Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the number of calories you burn per day based on your BMR and activity level.
How the TDEE Formula Works
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier. Your Basal Metabolic Rate is calculated first, then multiplied by a factor that accounts for your daily physical activity.
Lightly Active (1.375): Light exercise 1-3 days/week
Moderately Active (1.55): Moderate exercise 3-5 days/week
Very Active (1.725): Hard exercise 6-7 days/week
Extra Active (1.9): Very hard exercise and physical job
Frequently Asked Questions
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your basal metabolic rate (BMR) plus calories burned through physical activity and the thermic effect of food.
To calculate your TDEE: first find your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula (10 × weight in kg + 6.25 × height in cm − 5 × age + 5 for men, or −161 for women), then multiply your BMR by your activity factor: 1.2 for sedentary, 1.375 for lightly active, 1.55 for moderately active, 1.725 for very active, or 1.9 for extra active.
TDEE is calculated by first finding your BMR using formulas like Mifflin-St Jeor (10 x weight in kg + 6.25 x height in cm - 5 x age - 161 for women, +5 for men) and then multiplying it by an activity factor ranging from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active).
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body needs at complete rest just to maintain vital functions. TDEE includes BMR plus all additional calories burned through daily activities, exercise, and digestion. TDEE is always higher than BMR.
TDEE calculators provide a useful estimate, but individual results vary. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula is accurate within ±10% for most people. To lose weight, eat 300–500 calories below your TDEE. Track your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust if you are not losing at the expected rate, since factors like muscle mass, hormones, and stress affect actual calorie burn.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate predictive formula for estimating calorie needs, with an accuracy of about plus or minus 10%. Individual factors like muscle mass, genetics, and metabolic conditions can cause variation.
No. To lose weight, you need to eat below your TDEE (caloric deficit). A common recommendation is to eat 300-500 calories below your TDEE for steady, sustainable weight loss of about 0.5-1 lb per week. To gain weight, eat above your TDEE.
Recalculate your TDEE every 4-6 weeks or whenever your weight changes by more than 5 lbs, your activity level changes significantly, or your progress stalls. As you lose weight, your TDEE decreases.
Your TDEE is the total number of calories you burn each day. It combines your Basal Metabolic Rate (the energy your body uses at rest) with your physical activity level. Knowing your TDEE is the foundation for any nutrition plan.
Stress & Your Body
Chronic stress raises cortisol and disrupts sleep — both of which suppress fat loss even at the right calorie intake. Understand your emotional patterns to train and eat smarter.
