Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure using science-backed formulas. Free, instant, and comprehensive.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn each day. It combines your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the energy your body uses at rest — with the calories burned through physical activity, digestion, and daily movement. Understanding your TDEE is the single most important step in building an effective nutrition plan.
Calculating your TDEE is a two-step process. First, estimate your BMR using a validated formula like the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which uses your age, weight, height, and gender. Then multiply your BMR by an activity factor that reflects your lifestyle and exercise habits. The result is your estimated daily calorie burn.
Your BMR is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic life-sustaining functions — breathing, blood circulation, cell production, and brain function. It typically accounts for 60-75% of your total daily calorie expenditure. Your TDEE adds physical activity and the thermic effect of food on top of your BMR, giving you a complete picture of your daily energy needs.
Choosing the right activity level is crucial for an accurate TDEE estimate. Sedentary means desk work with minimal movement. Lightly active includes 1-3 days of light exercise per week. Moderately active covers 3-5 days of moderate exercise. Very active means hard exercise 6-7 days per week. Extra active combines intense daily exercise with a physically demanding job. When in doubt, choose a lower level — it’s better to underestimate and eat slightly more than to overestimate your activity.
Common questions about TDEE, BMR, and calorie calculations.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate for most people and is our default formula. The Katch-McArdle formula can be more accurate if you know your body fat percentage, as it accounts for lean body mass. We show results from multiple formulas so you can compare.
A common recommendation is to eat 500 calories below your TDEE, which creates a deficit of approximately 1 pound (0.45 kg) of weight loss per week. This is considered a safe and sustainable rate. Larger deficits can lead to muscle loss and metabolic adaptation.
It depends on your goals and how your activity level is already factored in. If you selected an activity level that includes your exercise, eating back exercise calories could lead to overcounting. If you chose a lower activity level and do extra workouts, you may want to eat back a portion (about 50-75%) of those calories.
TDEE calculators provide a solid estimate — typically within 10% of your actual expenditure. However, individual factors like genetics, hormones, NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), and metabolic adaptation can cause variations. Use your calculated TDEE as a starting point, then adjust based on real-world results over 2-4 weeks.
There is no single best ratio, but a balanced split of 30% protein, 35% carbs, and 35% fat works well for most people. Higher protein (40%) can help preserve muscle during a calorie deficit. The most important factor for weight loss is total calories, not the exact macro split.
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