🔥 TDEE Calculator (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)

Calculate your total daily energy expenditure and goal-based calorie intake

Age

Gender

Weight (kg)

Height (cm)

Activity level

Goal

Recommended daily calories

—

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — Total Daily Energy (TDEE) —

📊 Recommended Macronutrients (Macros)

Protein—

Fat—

Carbs—

💪 Protein tips

2g per kg of body weight
Chicken breast, eggs, tofu
Spread evenly across meals
Within 30 min after workout

🥑 Fat tips

25-30% of total calories
Nuts, avocado, olive oil
Omega-3 fatty acids matter
Avoid trans fats

🍚 Carb tips

Use as energy source
Brown rice, sweet potato, oats
Important around workouts
Limit refined carbs

GUIDE

Learn more

📊 What is TDEE and Why It Matters

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total of all calories you burn in a day. It includes your basal metabolic rate (BMR), activity expenditure, the thermic effect of food (TEF), and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). To lose weight you eat below your TDEE; to gain weight you eat above it. Knowing your TDEE accurately enables effective meal planning and weight management so you can reach your goal weight healthily without yo-yo dieting. Because TDEE varies greatly by age, gender, weight, height, and activity level, using a TDEE calculator to set your own precise calorie baseline is important.

💡 The Difference Between BMR and TDEE

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the minimum energy needed to sustain life — the calories burned at complete rest, used for heartbeat, breathing, body temperature, and cell renewal. Average BMR is about 1,600-1,800 calories for adult men and 1,200-1,400 for women. TDEE is BMR multiplied by an activity factor, covering exercise, daily activity, and digestion. For example, someone with a BMR of 1,500 calories doing moderate activity (exercise 3-5x/week) has a TDEE of about 2,325 calories. Multiply BMR by 1.2 for sedentary, 1.375 for light, 1.55 for moderate, 1.725 for active, and 1.9 for very active.

🎯 Choosing Your Activity Level

The most important part of a TDEE calculation is accurately assessing your activity level. "Sedentary" means little exercise and a desk job, under 5,000 steps a day. "Lightly active" is light exercise 1-3x/week or an active job, 5,000-7,500 steps. "Moderately active" is moderate exercise 3-5x/week or manual labor, 7,500-10,000 steps. "Very active" is intense exercise 6-7x/week or heavy labor, 10,000-12,500 steps. "Extremely active" is training twice a day or athlete-level, over 12,500 steps. Many people overestimate their activity level, so it is best to choose conservatively.

⚡ Setting a Calorie Deficit or Surplus

To lose weight, eat below your TDEE to create a calorie deficit. A healthy rate of loss is 0.5-1kg per week, requiring a 500-1,000 calorie daily deficit (1kg ≈ 7,700 calories). Avoid overly large deficits (more than 40% of TDEE) which cause muscle loss, slowed metabolism, and nutrient deficiency. To gain weight, eat above your TDEE; the ideal surplus for muscle gain is 300-500 calories per day, while an excessive surplus adds body fat. If maintenance is the goal, eat at your TDEE within a ±200 calorie range. Weigh yourself regularly and adjust intake based on results.

📈 Setting Macronutrient Ratios

Once you know your TDEE, the next step is setting your macronutrient ratios. Protein at 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight is recommended and is essential for muscle synthesis and satiety; protein provides 4 calories per gram. Fat at 20-35% of total calories is appropriate and important for hormone production and vitamin absorption; fat provides 9 calories per gram. Carbohydrates fill the remaining calories and fuel exercise; carbs provide 4 calories per gram. For example, a 70kg adult with a 2,000-calorie TDEE wanting to lose weight could set protein at 140g (560 cal, 35%), fat at 50g (450 cal, 28%), and carbs at 185g (740 cal, 37%). Adjust ratios to your preferences and goals.

🔍 Tracking and Adjusting Your TDEE

A TDEE calculator gives an estimate, so observe real results and adjust. Weigh yourself at the same time each day (morning, fasted) and record a weekly average. If your weight is stable for 2-3 weeks, your current intake equals your real TDEE. If you lose weight faster than expected, you underestimated TDEE — increase intake. If you gain weight, you overestimated TDEE — reduce intake. Logging daily calories and macros with an app (MyFitnessPal, Cronometer) makes patterns easy to spot. If weight loss stalls, metabolic adaptation has occurred — recalculate TDEE or introduce a refeed day (raise carbs 1-2x/week) to stimulate metabolism. For lasting healthy weight, build sustainable eating habits and keep a balanced diet matched to your TDEE.

Frequently asked questions

How is TDEE calculated?

Your BMR is computed with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplied by an activity factor (1.2-1.9) to get TDEE.

How are goal calories determined?

Weight loss subtracts 500 calories from TDEE, weight gain adds 500, and maintenance uses TDEE as is.