TDEE Calculator — Total Daily Energy Expenditure

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.

TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier. The four BMR equations used (weight W in kg, height H in cm, age A in years, lean body mass LBM in kg):

• Mifflin-St Jeor (1990): 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5 for men, − 161 for women. A widely used general-population equation; no predictive BMR equation is universally most accurate for every person.
• Harris-Benedict, revised (Roza & Shizgal, 1984): men 88.362 + 13.397W + 4.799H − 5.677A; women 447.593 + 9.247W + 3.098H − 4.330A.
• Katch-McArdle: 370 + 21.6 × LBM. Uses lean mass, so it needs a body-fat percentage.
• Cunningham (1980): 500 + 22 × LBM. Also lean-mass based; often used for very lean, muscular people.

The thermic effect of food (the energy used to digest what you eat) is shown as about 10% of TDEE; the rest above BMR is physical activity, including everyday movement.

By Suhaib Hassan · Reviewed 28 September 2026 against the original published equations · How CalculatePilot verifies formulas →

Adjusting TDEE for your specific goal

For weight loss, people sometimes start with a moderate calorie deficit rather than an extreme restriction. There is no single percentage that is appropriate for everyone; goals, body size, activity, health status and eating patterns all matter.

For muscle gain, some people use a modest calorie surplus alongside resistance training. The appropriate amount varies by person and goal. The weekly projection uses a simplified energy-balance model; real-world weight change is affected by water, glycogen, appetite, activity and changing energy expenditure.

A worked example

A 40-year-old woman, 70 kg, 165 cm, moderately active: Mifflin-St Jeor BMR is 10 × 70 + 6.25 × 165 − 5 × 40 − 161 = about 1,370 calories, and TDEE at the 1.55 activity multiplier works out to about 2,124 calories/day.

Using a 30/30/40 macro split on that TDEE gives targets of roughly 159 g protein, 71 g fat, and 212 g carbohydrates per day. For a personalized breakdown, try our Macro Calculator.

Practical considerations for your goal

Once you have an estimated TDEE, it can be used as a starting point for a maintenance, loss or gain target. Treat the result as an estimate and use your longer-term weight trend and other relevant information to adjust it.

Very large deficits or surpluses can be difficult to sustain and may have health or body-composition consequences. Very-low-calorie diets require appropriate clinical supervision. Medical information, not medical advice: these calculations are estimates for general education, not individualized treatment or nutrition prescriptions.

How to calibrate a TDEE estimate

Your TDEE is a starting estimate, not a direct measurement. If you want to compare it with real-world results, keep your intake and activity reasonably consistent, weigh under similar conditions, and compare weekly average weight over several weeks rather than reacting to a single weigh-in.

1. Start with the calculated maintenance estimate.
2. Track intake consistently and measure weight under similar conditions.
3. Compare weekly averages across several weeks.
4. If the observed trend consistently differs from the estimate, adjust the starting estimate rather than assuming the formula is exact.

This calibration approach helps account for individual differences in metabolism, activity and tracking error. It is not a clinical measurement of energy expenditure.

Sources

• Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr 1990 (PubMed)
• Roza AM, Shizgal HM. The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated: resting energy requirements and the body cell mass. Am J Clin Nutr 1984;40:168–182.
• Cunningham JJ. A reanalysis of the factors influencing basal metabolic rate in normal adults. Am J Clin Nutr 1980;33:2372–2374.
• McArdle WD, Katch FI, Katch VL. Exercise Physiology: Nutrition, Energy, and Human Performance (Katch-McArdle equation).

Read the guides: How to calculate your TDEE · BMR vs TDEE: what is the difference? · How many calories to eat to lose 1 pound a week

Frequently asked questions

How is TDEE different from BMR?expand_more

BMR is calories burned at complete rest. TDEE adds in activity, exercise, and digestion to estimate your true total daily calorie burn.

Which BMR formula should I use?expand_more

Mifflin-St Jeor is a common default for adults. If you know your body-fat percentage, Katch-McArdle or Cunningham provide lean-mass-based alternatives; that does not guarantee greater accuracy for an individual.

Is the macro split shown here right for everyone?expand_more

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?expand_more

Recalculate when your weight or activity changes meaningfully, or use your real-world trend over several weeks to decide whether the starting estimate needs adjustment.

Why is my actual weight trend different from what my TDEE predicts?expand_more

Formula-based TDEE is an estimate. Tracking a consistent intake alongside a multi-week weight trend can help you judge whether the starting estimate needs adjustment.

How much of a calorie deficit should I use for fat loss?expand_more

There is no universal calorie-deficit percentage that is safe or appropriate for everyone. A personalized target should consider health status, nutrition needs, activity and the intended rate of change.