🩺 Health calculator

Calorie Calculator (TDEE)

Find out exactly how many calories your body burns each day. This calculator uses your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the number you need to know before setting any weight or fitness goal.

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TDEE is your maintenance calorie level — the number of calories you need to eat each day to stay at your current weight. Everything else (losing, gaining, cutting, bulking) is built on top of this number.

What is TDEE?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the total calories your body burns in a day — including exercise, digestion, and just staying alive. It is your maintenance level.

Most common mistake

Overestimating activity level. Most office workers are Sedentary or Lightly active, not Moderately active. When in doubt, choose one level lower.

Tip: use this TDEE as your starting point. To lose weight, subtract 300–500 calories. To gain muscle, add 200–300 calories. Use the Calorie Deficit Calculator to plan a weight loss goal with a specific timeline.
TDEE estimates are based on population-level formulas and vary by individual. Use as a starting point and adjust based on real results over 2–4 weeks.

What is TDEE?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a typical day. It accounts for your Basal Metabolic Rate (the calories you burn just to stay alive), plus the energy you use for physical activity, digestion, and daily movement.

TDEE is your maintenance level — eating at this number keeps your weight stable. Eat below it to lose weight. Eat above it to gain weight. Every nutrition plan, calorie deficit, or bulk strategy starts with knowing this number.

TDEE formula

TDEE is calculated in two steps:

Step 1 — BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor)
Male: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
Female: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
Step 2 — TDEE
TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier
Activity multipliers
Sedentary × 1.2 · Lightly active × 1.375 · Moderately active × 1.55
Very active × 1.725 · Extra active × 1.9

How to use this TDEE calculator

  1. Choose your unit system — imperial (lb, ft, in) or metric (kg, cm).
  2. Enter your age and biological sex.
  3. Enter your height and current weight.
  4. Select your activity level honestly — this is the biggest source of error.
  5. Click Calculate TDEE to see your maintenance calories and scenario targets.
  6. Use the "What to do next" links to take action on your result.

Example calculation

A 30-year-old male, 5'9" (175 cm), 185 lb (84 kg), lightly active:

BMR = 10 × 84 + 6.25 × 175 − 5 × 30 + 5
= 840 + 1,094 − 150 + 5 = 1,789 cal/day
TDEE = 1,789 × 1.375 = 2,460 cal/day
To lose 1 lb/week: 2,460 − 500 = 1,960 cal/day
To lose 2 lb/week: 2,460 − 1,000 = 1,460 cal/day
To gain slowly: 2,460 + 250 = 2,710 cal/day

How to use your TDEE result

Once you have your TDEE, here is how to apply it to common goals:

Lose weight — eat 300–500 cal below TDEE for 0.5–1 lb loss per week
Lose weight faster — eat 500–1,000 cal below TDEE for 1–2 lb per week (upper safe limit)
Maintain weight — eat at TDEE
Gain muscle slowly — eat 150–300 cal above TDEE (lean bulk)
Gain faster — eat 300–500 cal above TDEE (expect some fat gain alongside muscle)

Your TDEE is an estimate, not an exact measurement. Treat it as a starting point, then adjust by 100–200 calories based on real results after 2–3 weeks.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep organs functioning. TDEE adds the calories burned through activity on top of BMR. TDEE is the number you actually need to eat at to maintain weight in real life.

How accurate is the TDEE calculator?

The Mifflin-St Jeor formula is accurate within about 10% for most people. The biggest source of error is activity level selection. Use it as a starting point and track your actual weight over 2–3 weeks to see if your real TDEE is higher or lower.

Why is my TDEE different from what I expected?

The most common reason is overestimating activity level. Many people think they are moderately active but are actually lightly active or sedentary outside of formal exercise. Try selecting one level lower and see if your real-world results match better.

Should I recalculate TDEE as I lose weight?

Yes — as your body weight decreases, your BMR and TDEE decrease too. Recalculate every 5–10 lbs of weight loss to keep your calorie target accurate. This is why weight loss often slows down over time without adjusting intake.

Does TDEE include exercise?

Yes — TDEE already accounts for exercise through the activity multiplier. If you choose the correct activity level, you should not add extra calories for workouts on top of your TDEE target.

Related health calculators

These tools are the natural next steps after finding your TDEE.

Calorie Deficit Calculator Turn your TDEE into a specific weight loss plan with a goal weight and target date. Macro Calculator Break your daily calorie target into protein, carbohydrate, and fat grams for your goal. BMR Calculator See your Basal Metabolic Rate in isolation — useful for understanding your base energy needs. BMI Calculator Check your Body Mass Index to understand where your current weight sits relative to healthy ranges.

Disclaimer

This TDEE calculator provides estimates based on the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, which is widely used but not individually calibrated. Actual calorie needs vary based on genetics, lean body mass, hormonal factors, and medical conditions. Use this result as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results. Consult a healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes.