TDEE Calculator: Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
A 30-year-old male, 5'10", 175 lbs with moderate activity has a TDEE of approximately 2,728 calories per day. To lose 1 lb/week, target 2,228 calories (500-calorie deficit). To gain 1 lb/week, target 3,228 calories. Calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the gold standard recommended by...
Calculate Your Daily Calories
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Your Daily Calories
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calories/day
How TDEE Is Calculated
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation first estimates your BMR, then multiplies it by an activity factor:
Men: BMR = (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age in years) + 5 Women: BMR = (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) - (5 x age in years) - 161
Your BMR is then multiplied by your activity level:
| Activity Level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Office job, minimal exercise | 1.2 |
| Lightly Active | Light exercise 1-3 days/week | 1.375 |
| Moderately Active | Moderate exercise 3-5 days/week | 1.55 |
| Very Active | Hard exercise 6-7 days/week | 1.725 |
| Extremely Active | Athlete or physical labor + training | 1.9 |
What To Do With Your TDEE
To lose weight: Subtract 300-500 calories from your TDEE for a moderate, sustainable deficit. A 500-calorie daily deficit produces roughly 1 lb of fat loss per week. Never go below 1,200 cal/day (women) or 1,500 cal/day (men) without medical supervision.
To gain muscle: Add 250-500 calories above your TDEE and pair with resistance training. A 300-calorie surplus supports lean muscle gains while minimizing fat accumulation.
To maintain: Eat at your TDEE. Weigh yourself weekly and adjust by 100-200 calories if your weight trends up or down over 2-3 weeks.
Recalculate your TDEE every 10-15 lbs of weight change or if your activity level shifts significantly.
1. Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247. doi:10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241
2. Pontzer H, Yamada Y, Sagayama H, et al. Daily energy expenditure through the human life course. Science. 2021;373(6556):808-812. doi:10.1126/science.abe5017
3. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(8):1575-1581. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e31821ece12
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns per day, including your basal metabolic rate (BMR), physical activity, the thermic effect of food, and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). It represents the calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight.
How accurate is the TDEE calculation?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is accurate to within 10% for most healthy adults, according to a 2005 review in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Individual variation exists due to genetics, body composition, hormones, and metabolic adaptation. Use your calculated TDEE as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results over 2-3 weeks.
Should I eat below my TDEE to lose weight?
Yes. Weight loss requires a caloric deficit — consuming fewer calories than your TDEE. A moderate deficit of 300-500 calories per day is recommended for sustainable fat loss of 0.5-1 lb per week. Larger deficits can lead to muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and metabolic slowdown.
What's the difference between TDEE and BMR?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep organs functioning, breathing, and maintaining body temperature. TDEE includes BMR plus all additional energy expenditure from physical activity, digestion, and daily movement. TDEE is always higher than BMR, typically 1.2x to 1.9x depending on activity level.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate every 10-15 pounds of weight change, when your activity level changes significantly, or every 4-6 weeks during an active diet phase. As you lose weight, your TDEE decreases because a smaller body requires less energy. Failing to recalculate can stall your progress.
Does TDEE include exercise calories?
Yes. TDEE accounts for all calories burned in a day, including exercise. The activity multiplier in the formula estimates exercise energy expenditure based on your weekly training frequency and intensity. You do not need to add exercise calories on top of your TDEE.