TDEE Calculator
Calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure): the calories you burn per day. Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and shows all five activity levels.
⚡ TDEE Calculator
Results
💡 How the TDEE Calculator Works
Your TDEE is the total number of calories your body uses in a day: resting metabolism plus everything you do. This calculator first estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor. With the default inputs (man, 70 kg, 170 cm, age 30, moderate activity) the result is 2,507 kcal a day.
The TDEE formula
BMR, men = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age (years) + 5
BMR, women = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age (years) − 161
The BMR part is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published in 1990. A 2005 systematic review in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found it the most reliable of the common equations, predicting resting metabolic rate within 10% of measured values in more non-obese and obese adults than any other.
Choosing your activity level
The activity factor has the biggest effect on the result, and most people overestimate it. Choose the level that matches a typical week, not your best week.
| Level | Factor | Typical week | Example man* | Example woman* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | × 1.2 | Desk job, little or no exercise | 1,941 | 1,554 |
| Light | × 1.375 | Light exercise or sport 1–3 days a week | 2,224 | 1,781 |
| Moderate | × 1.55 | Moderate exercise 3–5 days a week | 2,507 | 2,008 |
| Active | × 1.725 | Hard exercise 6–7 days a week | 2,790 | 2,234 |
| Very active | × 1.9 | Very hard daily training or a physically demanding job | 3,073 | 2,461 |
*Man: 70 kg, 170 cm, age 30 (BMR 1,618 kcal). Woman: 60 kg, 165 cm, age 35 (BMR 1,295 kcal). Values in kcal per day.
Worked example
- BMR: 10 × 70 + 6.25 × 170 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 700 + 1,062.5 − 150 + 5 = 1,617.5 kcal.
- TDEE at moderate activity: 1,617.5 × 1.55 = 2,507 kcal a day.
- The same man at a desk job with no exercise: 1,617.5 × 1.2 = 1,941 kcal, about 566 kcal less.
What makes up your TDEE
- Basal or resting metabolism: breathing, circulation, organ function and temperature control. For most people this is the largest share, typically around 60–70%.
- Thermic effect of food: the energy used to digest and process what you eat, roughly 10%.
- Physical activity: both exercise and everyday movement such as walking, standing, fidgeting and housework (non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT). This part varies most between people and from day to day.
TDEE by body weight
Heavier bodies need more energy at rest and to move. Values in kcal per day, age 30.
Men (175 cm):
| Weight | BMR | Sedentary | Moderate | Active |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 1,549 | 1,858 | 2,401 | 2,672 |
| 70 kg | 1,649 | 1,978 | 2,556 | 2,844 |
| 80 kg | 1,749 | 2,098 | 2,711 | 3,017 |
| 90 kg | 1,849 | 2,218 | 2,866 | 3,189 |
| 100 kg | 1,949 | 2,338 | 3,021 | 3,362 |
| 110 kg | 2,049 | 2,458 | 3,176 | 3,534 |
Women (163 cm):
| Weight | BMR | Sedentary | Moderate | Active |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 1,208 | 1,449 | 1,872 | 2,083 |
| 60 kg | 1,308 | 1,569 | 2,027 | 2,256 |
| 70 kg | 1,408 | 1,689 | 2,182 | 2,428 |
| 80 kg | 1,508 | 1,809 | 2,337 | 2,601 |
| 90 kg | 1,608 | 1,929 | 2,492 | 2,773 |
| 100 kg | 1,708 | 2,049 | 2,647 | 2,946 |
How TDEE changes with age
In the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, BMR falls by 5 kcal a day for every year of age. Over a decade that is 50 kcal of BMR, or about 78 kcal of TDEE at moderate activity. Values below assume constant weight and moderate activity.
| Age | Man, 70 kg, 170 cm | Woman, 60 kg, 165 cm |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | 2,585 | 2,124 |
| 30 | 2,507 | 2,046 |
| 40 | 2,430 | 1,969 |
| 50 | 2,352 | 1,891 |
| 60 | 2,275 | 1,814 |
| 70 | 2,197 | 1,736 |
Using TDEE for weight goals
- Maintain weight: eat close to your TDEE.
- Lose weight: eat below it. A moderate deficit of a few hundred calories a day is a common, sustainable approach.
- Gain weight or muscle: eat above it, ideally alongside strength training.
The old rule that 3,500 calories equals one pound of fat overestimates long-term weight loss, because your energy needs fall as you lose weight. Research behind the NIH's Body Weight Planner models this slowing. Very low-calorie diets (about 800 calories a day or less) should only be followed under a health professional's supervision.
How accurate is a TDEE estimate?
Treat the result as a starting point. Even the best equations are within 10% for most people, not all, and the activity factor adds more uncertainty. The most reliable way to find your real TDEE is to track your intake and weight for two to three weeks: if your weight stays stable, your average intake is your TDEE. Equations are also less reliable for very muscular people, older adults and people with obesity or medical conditions affecting metabolism. If you know your body fat percentage, the lean body mass calculator can help refine the estimate.
TDEE vs BMR vs maintenance calories
BMR is the energy you'd use lying at rest all day. TDEE adds activity and digestion, so it is always higher. Maintenance calories is another name for TDEE: the intake that keeps your weight steady. For a daily target that also accounts for a weight goal, use the calorie calculator; to split calories into protein, carbs and fat, use the macro calculator.
This calculator is designed for healthy adults. It isn't suitable for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with medical conditions. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian before making major dietary changes.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51(2), 241–247.
- Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(5), 775–789
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH): very low-calorie diet
- NIDDK: Body Weight Planner research (Hall et al., Lancet 2011)