food. TDEE is always greater than BMR because it includes all energy expenditure throughout the day.

Mifflin-St Jeor Formula

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990) is considered the most accurate predictive equation for estimating BMR in non-obese individuals and is recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

Activity Levels Explained

Activity Level	Multiplier	Description
Sedentary	1.2	Little or no exercise; desk job. Example: office worker who drives to work and does not exercise.
Lightly Active	1.375	Light exercise 1-3 days per week. Example: walking 30 minutes daily or light gym sessions.
Moderately Active	1.55	Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week. Example: jogging, cycling, or weight training most days.
Very Active	1.725	Hard exercise 6-7 days per week. Example: intense gym sessions plus active job or sports practice.
Extra Active	1.9	Very hard exercise, physical job, or training twice a day. Example: competitive athletes, construction workers who also train.

TDEE Components Diagram

Mifflin-St Jeor vs. Harris-Benedict

The two most commonly used BMR equations are:

Feature	Mifflin-St Jeor (1990)	Harris-Benedict (Revised 1984)
Accuracy	Within 10% for most people; considered most accurate	Can overestimate by 5-15%, especially for obese individuals
Male Formula	10W + 6.25H - 5A + 5	13.397W + 4.799H - 5.677A + 88.362
Female Formula	10W + 6.25H - 5A - 161	9.247W + 3.098H - 4.330A + 447.593
Recommendation	ADA recommends as first-choice equation	Historical standard; still widely used
Best For	General adult population	Historically used; less accurate for modern populations

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation as it is the most current and accurate for the general population. For athletes or very muscular individuals, the Katch-McArdle formula (which requires body fat percentage) may be more appropriate.

Caloric Deficit & Surplus

Understanding how to manipulate your calorie intake relative to TDEE is the foundation of body composition change:

• Maintenance (TDEE): Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight. This is useful for body recomposition or maintaining results after a cut or bulk.
• Caloric Deficit (TDEE - 500): A 500-calorie daily deficit creates roughly a 1 pound (0.45 kg) loss per week, as 1 pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories. This is considered a safe, sustainable rate of fat loss.
• Caloric Surplus (TDEE + 500): A 500-calorie daily surplus supports muscle growth when combined with resistance training. For lean bulking, a smaller surplus of 250-300 calories is often recommended to minimize fat gain.

Macronutrient Breakdown

This calculator provides macronutrient estimates using these standard distributions:

Macro	Cutting	Maintenance	Bulking	Calories/gram
Protein	35%	30%	25%	4 cal/g
Carbohydrates	35%	40%	45%	4 cal/g
Fat	30%	30%	30%	9 cal/g

These are general starting points. Protein is kept higher during cutting to preserve muscle mass, while carbohydrates increase during bulking to fuel intense training and support glycogen replenishment.

Worked Example

A 28-year-old male, 75 kg, 175 cm, moderately active:

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is the TDEE calculation?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is accurate within approximately 10% for most people. However, TDEE is an estimate, not an exact number. Factors like genetics, body composition, hormonal status, and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) all influence actual calorie burn. Use your TDEE as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results over 2-4 weeks.

Should I eat back exercise calories?

If you selected your activity level correctly, your TDEE already includes exercise calories. Eating them back would create a surplus. If you track exercise separately (using a fitness tracker or heart rate monitor), you may need to use the "Sedentary" multiplier and add exercise calories manually, but be aware that fitness trackers often overestimate calorie burn by 30-50%.

How fast should I lose weight?

Most health professionals recommend losing 0.5-1 kg (1-2 pounds) per week, which corresponds to a daily deficit of 500-1000 calories. Faster loss increases the risk of muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, metabolic adaptation, and is harder to sustain. Never go below your BMR in daily calorie intake without medical supervision.

Why does my weight fluctuate despite consistent calories?

Daily weight fluctuations of 1-3 kg are completely normal and are caused by water retention (affected by sodium, carbohydrate intake, menstrual cycle, stress), food volume in the digestive tract, and hydration status. Focus on weekly averages rather than daily readings for an accurate picture of your trend.

Does TDEE change over time?

Yes. TDEE decreases as you lose weight (lighter body requires less energy), with age (metabolic rate decreases approximately 1-2% per decade after age 20), and through metabolic adaptation (your body becomes more efficient when in a prolonged deficit). Recalculate your TDEE every 10-15 pounds of weight change or every 6-8 weeks during active dieting.