TDEE Calculator
Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — your BMR combined with your activity level.
How this calculator works
TDEE is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor, giving a realistic estimate of the calories you burn on an average day including exercise and daily movement.
Macro targets below use a common 30% protein / 30% fat / 40% carb split as a starting point.
Adjusting TDEE for your specific goal
For weight loss, a common approach is eating 15-20% below TDEE, creating a moderate, sustainable deficit rather than an extreme one that's harder to maintain and more likely to cause muscle loss alongside fat loss.
For muscle gain, eating 10-15% above TDEE alongside resistance training is a common approach, aiming to minimize excess fat gain while still providing enough surplus energy to support muscle growth.
A worked example
A 40-year-old woman, 70kg, 165cm, moderately active: BMR is roughly 1,384 calories, and TDEE at the 1.55 activity multiplier works out to about 2,145 calories/day.
Using a 30/30/40 macro split on that TDEE gives targets of roughly 161g protein, 72g fat, and 215g carbohydrates per day. For a personalized breakdown, try our Macro Calculator.
Adjusting TDEE for your goal
Once you know your TDEE, adjusting from it is straightforward: eating at TDEE maintains weight, eating below it (typically a 15-25% deficit) supports fat loss, and eating above it (typically a 10-20% surplus) supports muscle or weight gain.
Very large deficits or surpluses tend to be less sustainable and can work against the goal — extreme deficits risk muscle loss and metabolic slowdown, while excessive surpluses lead to more fat gain than muscle gain.
Frequently asked questions
How is TDEE different from BMR?
BMR is calories burned at complete rest. TDEE adds in activity, exercise, and digestion to estimate your true total daily calorie burn.
Is the macro split shown here right for everyone?
It's a reasonable general-purpose starting point, but optimal macro splits vary by goal (muscle gain, endurance, fat loss) and individual preference.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate whenever your weight changes significantly (every 10-15 lbs) or if your activity level changes meaningfully, since TDEE shifts as your body composition and lifestyle change.
Why is my actual weight trend different from what my TDEE predicts?
Formula-based TDEE is an estimate — actual metabolism varies by individual, so it's normal to need to adjust your calorie target up or down after a few weeks of real-world tracking.
How much of a calorie deficit should I use for fat loss?
A moderate deficit of roughly 15-25% below TDEE is generally more sustainable and better preserves muscle mass than a very aggressive deficit.