TDEE Calculator
This TDEE calculator estimates your total daily energy expenditure: the calories you burn in a typical day, including exercise and everyday movement. It starts from your basal metabolic rate (BMR), multiplies it by an activity factor and shows a starting point for losing or gaining weight. A table shows your TDEE at all five activity levels, so you can see how much movement changes the number.
Updated
Results
- BMR (kcal/day)Calories burned at rest
- BMR formula
- To lose weight (kcal/day)TDEE − 500, with a minimum
- To gain weight (kcal/day)TDEE + 500
- Calorie floorMinimum of 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men)
| Activity factor | Calories per day (kcal) |
|---|
Results are estimates. See the methodology below.
How to use the TDEE calculator
- Keep US units (pounds, feet and inches) or switch to metric.
- Choose your sex and enter your age (18 or older), weight and height.
- Pick the activity level that matches a normal week, counting your job as well as workouts. If you are unsure, choose the lower one.
- Optional: open Advanced options and enter your body fat percentage if you know it from a reliable measurement. The calculator then switches to the Katch-McArdle formula.
- Read your TDEE, your BMR, the formula used and the targets to lose or gain weight.
How TDEE is calculated
1. BMR
By default the calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990), with weight in kg and height in cm:
BMR = 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age + 5 for men, or − 161 for women.
If you enter your body fat, it uses Katch-McArdle instead, which depends only on lean body mass: BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean mass (kg), where lean mass = weight × (1 − body fat %).
2. Activity factor
| Activity level | Factor |
|---|---|
| Sedentary: desk job, little or no exercise | 1.2 |
| Lightly active: exercise 1–3 days a week | 1.375 |
| Moderately active: exercise 3–5 days a week | 1.55 |
| Very active: hard exercise 6–7 days a week | 1.725 |
| Extremely active: physical job or training twice a day | 1.9 |
TDEE = BMR × factor.
3. Lose and gain targets
The lose target is TDEE − 500 kcal and the gain target TDEE + 500 kcal. The lose target never goes below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men; when that floor applies, the Calorie floor result says so.
Examples
Woman, 35, 5 ft 5 in, 150 lb, lightly active
BMR 1,376 kcal × 1.375 = TDEE 1,892 kcal. Lose: 1,392 kcal; gain: 2,392 kcal. Across the five levels her TDEE runs from 1,652 kcal (sedentary) to 2,615 kcal (extremely active).
Man, 30, 5 ft 11 in, 185 lb, moderately active
Mifflin-St Jeor gives a BMR of 1,821 kcal and a TDEE of 2,823 kcal. If he enters 15% body fat, Katch-McArdle gives a BMR of 1,911 kcal and a TDEE of 2,962 kcal; for him the lean-mass formula gives the higher estimate.
Woman, 62, 5 ft 1 in, 125 lb, sedentary
BMR 1,064 kcal, TDEE 1,277 kcal. Subtracting 500 would leave 777 kcal, so the lose target is set to the 1,200 kcal floor, a deficit of only 77 kcal. Here, moving more will change the balance far more than eating less.
Using your TDEE
Your TDEE is an estimate of maintenance calories, not a measurement. Eat around it for two to four weeks while tracking your weight; if your weight drifts, adjust by 100 to 200 kcal.
A 500 kcal daily deficit is often equated with losing a pound a week, from the old rule that a pound of body fat holds about 3,500 kcal. That rule is a simplification: it treats the conversion as fixed. The NIH Body Weight Planner instead simulates your weight day by day for the goal and time frame you choose, so it gives a more realistic plan.
Do not use this tool if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, or have or have had an eating disorder, and get medical advice first if you have a health condition. A doctor or registered dietitian can set targets that fit you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what your body burns at complete rest to stay alive. TDEE adds everything else: daily movement, exercise and digesting food. TDEE is always higher than BMR.
Which activity level should I choose?
Count both workouts and your job. A desk job with a few workouts a week usually fits lightly or moderately active. If in doubt, pick the lower level and adjust later based on your weight trend.
Is Mifflin-St Jeor or Katch-McArdle more accurate?
Mifflin-St Jeor works without knowing your body composition and is widely used for adults. Katch-McArdle can suit lean or very muscular people, but only if your body fat figure is reliable.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
The calculator suggests TDEE minus 500 kcal as a starting point, never below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 kcal for men. Track your progress and adjust rather than cutting harder.
Why does my fitness tracker show a different number?
Trackers estimate calories from heart rate and movement with their own formulas. Both are estimates; your weight trend over several weeks is the best check.
Can I use this during pregnancy?
No. Energy needs change during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and calorie deficits are not advised. Ask your OB-GYN, midwife or a registered dietitian.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. — A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals (Am J Clin Nutr, 1990)
- NIDDK (National Institutes of Health) — Body Weight Planner
- USDA & HHS — Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- National Academies Press — Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
This calculator gives general estimates and is not medical or nutrition advice. It is not intended for pregnancy, people under 18, eating disorders or medical conditions; talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.