FitCalculationTDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — an estimate of the calories your body burns during a typical day. A TDEE calculator works it out from your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.
TDEE Calculator
Estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the calories you burn on an average day once your activity level is taken into account.
What this calculates
Basal energy is estimated from weight, height, age and sex, then multiplied by a factor describing how much you move in a day.
What is TDEE?
It includes the energy your body uses at rest (your BMR) plus the energy used during exercise, training, physical work, and everyday movement.
TDEE is commonly used as an estimate of your maintenance calories — the amount needed to maintain your current weight — though your actual maintenance can differ from any estimate. If you are using this TDEE calculator for weight loss, eating below that estimated maintenance creates a calorie deficit: treat the result as a starting point, plan a modest deficit, and adjust it from your real-world weight trend.
How is TDEE calculated?
Step 1 · Calculate BMR
BMR is the energy your body needs at rest. This calculator estimates it first, using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation:
Men: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5
Women: 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age − 161
Step 2 · Apply your activity multiplier
That BMR is then multiplied by an activity multiplier to estimate TDEE — the calories you burn across a whole day:
TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier
- Sedentary×1.2
- Lightly active×1.375
- Moderately active×1.55
- Very active×1.725
- Extra active×1.9
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
TDEE is an estimate. Predictive equations such as Mifflin-St Jeor can differ from your actual energy expenditure because they cannot measure your individual metabolism or body composition.
Your activity level choice introduces additional uncertainty: the multiplier is selected from a description of your week rather than measured directly, so it can introduce meaningful variation into the estimate.
Treat the result as a starting point, track your weight for two to three weeks, and adjust from there. This tool is for general information and is not medical advice.
TDEE vs BMR
BMR
Your basal metabolic rate is the estimated energy your body requires at complete rest — the calories needed to keep basic functions running. A BMR calculator estimates it from factors such as your age, sex, height, and weight, before any activity is counted.
TDEE
Total Daily Energy Expenditure includes BMR plus the estimated energy expenditure associated with your daily activity. In short, BMR covers a resting day, while TDEE covers an entire day including movement, exercise, and training.
Both values
This TDEE calculator uses BMR as its starting point: it estimates your BMR first, then scales it by your activity level to estimate your daily energy expenditure — and it reports both values from the same set of inputs.
Which activity level should I choose?
Choose the activity level that best represents your typical overall activity — including exercise, training, and any physical work — not just your workouts.
Match your week to one of the five options: Sedentary covers little or no exercise; Lightly active covers light exercise 1–3 days per week; Moderately active covers moderate exercise 3–5 days per week; Very active covers hard exercise 6–7 days per week; and Extra active covers very hard exercise or a physically demanding job. Your choice sets the multiplier applied to your BMR to estimate your TDEE.
TDEE FAQ
What is a TDEE calculator?
A TDEE calculator estimates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total calories you burn in a day, whether you are resting, training, or simply going about your routine. This free TDEE calculator does the work for you and returns your estimate in calories per day.
How do I calculate my TDEE?
Estimate your BMR first, then multiply it by an activity multiplier that matches your week — the TDEE formula is TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier. Enter your details above and the calculator runs both steps for you.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
It is a useful estimate, not a measurement. Your inputs and your activity-level choice both affect the result, so treat the number as a starting point and adjust from how your weight changes over a couple of weeks.
What is my TDEE?
Your TDEE is the estimated number of calories you burn on an average day. Enter your details in the calculator above to see yours — it doubles as an estimate of your daily maintenance calories.
How do I use my TDEE to lose weight?
Eat fewer calories than your TDEE. A modest, consistent deficit below your maintenance estimate is the usual starting point — and because TDEE is an estimate, adjust it based on how your weight actually changes.
How do I use my TDEE to gain weight?
Eat more calories than your TDEE. A small, steady surplus above your maintenance estimate is the usual approach to gaining gradually — start modest and increase only if your weight is not moving.
What activity level should I choose for a TDEE calculator?
Choose the level that matches your whole week — exercise, physical work, and everyday movement together, not just your workouts. If you sit between two options, start with the lower one and adjust from your results.
What is the difference between TDEE and maintenance calories?
They usually describe the same number from two angles: TDEE is what you burn, and maintenance calories are what you eat to hold your weight steady. Eating roughly at your TDEE should maintain your current weight.
Does TDEE change when I lose or gain weight?
Yes. TDEE is calculated from your weight and activity, so losing weight tends to lower it and gaining weight tends to raise it — your calorie needs shift as your body does.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate every few weeks, or whenever your weight or activity level changes noticeably. If your weight has been steady for two to three weeks, your current estimate still applies.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR — basal metabolic rate — is the estimated energy your body uses at complete rest, while TDEE is the estimated energy for a full day, including activity. In other words, BMR is one component of TDEE.
How is BMR calculated?
Most BMR calculators, including this one, use the Mifflin-St Jeor formula — a predictive equation built from four inputs: sex, height, weight, and age. A BMR calculator for women and one for men differ only in the final constant, and you can see both versions in Step 1 above.
How accurate is a BMR or TDEE calculator?
Both are estimates. Predictive equations can differ from what your body actually burns, and your activity-level choice adds variation. Formulas based on weight also ignore body composition. Some BMR formulas use body fat as an additional input when that measurement is available. Treat any result as a starting point and adjust over time.
How do I use BMR to estimate my daily calorie needs?
Start with your BMR, then apply an activity multiplier that matches your typical week — BMR × multiplier estimates your TDEE, the calories needed to maintain your current weight. In practice, this calculator does that for you: enter your details and both figures appear in the results panel.
Can I use TDEE for weight loss?
Yes — many people use their TDEE as a maintenance-calories estimate and plan a modest calorie deficit below it. Because TDEE is an estimate rather than an exact figure, treat it as a baseline to adjust from as you track results over a few weeks.