Free calculator
TDEE Calculator
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
Personal Information
The short answer
Your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the number of calories you burn in a day. This calculator estimates it by working out your resting burn (BMR) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and multiplying it by an activity factor between 1.2 and 1.9. Eat about 500 calories below it to lose weight slowly, or a little above it to gain.
01 / How it works
How the tdee calculator works
TDEE is everything your body burns in 24 hours: your basal metabolic rate (the energy to keep you alive at rest), the energy used to digest food, planned exercise, and all the walking, fidgeting and standing you do without thinking about it.
Measuring that directly needs a lab. Instead, the calculator does it in two steps. First it estimates your BMR from your sex, age, height and weight with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the equation a systematic review of predictive formulas found to be the most reliable for healthy adults. Then it multiplies the BMR by an activity factor that stands in for everything else you burn in a day.
Pick the activity level that describes a normal week, not your best week. Most people who train three to five times a week and sit at a desk the rest of the time land between "light" and "moderate". Finally, the calculator adds or subtracts 500 calories for your goal and splits the target into protein, fat and carbs.
02 / Formula
The TDEE formulas
Mifflin-St Jeor equation (BMR)
Men: BMR = 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age + 5 Women: BMR = 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age − 161
- weight in kilograms
- height in centimetres
- age in years
- BMR in kilocalories (calories) per day
TDEE
TDEE = BMR × activity factor
- activity factor = 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active); see the table below
The activity factors are a long-standing convention used by dietitians and in textbooks, with no single original study behind them. They are rough bands rather than measured values, which is why your real TDEE can differ from the estimate.
Calorie target and macros
Target = TDEE − 500 (lose) · TDEE (maintain) · TDEE + 500 (gain) Protein = 2 g × body weight in kg Fat = 25% of target calories ÷ 9 Carbs = remaining calories ÷ 4
Protein and carbohydrate carry about 4 calories per gram and fat about 9. The 2 g/kg protein figure sits at the top of the 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg range the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends for people who exercise.
03 / Worked example
Worked examples
A 30-year-old man who trains four times a week
He is 180 cm tall, weighs 80 kg, has a desk job and lifts four days a week, so he picks moderate (×1.55). He wants to lose fat.
- 1BMR = 10 × 80 + 6.25 × 180 − 5 × 30 + 5
- 2BMR = 800 + 1,125 − 150 + 5 = 1,780 kcal
- 3TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 = 2,759 kcal
- 4Target = 2,759 − 500 = 2,259 kcal
- 5Protein = 2 × 80 = 160 g · Fat = 2,259 × 0.25 ÷ 9 ≈ 63 g
- 6Carbs = (2,259 − 640 − 567) ÷ 4 ≈ 263 g
He burns about 2,760 calories a day. Eating about 2,260 calories with 160 g of protein should lead to slow, steady fat loss.
A 35-year-old woman who walks and does two workouts a week
She is 165 cm, 65 kg, and picks light (×1.375).
- 1BMR = 10 × 65 + 6.25 × 165 − 5 × 35 − 161
- 2BMR = 650 + 1,031 − 175 − 161 ≈ 1,345 kcal
- 3TDEE = 1,345 × 1.375 ≈ 1,850 kcal
Her maintenance intake is about 1,850 calories a day.
04 / Reference
TDEE charts and tables
| Activity level | Typical week | Factor | TDEE for the 80 kg example (BMR 1,780) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Desk job, little or no exercise | 1.2 | 2,136 kcal |
| Light | Exercise 1–3 days a week | 1.375 | 2,448 kcal |
| Moderate | Exercise 3–5 days a week | 1.55 | 2,759 kcal |
| Active | Hard exercise 6–7 days a week | 1.725 | 3,071 kcal |
| Very active | Hard daily training plus a physical job, or training twice a day | 1.9 | 3,382 kcal |
The jump between neighbouring levels is 300 calories or more, so an honest choice matters more than any other input.
| Goal | Adjustment | Rough rate of change at first |
|---|---|---|
| Lose weight | −500 kcal a day | About 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week |
| Maintain | 0 | Weight stays about the same |
| Gain weight | +500 kcal a day | About 0.5 kg (1 lb) a week |
The "500 calories a day equals about 1 lb a week" rule only holds for the first weeks. As you lose weight you burn less, so progress slows unless you recalculate.
05 / Training
How to use your TDEE
- Treat it as a starting point. Eat at your target for two to three weeks and weigh yourself several mornings a week. If your average weight has not moved the way you expected, change your intake by 100 to 200 calories and check again.
- Recalculate after every 4 to 5 kg of change. A lighter body burns less, so the same intake gives slower results over time. See how to break through a weight-loss plateau.
- Keep protein high and keep lifting while you cut. Resistance training plus enough protein helps you keep muscle in a deficit. Compound lifts such as barbell squats, barbell deadlifts and the barbell bench press give the most return for the time.
- Move more outside the gym. Daily steps change TDEE more than most people expect. Read the easy way to boost your metabolism: NEAT.
- Want a finer split of protein, fat and carbs? Use the macro calculator. For resting burn only, use the BMR calculator.
06 / Limitations
Limitations and safety
Any equation gives an estimate for a typical person of your size, not a measurement of you. In a systematic review, Mifflin-St Jeor predicted resting burn within 10% of the measured value in more people than any other equation; a later study found it within 10% for 87% of non-obese and 75% of obese adults. So roughly one person in five will be further off than that.
The activity factor is the weakest part of the estimate. Your scale over a few weeks is a better guide than the number on this page.
Very low calorie targets are not a good idea without supervision. If the calculator gives you a target under about 1,200 calories, or you have a history of disordered eating, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian first.
This calculator gives an estimate for general fitness education. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or are new to hard exercise, check with a doctor first.
07 / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does TDEE stand for?
Total daily energy expenditure: the total number of calories your body uses in a day, including your resting metabolism, digestion, exercise and everyday movement.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
It is a good starting estimate, not an exact figure. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation predicts resting burn within 10% for most, but not all, adults, and the activity factor adds more uncertainty. Track your weight for two to three weeks and adjust by 100 to 200 calories if needed.
Should I eat my TDEE to lose weight?
No. Eating at your TDEE should keep your weight about the same. To lose weight you need to eat less than your TDEE; a deficit of about 500 calories a day is a common, sustainable starting point.
Which activity level should I choose?
Choose the one that matches a normal week. If you train three to five times a week but sit most of the day, "moderate" (1.55) is usually the most you should pick, and "light" (1.375) is safer if you are unsure. People tend to overestimate their activity.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what you would burn lying at rest all day. TDEE is BMR plus everything else you do, so it is always higher: about 1.2 times BMR for a sedentary person and up to about 1.9 times for a very active one.
Do I need to recalculate my TDEE as I lose weight?
Yes. A smaller body burns fewer calories, so recalculate after every 4 to 5 kg (about 10 lb) of change, or sooner if your progress stalls for more than three weeks.
How much protein should I eat?
The calculator uses 2 g per kg of body weight. The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 1.4 to 2.0 g/kg a day for people who exercise, and higher intakes within that range can help you keep muscle while dieting.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247.
- Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(5):775-789.
- Frankenfield DC. Bias and accuracy of resting metabolic rate equations in non-obese and obese adults. Clin Nutr. 2013;32(6):976-982.
- Hall KD, Sacks G, Chandramohan D, et al. Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight. Lancet. 2011;378(9793):826-837.
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20.
Related tools
- Macro CalculatorGet daily calories and grams of protein, fat and carbs for losing fat, maintaining or building muscle.
- BMR CalculatorEstimate the calories your body burns at rest with Mifflin-St Jeor, plus Harris-Benedict and your burn with exercise.
- Body Fat CalculatorEstimate your body fat percentage with a tape measure, using the US Navy method in cm or inches.
From the blog
Exercises to try
- Barbell SquatsBeginner compound barbell exercise for the quadriceps, also working the glutes.
- Barbell DeadliftIntermediate compound barbell exercise for the hamstrings, also working the glutes, abs and calves.
- Barbell Bench PressBeginner compound barbell exercise for the chest, also working the triceps and shoulders.
- TreadmillBeginner cardio on the treadmill, for heart and lung fitness.
Hit your calorie target without the spreadsheet
GymStreak logs meals from a photo or a quick description and builds workouts around your goal, so your numbers turn into a daily plan.
