TDEE Calculator
Work out your total daily energy expenditure — maintenance calories — from BMR and an activity factor, with targets for losing or gaining weight.
The calories that keep your weight where it is, and what to eat to move it.
How the tdee calculator works
Total daily energy expenditure is basal metabolic rate scaled up for everything you do. The calculator predicts BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active). The result is the intake at which your weight stays steady.
The targets below it apply the usual rules of thumb: a 500 kcal daily deficit loses roughly 0.45 kg (1 lb) a week, and a 300 kcal surplus supports slow muscle gain. Activity factors are the least certain input — most people overestimate their level — so treat the maintenance figure as a starting point and adjust it against the scales over three or four weeks.
Formula: TDEE = BMR × activity factor
Worked examples
| Inputs | Maintenance calories (TDEE) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Man, 30, 175 cm, 75 kg, lightly active | 2,336 kcal/day | 1,699 × 1.375 |
| Same man, very active | 2,930 kcal/day | the activity factor alone adds ~600 kcal |
| Woman, 35, 5 ft 5 in, 140 lb, moderately active | 2,063 kcal/day | imperial inputs converted first |
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
Total daily energy expenditure: everything you burn in a day — resting metabolism, digestion, exercise and ordinary movement. Eat about this much and your weight holds steady.
Which activity level should I pick?
Be honest and pick low. "Moderately active" means real exercise three to five days a week on top of a normal day. Office workers who train twice a week are usually "lightly active".
How accurate is it?
Within about 10% for most people, with the activity factor the biggest source of error. Track your weight for a few weeks at the maintenance figure and adjust by 100–200 kcal if it drifts.
Is a 1,000 kcal deficit safe?
It is the upper end of what general guidelines suggest and it can put intake below your BMR. Slower loss keeps more muscle and is easier to sustain; anything faster is worth discussing with a doctor or dietitian.
Where these figures come from
- Mifflin MD et al., "A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals", Am J Clin Nutr 1990 — the BMR equation used here
- World Health Organization — Waist circumference and waist–hip ratio (2008 expert consultation) — waist-to-hip cut-offs
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR, "Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited", J Am Coll Cardiol 2001 — 208 − 0.7 × age
- Nathan DM et al., "Translating the A1C assay into estimated average glucose values" (ADAG), Diabetes Care 2008 — eAG = 28.7 × A1c − 46.7
- Mosteller RD, "Simplified calculation of body-surface area", N Engl J Med 1987 — BSA = √(height × weight / 3600)
- Australian Department of Health and Aged Care — national health guidance
Last checked: September 2026. The equations are fixed by their published papers and do not change with tax years or regulations; the thresholds quoted in verdicts name the body that set them.