TDEE Calculator Guide

A TDEE Calculator estimates how many calories your body uses in a day, which gives you a starting point for planning how much to eat. TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period, based on factors such as your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate your BMR, then multiplies it by an activity factor to get your estimated daily maintenance calories. It also shows simple weight loss and weight gain targets 500 calories below and above that figure. It is free, works on any device, and requires no sign-up. It is designed for adults (18 and over).

What TDEE Includes: Your TDEE is made up of your BMR (calories burned at rest), TEF (calories burned digesting food), NEAT (calories burned in daily movement like walking or fidgeting), and the calories burned in intentional exercise.

How TDEE is Calculated: The Components of Daily Energy

1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

This is the energy your body needs to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing, and cells functioning while at rest. For many people it makes up roughly 60–70% of total daily energy expenditure.

2. Exercise and Daily Activity

The calories burned during intentional exercise, such as weightlifting, running, or swimming. This calculator does not measure exercise directly. It applies an "activity multiplier" to your BMR to account for it.

3. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

NEAT covers the energy you use for everything that isn't sleeping, eating, or structured exercise, like walking around, fidgeting, or standing. It is part of what the activity multiplier represents.

The Mifflin-St Jeor Formula

Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5

Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) − 161

TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier

How to Use This Calculator:

Select Male or Female (the equation uses different constants for each).
Enter your age (18–100), weight in kg and height in cm.
Select your Activity Level. Choose the one that best matches a typical week.
Review the results: your estimated maintenance calories appear immediately, along with weight loss (−500) and weight gain (+500) targets. Results update as you type.

Nutrition Tip: Whatever your calorie target, the quality of your diet matters too. Adequate protein can help preserve muscle mass when eating below maintenance.

The "Activity Trap": Many people overestimate how much they exercise. If you work a desk job but go to the gym 3 times a week, you may be closer to "Lightly" or "Moderately Active" than "Very Active." When in doubt, choose the lower level for a more conservative estimate.

TDEE Activity Multipliers Used by This Calculator

Activity Level	Description	Multiplier
Sedentary	Office 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	Heavy exercise 6–7 days/week.	1.725
Athlete	Professional training, 2x per day.	1.9

What This Calculator Does — and Doesn't — Include

This tool gives you an estimate of your maintenance calories plus simple ±500 calorie targets. It currently accepts metric units (kg and cm) only, and it does not split your calories into protein, carbohydrate and fat targets. Body composition, such as a high muscle mass, is not part of the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.

Medical Disclaimer: Calculations are estimates based on population averages. Individual metabolisms can vary due to genetics, hormonal health, and muscle mass. This tool is not suitable for children and teenagers, or for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or who have a medical condition affecting their metabolism or diet. Always consult a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or exercise routine, particularly if you plan to eat below your maintenance calories.

Conclusion

Knowing your estimated TDEE gives you a starting point for setting calorie goals, whether you are aiming to lose, maintain, or gain weight. Treat the number as an estimate, watch how your weight actually changes over a few weeks, and adjust. Re-check your numbers when your weight or activity changes.

Metabolism & Nutrition: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR is the number of calories you burn at rest. TDEE is your BMR plus all the calories you burn from digesting food, daily movement, working, and exercising.

How many calories should I cut for weight loss?

A common starting point is to eat about 500 calories below your TDEE, which in simple models works out to roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of weight loss per week. Real results vary from person to person and tend to change over time. Very low intakes are not suitable for most people without medical supervision, so if the target shown here is below the minimum noted by the calculator, speak to a healthcare professional first.

Does drinking water increase my TDEE?

Water has no calories, and staying hydrated is important for health in general. Some small studies suggest drinking cold water may slightly raise energy use as the body warms it, but the effect is minor and the evidence is mixed.

Why am I not losing weight even in a deficit?

Your TDEE estimate may be higher than your true expenditure, you may be overestimating your activity level, or you may be under-tracking food intake (sauces and drinks count). Water retention can also temporarily hide fat loss on the scale. If you are concerned, speak with a healthcare professional.

Can I enter my weight in pounds instead of kg?

This calculator currently accepts metric units only (kg and cm). To convert, divide pounds by 2.205 for kg, and multiply inches by 2.54 for cm.

Does this tool tell me how much protein, carbs, and fat to eat?

No. This calculator only provides total daily calorie numbers (maintenance, a 500-calorie lower target, and a 500-calorie higher target). It does not provide a protein, carbohydrate or fat breakdown.

Why does the calculator show "--"?

"--" appears when a field is empty or outside the supported range: age 18 to 100, weight 25 to 500 kg, and height 100 to 250 cm. A message below the results tells you what to fix.

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