TDEE Calculator
Use this TDEE calculator to estimate your total daily energy expenditure — the calories you burn each day — from your age, sex, height, weight and activity level.
TDEE Calculator
Years.
How much you move in a typical week, including work and training.
Enter your details to estimate your daily calorie needs.
Health disclaimer: This TDEE figure predicts how many calories you burn in a day. It is a general estimate for informational purposes only, based on population-average equations, and is not medical or dietary advice. Individual needs vary with genetics, body composition, medical conditions and medication. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing your diet or activity, and do not use crash-level calorie targets.
About This Tool
This TDEE calculator estimates how much energy your body uses during a typical day. It first estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and then adjusts that value according to the activity level you select.
The result can help you understand your estimated maintenance calories, compare activity scenarios, and see how resting energy needs contribute to your overall daily calorie use. Treat it as a starting estimate rather than a guaranteed intake target.
How to Use the Calculator
- Choose metric or US units.
- Enter your age.
- Select the sex option used by the equation.
- Enter your height and weight.
- Choose the activity level that best reflects your usual week.
- Click Calculate.
- Review your estimated maintenance calories, BMR, activity multiplier, and the equation applied.
To calculate TDEE more consistently, choose an activity level based on your full routine — including exercise, walking, physical work, commuting, and time spent sitting.
What Is TDEE?
TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure: the total amount of energy your body uses across an entire day. It includes the energy required for basic body functions, normal movement, planned exercise, and the digestion of food.
The calculator combines a resting-energy estimate with an activity multiplier. Because daily movement and exercise vary, the result is an approximation rather than an exact measurement.
How to Calculate TDEE
The basic relationship is:
TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor
The calculator first estimates BMR, which represents the energy used for essential functions at rest. It then multiplies BMR by an activity factor that reflects your typical movement and exercise.
The second part of how to calculate TDEE is choosing the activity category carefully. An inaccurate activity selection can affect the final result more than small differences between commonly used BMR equations.
Mifflin–St Jeor Equation
This tool estimates BMR with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, one of the most widely used and reliable options.
For Males
BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
For Females
BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
After BMR is estimated, your selected activity factor is applied to produce the TDEE. When you enter US units, the tool converts your measurements before applying the equation, so both unit systems give the same result for the same body.
Other Equations
The Mifflin–St Jeor equation is not the only way to estimate resting energy. The Katch–McArdle equation estimates BMR from lean body mass instead of gender-based constants, which requires a known body-fat percentage. It can be more accurate for lean, muscular people who have measured their body fat, but a body-fat-based result is only as reliable as the body-fat figure entered. This calculator uses the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, which needs no body-fat input and works well as a general starting point.
Activity Levels and Multipliers
The activity factor scales your BMR up to reflect how much you move. Choose the level that matches a typical week.
| Activity Level | Multiplier | General Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Little structured exercise and mostly seated daily activity |
| Lightly active | 1.375 | Light exercise around 1–3 days per week |
| Moderately active | 1.55 | Moderate exercise around 3–5 days per week |
| Very active | 1.725 | Hard exercise around 6–7 days per week |
| Extra active | 1.9 | Demanding physical work, intense training, or multiple daily sessions |
Activity includes more than gym workouts. Walking, standing, household tasks, manual work, and general movement all contribute to daily energy use.
BMR vs TDEE
| BMR | TDEE |
|---|---|
| Estimates energy used at rest | Estimates energy used across a full day |
| Does not include normal daily activity | Includes an activity adjustment |
| Usually lower than maintenance needs | Used as an estimate of maintenance calories |
| Serves as the starting value | Represents the adjusted final estimate |
BMR is one component of the final calculation. The calculator takes that resting estimate and adjusts it for your selected activity level to produce the TDEE.
What Are Maintenance Calories?
Maintenance calories are the estimated number of calories that may keep body weight relatively stable over time. They are not a fixed daily requirement, because energy use and food intake vary from one day to another.
Short-term changes in body weight may also reflect water, sodium, glycogen, digestion, hormones, and measurement timing rather than a true change in body tissue.
Using the Result for Weight Goals
An intake below your estimated maintenance calories creates a theoretical energy deficit, while an intake above it creates a theoretical surplus. Actual changes can differ because the estimate does not capture every metabolic, medical, behavioral, or environmental factor.
Avoid treating the result as a prescribed diet. Large calorie changes, persistent fatigue, unexplained weight changes, pregnancy, breastfeeding, medical conditions, and medication-related concerns should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.
Why Your Actual Energy Needs May Differ
Your actual daily calorie use may differ because of:
- Incorrect activity-level selection
- Changes in exercise frequency or intensity
- Muscle mass and body composition
- Daily walking and non-exercise movement
- Sleep and recovery
- Illness or medication
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Individual metabolic differences
- Changes in body weight over time
Recalculate after a meaningful change in body weight, routine, or activity level.
How to Refine the Estimate
Use the result as an initial reference and observe longer-term patterns:
- Keep your tracking method consistent.
- Compare average intake and average body weight over several weeks.
- Avoid reacting to one day of scale movement.
- Make small adjustments when the trend consistently differs from your goal.
- Seek professional guidance when health conditions or major dietary changes are involved.
Start Calculating
Enter your details above and use the TDEE calculator to review your estimated maintenance calories, BMR, activity level, and the equation applied.
Medical and Nutritional Disclaimer
This tool and its results are provided for general informational and educational purposes only. The estimates are based on the values and activity level you enter and may not reflect your actual calorie needs, metabolism, health conditions, medication use, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or individual circumstances. The information is not medical, nutritional, or dietetic advice and should not be used as a diagnosis or prescribed eating plan. Consult a qualified doctor, registered dietitian, or other appropriate healthcare professional before making major changes to your diet, exercise routine, or weight-management plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a TDEE calculator do?
It estimates your daily energy use by combining a resting-energy equation (Mifflin–St Jeor) with an activity multiplier. Eating that many calories tends to keep your weight steady.
How is TDEE calculated?
This tool estimates basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active).
How accurate is the result?
It is a population-average estimate, typically within about 10% for most people. Accuracy depends on the information entered, the selected activity level, and how closely the equation reflects the individual. Track your weight for two to three weeks and adjust if it is not moving as expected.
Does the result include exercise?
Yes. The activity factor is intended to reflect exercise along with everyday movement and physical work, so pick the level that matches your whole week.
How often should I recalculate?
Recalculate when your weight, exercise routine, job activity, or general lifestyle changes meaningfully.
Should I eat my TDEE to lose weight?
No. To lose weight you eat below your TDEE. A deficit of about 500 kcal/day is a common starting point for roughly 0.5 kg per week.
Can I use the estimate during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
General equations may not reflect the additional nutritional needs of pregnancy or breastfeeding. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for individualized guidance.