How to Calculate Your TDEE
Select your gender, enter your age, weight, and height, then choose your activity level from the five options: Sedentary (desk job, minimal movement), Lightly Active (light exercise 1-3 days/week), Moderately Active (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week), Very Active (hard exercise 6-7 days/week), or Extremely Active (physical job plus daily exercise). The calculator instantly shows your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) — calories burned at rest — and your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) — total daily calorie burn including activity.
Use the TDEE as the baseline for your calorie target. For weight loss, subtract 300-500 calories from your TDEE. For maintenance, eat at your TDEE. For muscle gain, add 200-300 calories above your TDEE. Recalculate whenever your weight changes by 10+ lbs or your activity level shifts significantly, since TDEE changes as body weight changes.
Why Use This TDEE Calculator?
- Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most accurate BMR formula validated by modern research
- Metric and imperial unit toggle so you can enter weight in kg or lbs, height in cm or inches
- Shows both BMR and TDEE clearly so you understand what each number means
- Displays five calorie goal presets color-coded by goal (aggressive cut, moderate cut, maintain, moderate bulk, aggressive bulk)
- Includes medical disclaimer — TDEE estimates require professional validation for clinical decisions
- 100% browser-based — your health data never leaves your device
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE and why does it matter?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in 24 hours, including rest, digestion, and activity. It is the single most important number for any diet plan. If you eat more than your TDEE, you gain weight; if you eat less, you lose weight. No diet approach works without understanding this energy balance principle.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep you alive (heart beating, lungs breathing). TDEE is BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for daily movement and exercise. BMR is always lower than TDEE. You should set your calorie target based on TDEE, not BMR — eating at BMR level creates an excessively large deficit that can cause muscle loss.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
TDEE calculators are typically accurate within 10-15% of your actual expenditure. Use the calculator's estimate as a starting point, then track calories and body weight for 2-3 weeks. If your weight is stable at that intake, the calculator's TDEE estimate was accurate. If you are losing or gaining weight unexpectedly, adjust the target by 100-200 calories and re-evaluate.
How many calories should I eat to lose 1 pound per week?
A 3,500-calorie deficit produces approximately 1 pound of fat loss. To lose 1 pound per week, you need a daily deficit of 500 calories (500 × 7 = 3,500). Subtract 500 from your TDEE to get your weight loss calorie target. For 0.5 pounds per week (a more sustainable pace), subtract 250 calories from your TDEE instead.
Should I eat back calories burned during exercise?
If your TDEE calculation already accounts for your exercise level (which it should when you select the correct activity multiplier), then no — exercise calories are already included. Only eat back exercise calories if you calculated TDEE at sedentary level and then did additional exercise on top. Be cautious with calorie estimates from fitness trackers, as they often overestimate by 20-40%.
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