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.
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.
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.