English
العربية
Deutsch
Español
Français
Italiano
Português
Русский
Türkçe
Tiếng Việt
TDEE Calculator
Estimate how many calories you actually burn in a day.
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the number of calories your body gets through in a typical day, counting everything from breathing to your commute to the gym. It is the number every sensible nutrition plan is built on top of.
What makes up your TDEE
Roughly 60–70% of it is your basal metabolic rate: the energy your body spends simply existing — keeping your heart beating, your brain running and your temperature stable. You would burn this lying in bed all day.
On top of that sits the energy used digesting food (about 10%), deliberate exercise, and everything else you do while awake — walking, fidgeting, standing, carrying shopping. That last category varies wildly between people and is the main reason two individuals of identical size can have very different daily needs.
Getting your estimate
- Enter your age, sex, height and weight.
- Pick the activity level that honestly describes your week, not your intentions.
- Read your estimated TDEE in calories per day.
- Eat around that figure to maintain your current weight.
- Adjust by roughly 10–20% up or down to gain or lose, rather than by half.
Activity multipliers
| Level | Describes | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Desk job, little or no exercise | 1.2 |
| Lightly active | Light exercise 1–3 days a week | 1.375 |
| Moderately active | Moderate exercise 3–5 days a week | 1.55 |
| Very active | Hard exercise 6–7 days a week | 1.725 |
| Extra active | Physical job or twice-daily training | 1.9 |
How to use the number sensibly
A TDEE figure is an estimate built from population averages, not a measurement of you specifically. Individual metabolism varies by 10% or more in either direction, so treat it as a starting point rather than a verdict.
The practical approach is to eat at your estimated TDEE for two or three weeks, track your weight, and adjust based on what actually happens. Your scale is a better calculator than any formula. And if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are managing an eating disorder, this is a conversation to have with a doctor or registered dietitian rather than a website.
TDEE questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what you would burn at complete rest — the baseline cost of staying alive. TDEE is BMR multiplied by an activity factor, so it reflects everything you actually do in a day. TDEE is always the larger number.
How accurate is a TDEE calculation?
It is typically within about 10% for most people, which is useful but not precise. Body composition, genetics, medication and non-exercise movement all shift the real figure. Use it as a starting point and adjust from real-world results.
How many calories should I cut to lose weight?
A deficit of roughly 300–500 calories a day is the usual recommendation, producing gradual, sustainable loss. Very aggressive deficits tend to cost you muscle and are much harder to stick to.
Which activity level should I pick?
Most people overestimate. If you have a desk job and train three times a week, you are lightly to moderately active, not very active. When in doubt, choose the lower option — it is easier to add calories later than to work out why nothing is happening.
Does TDEE change over time?
Yes. It falls as you lose weight, because a smaller body costs less to run, and it shifts with age and activity. Recalculate every few kilograms or every couple of months.
