TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), resting metabolic rate, and exact daily calories needed to maintain, lose fat, or build muscle.
| Macronutrient | Grams / Day | Calories | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein (4 kcal/g) | 170 g | 679 kcal | 30% |
| Carbohydrates (4 kcal/g) | 226 g | 905 kcal | 40% |
| Fats (9 kcal/g) | 75 g | 679 kcal | 30% |
| Energy Component | Description | Est. Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) | Cellular repair, organ function, heart and lung operation | 1,783 kcal |
| Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) | Digestion and nutrient absorption (~10% of total calories) | 276 kcal |
| Activity (NEAT + EAT) | Walking, desk fidgeting, standing, and workout training | 704 kcal |
How to Use This Calculator
Finding your exact daily calorie burn and target nutrition takes under ten seconds:
- Select Your Measurement System & Sex: Toggle between US Imperial (pounds, feet, inches) or Metric (kilograms, centimeters) and select your biological sex for baseline hormone and metabolic rate calibration.
- Enter Your Age, Weight & Height: Input your current biological age, morning scale weight, and height. If you know your body fat percentage from a recent DEXA scan, enter it to enable Lean Body Mass (LBM) calculation.
- Select Your True Activity Level: Be conservative. If you have an office desk job and go to the gym 3 to 4 times per week, select "Lightly Active" or "Moderately Active" rather than "Very Active" to avoid overestimating your energy burn.
- Choose Your Goal & Macro Split: Select whether you want to maintain weight, enter a fat-loss deficit (-500 or -750 kcal), or lean bulk (+300 kcal). Select your preferred macronutrient profile to immediately receive your daily grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
The Formula
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is calculated by establishing your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and multiplying it by your Physical Activity Level (PAL) factor:
Understanding the Components of Daily Burn
Your TDEE comprises four distinct energy pathways: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) makes up 60% to 70% of total daily burn to sustain your brain, heart, kidneys, and liver. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) burns approximately 10% of your energy simply chewing, digesting, and processing meals (protein has the highest thermic cost at roughly 20% to 30%). Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) covers all spontaneous daily movement like fidgeting, pacing, and climbing stairs. Finally, Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT) represents planned physical fitness sessions.
Example
Let us walk through a concrete, realistic fitness scenario: David is a 32-year-old male accountant who weighs 185 lbs (83.91 kg) and stands 5 feet 10 inches tall (177.8 cm). He works at a desk all day but hits the gym 4 afternoons per week (Moderately Active, PAL 1.55). His goal is sustainable fat loss with a 500-calorie daily deficit and a Balanced macro split (30% Protein / 40% Carbs / 30% Fat).
- Step 1 — Calculate Resting BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor):
BMR = (10 × 83.91) + (6.25 × 177.8) − (5 × 32) + 5
BMR = 839.1 + 1111.25 − 160 + 5 = 1,795.35 kcal/day. - Step 2 — Multiply by Activity Factor to Find Maintenance TDEE:
TDEE = 1,795.35 × 1.55 = 2,782.79 kcal/day. (David can eat ~2,783 calories each day to stay exactly 185 lbs). - Step 3 — Apply Fat Loss Caloric Deficit:
Target Daily Intake = 2,782.79 − 500 = 2,282.79 kcal/day (rounds to 2,283 kcal).
Over 7 days, this creates a 3,500 kcal deficit, yielding ~1.0 lb (~0.45 kg) of weekly fat loss. - Step 4 — Calculate Daily Macronutrient Grams:
• Protein (30%): (2,283 × 0.30) ÷ 4 kcal/g = 684.9 ÷ 4 = 171 grams.
• Carbs (40%): (2,283 × 0.40) ÷ 4 kcal/g = 913.2 ÷ 4 = 228 grams.
• Fats (30%): (2,283 × 0.30) ÷ 9 kcal/g = 684.9 ÷ 9 = 76 grams.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) measures the minimum energy your vital organs burn at complete physical rest. Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) accounts for your BMR plus all calories expended walking, working, exercising, and digesting food throughout the day.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight (Cutting deficit)?
A standard, healthy cutting deficit is 500 calories below your calculated TDEE. Because one pound of body fat contains roughly 3,500 calories of stored energy, a 500-calorie daily deficit produces approximately one pound of fat loss per week without sacrificing muscle mass.
Why do most people overestimate their activity level on TDEE calculators?
Most people base their choice solely on 45 minutes spent at the gym while ignoring the remaining 15 hours of the day. If you work a seated office job and work out 3 days a week, you are physiologically Lightly Active, not Moderately or Very Active. Overestimating activity level inflates your calorie target and stalls weight loss.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE as I lose weight?
You should recalculate your TDEE every 10 to 15 pounds (4.5 to 7 kg) of weight loss, or whenever your progress plateaus for more than three consecutive weeks. As your body mass drops, moving a lighter body burns fewer calories, causing your maintenance baseline to decrease.
Should I use Mifflin-St Jeor or Katch-McArdle formula?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the clinical standard for general populations when body fat is unknown. If you have an accurate DEXA scan, hydrostatic weighing, or reliable caliper reading of your body fat percentage, entering it activates the Katch-McArdle formula, which calculates energy burn directly from your Lean Body Mass (LBM).