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TDEE Calculator

Total daily energy expenditure from BMR and activity level. Shows maintenance, deficit and surplus targets. Metric and imperial. Free online.

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You've been tracking for three weeks and nothing's moving — time to actually calculate your maintenance calories instead of guessing.

TDEE Calculator
Nutrition
TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor Activity factors (Mifflin-St Jeor): Sedentary 1.2 · Light 1.375 · Moderate 1.55 · Very active 1.725 · Extremely active 1.9
Fat loss: −500 kcal/day ≈ 0.5 kg/week · Lean bulk: +200–300 kcal/day
Reference: Mifflin MD et al. — Am J Clin Nutr 1990
ℹ️ Results are estimates for planning purposes. Verify with current standards and a qualified professional.

1 What this calculator does

Calculates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the total calories your body burns each day accounting for your activity level. From your TDEE, the calculator also shows common deficit and surplus targets for weight loss and muscle gain.

2 Formula & professional reasoning

TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier | BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor) = (10×kg) + (6.25×cm) − (5×age) + 5 (male) or −161 (female)

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the most validated BMR formula for most adults. It estimates resting calorie burn. Your TDEE multiplies BMR by an activity factor (sedentary 1.2 through very active 1.9). Deficits of 250–500 kcal/day produce 0.25–0.5 kg/week weight loss. Surpuses of 200–350 kcal/day support muscle gain with minimal fat.

3 Worked examples

⚠️ Illustrative example only — not clinical or professional instruction.

Basic
Sedentary male, 30, 80 kg, 175 cm
Given: BMR: (10×80)+(6.25×175)−(5×30)+5 = 1,794 kcal · Activity: 1.2
Working: 1794 × 1.2
Answer: 2,153 kcal/day maintenance
💡 500 kcal deficit → 1,653 kcal/day for ~0.5 kg/week weight loss.
Standard
Moderately active female, 28, 65 kg, 163 cm
Given: BMR: (10×65)+(6.25×163)−(5×28)−161 = 1,451 kcal · Activity: 1.55
Working: 1451 × 1.55
Answer: 2,249 kcal/day maintenance
💡 250 kcal deficit → 1,999 kcal/day for gradual fat loss while preserving muscle.
Advanced
Very active male athlete, 25, 90 kg, 180 cm
Given: BMR: 1,935 kcal · Activity multiplier: 1.725
Working: 1935 × 1.725
Answer: 3,338 kcal/day maintenance
💡 Athletes often underestimate TDEE. 200 kcal surplus → 3,538 kcal for lean gaining phase.

4 Sanity check

Typical adult TDEE range
1,600–3,500 kcal/day
Very low or very high results usually indicate incorrect activity multiplier.
Minimum safe deficit
No more than 500 kcal/day
Larger deficits increase muscle loss and hormonal disruption risk.
Activity multiplier accuracy
Most people over-estimate
'Lightly active' is appropriate for most gym-goers who are sedentary at work.
TDEE changes with weight
Recalculate every 5 kg change
As you lose weight, your TDEE decreases — recalculate to avoid plateaus.

5 Common errors

ErrorCauseConsequenceFix
Wrong activity level Counting gym only, not total daily activity TDEE over-estimated by 200–400 kcal Consider your whole day — an office worker who trains 3x/week is 'lightly active', not 'moderately active'
Using TDEE as a cap Eating back exercise calories on top No deficit created Your TDEE already includes exercise. Eat at your TDEE number, not above it.
Not adjusting over time Sticking to initial calculation Plateau after 4–8 weeks Recalculate when weight changes by >3–5 kg or when progress stalls for 2+ weeks
Ignoring liquid calories Tracking only solid food Systematic undercount Log all drinks including alcohol, juice, protein shakes and flavoured coffee

6 Reference & regulatory links

🇦🇺 Australia
🇺🇸 United States

7 Professional workflow

Common tools used alongside this one:

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Macro Calculator
Once you know TDEE, use the Macro Calculator to set protein, carbs and fat targets
→
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Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
BMR is the starting point for TDEE — see the BMR calculator for the base figure
→
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Calorie Burn Estimator
Use Calorie Burn Estimator to check specific workout calorie burns
→