Daily Calorie (TDEE) Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the calories you burn each day
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Calculate Your Daily Calories
Enter your details to find your BMR, TDEE, and calorie targets for your goals.
What is TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories you burn in a day when your physical activity is accounted for. It is your maintenance calories — consume this amount and you'll neither lose nor gain weight.
TDEE is calculated by taking your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and multiplying it by an activity factor that reflects how active you are throughout the day. Someone with a BMR of 1,500 kcal who is moderately active will have a higher TDEE than someone with the same BMR who is sedentary.
Components of TDEE
- BMR (60-75%): Calories burned just to keep your body alive at rest
- Thermic Effect of Food (10%): Energy used to digest food
- Exercise Activity (15-30%): Calories burned through deliberate exercise
- NEAT: Non-exercise activity like walking, fidgeting, standing
What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?
Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories your body needs to maintain basic life functions (breathing, circulating blood, cell production) at complete rest. If you stayed in bed all day, your BMR is the energy you'd burn.
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is considered the most accurate predictive equation for estimating BMR in healthy individuals. It was developed in 1990 and has been validated across many populations.
Factors That Affect BMR
- Muscle mass: More muscle = higher BMR (muscle is metabolically active)
- Age: BMR decreases about 1-2% per decade after age 20
- Sex: Males typically have higher BMR due to greater muscle mass
- Body size: Larger bodies require more energy to maintain
- Genetics: Some people naturally burn more calories at rest
- Hormones: Thyroid function significantly impacts metabolic rate
Understanding Activity Levels
The activity multiplier converts your BMR into your TDEE. Choosing the right level is crucial for accurate results.
Activity Multiplier Guide
- Sedentary (1.2): Desk job, little to no formal exercise. Most of the day is spent sitting.
- Lightly Active (1.375): Light exercise 1-3 days per week, or a job that involves some walking.
- Moderately Active (1.55): Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week. This is the most common level for regular gym-goers.
- Very Active (1.725): Hard exercise 6-7 days per week, or a physically demanding job combined with regular exercise.
- Extremely Active (1.9): Very hard daily exercise or training twice a day, combined with a physical job. Professional athletes or extremely active individuals.
Tip: Most people overestimate their activity level. When in doubt, choose one level lower than you think. You can always adjust upward if you're losing weight too quickly.
Using TDEE for Your Goals
To Lose Weight
Eat fewer calories than your TDEE. A common approach is a 500 calorie deficit per day, which translates to approximately 1 pound of weight loss per week (~3,500 calories = 1 lb). A more moderate 250-calorie deficit produces ~0.5 lb/week loss and is more sustainable long-term.
To Gain Weight / Build Muscle
Eat more than your TDEE. A surplus of 300-500 calories per day can support slow, steady muscle gain when combined with resistance training. Larger surpluses tend to add more fat than muscle.
To Maintain Weight
Aim to eat roughly your TDEE in calories each day. Track your weight over 2-3 weeks and adjust if you notice unintended changes.
Important Considerations
- Never eat below your BMR for extended periods — this is your body's "caloric floor"
- Women should generally not eat below 1,200 calories; men below 1,500 calories
- Individual needs vary — use TDEE as a starting point and adjust based on real results
- Combine this with our Calorie Deficit Calculator for weight loss planning
Frequently Asked Questions
BMR is the calories your body burns at complete rest just to survive (breathing, heartbeat, cell repair). TDEE includes BMR plus all the calories burned through daily activity, exercise, and digesting food. TDEE is always higher than BMR and represents your actual daily calorie needs.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990) has been shown in multiple studies to be more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict equation (1919) for modern populations. The American Dietetic Association recommends Mifflin-St Jeor as the most reliable equation for estimating BMR in healthy individuals.
TDEE calculations are estimates within about 10-15% of your actual expenditure. Factors like muscle mass, genetics, hormones, and metabolic adaptations can cause individual variation. Use the TDEE as a starting point, then adjust based on how your weight changes over 2-3 weeks.
To lose weight, eat below your TDEE but generally above your BMR. Eating below BMR for extended periods can slow metabolism, cause muscle loss, and lead to nutrient deficiencies. A deficit of 500 calories below TDEE is a safe and effective starting point for most people.
Recalculate every 10-15 pounds of weight change, or every 2-3 months. As you lose weight, your TDEE decreases because your body requires less energy to maintain a smaller frame. Similarly, if you gain muscle, your BMR may increase.
Yes. TDEE generally decreases with age due to loss of muscle mass and decreased activity levels. BMR drops about 1-2% per decade after age 20. This is one reason weight management becomes harder with age. Regular resistance training can help preserve muscle and maintain a higher metabolic rate.
⚠ Disclaimer
This calculator provides estimates based on standard metabolic equations. Individual results may vary based on muscle mass, genetics, hormones, and other factors. Use these values as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results. Consult a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes.
References & Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51(2), 241-247.
- Frankenfield D, et al. (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(5), 775-789.
- Hall KD, et al. (2012). Energy balance and its components: implications for body weight regulation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(4), 989-994.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH). Body Weight Planner — tools for weight management. niddk.nih.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Healthy weight — balancing calories. cdc.gov/healthy-weight