TDEE Calculator: Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Find out exactly how many calories you burn each day — and how many you need to eat to reach your goal. Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula with goal-specific calorie targets.
What Is TDEE and Why Does It Matter?
TDEE is the foundation of any nutrition plan. Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or maintaining your current physique, everything depends on the relationship between the calories you eat and the calories you burn. Eat below your TDEE and you lose weight. Eat above it and you gain weight. Eat at it and you maintain.
TDEE has two components: your BMR (the calories you burn at rest) and your activity factor (the calories added by exercise and daily movement). Most people underestimate their TDEE because they underestimate how much energy non-exercise activity (walking, fidgeting, household tasks) contributes.
For Weight Loss
A 500 kcal/day deficit produces ~0.5 kg of fat loss per week. This calculator uses a 20% deficit — sustainable and muscle-preserving when paired with high protein (1.2–2.0 g/kg).
For Muscle Gain
A 200–500 kcal surplus above TDEE provides energy for muscle protein synthesis. This calculator uses a 10% surplus — a lean bulk that minimises fat gain.
For Maintenance
Eating at TDEE stabilises body weight. This is also the starting point for body recomposition — slowly losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously.
For Athletes
High training volumes increase TDEE significantly. Selecting 'Very Active' or 'Athlete' correctly captures this. Under-eating relative to TDEE impairs performance and recovery.
Activity Level Multipliers
| Level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Desk job, little to no exercise | × 1.2 |
| Lightly Active | Light exercise 1–3 days/week | × 1.375 |
| Moderately Active | Moderate exercise 3–5 days/week | × 1.55 |
| Very Active | Hard exercise 6–7 days/week | × 1.725 |
| Athlete | 2× daily training or physical job | × 1.9 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your basal metabolic rate (BMR) plus calories burned through physical activity, digestion, and daily movement. It represents the number of calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at rest to maintain basic functions like breathing, circulation, and cell repair. TDEE is BMR multiplied by an activity factor to account for the calories burned through movement. For most people, TDEE is 1.2–1.9× their BMR.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A moderate deficit of 500–750 calories below your TDEE typically produces 0.5–0.75 kg (1–1.5 lb) of fat loss per week. This calculator applies a 20% deficit from TDEE for weight-loss goals, which is sustainable and preserves muscle when combined with adequate protein intake.
How many calories do I need to build muscle?
A calorie surplus of 200–500 calories above TDEE supports muscle gain while minimising excess fat accumulation. This calculator applies a 10% surplus for muscle-gain goals. Combined with a protein intake of 1.6–2.2 g/kg and progressive resistance training, this supports lean muscle growth.
How accurate is this TDEE calculator?
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which has the best accuracy in the research literature for most adults (within ±10% of measured values for ~80% of people). Individual metabolism varies, so treat the output as a starting point. Track your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust calories if the scale is not moving as expected.