What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It combines your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — calories burned at complete rest — with the extra energy used through daily activity and exercise.
Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight. Eating below it causes weight loss; eating above it leads to weight gain.
What is BMR?
Your Basal Metabolic Rate is the minimum calories your body needs to keep essential functions running — breathing, circulation, cell repair — even if you stayed in bed all day. It accounts for roughly 60–75% of total calorie expenditure for most people.
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, which is considered the most accurate for the general population:
- Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
Activity multipliers explained
| Level |
Description |
Multiplier |
| Sedentary | Desk job, little/no exercise | × 1.2 |
| Lightly Active | Exercise 1–3 days/week | × 1.375 |
| Moderately Active | Exercise 3–5 days/week | × 1.55 |
| Very Active | Hard exercise 6–7 days/week | × 1.725 |
| Super Active | Physical job + hard exercise daily | × 1.9 |
FAQ
What is TDEE?
TDEE is the total number of calories you burn per day. It includes your BMR plus the energy used through activity and exercise.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is calories burned at complete rest. TDEE multiplies BMR by an activity factor to reflect your actual daily calorie burn.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Eating 500 kcal below your TDEE creates a deficit of ~3,500 kcal/week, which corresponds to roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat loss per week.
Which formula does this calculator use?
The Mifflin-St Jeor formula (1990), currently the most accurate predictive equation for most adults.