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TDEE Calculator

Find your total daily energy expenditure — the calories you burn each day — with calorie targets to lose, keep or gain weight and a macro split.

Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the number of calories you burn in a full day: the energy your body uses at rest plus everything you do, from walking and working to exercise. If you eat about your TDEE, your weight stays the same, which is why it is also called your maintenance calories. Eat less and you lose weight; eat more and you gain.

This TDEE calculator estimates your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (or Katch-McArdle if you enter your body fat percentage) and multiplies it by an activity factor for your week. It then shows daily calorie targets for losing or gaining about 0.25 or 0.5 kg (half a pound or a pound) a week, and a balanced protein, carbohydrate and fat split in grams.

How to use TDEE Calculator

  1. Choose your sex and units, then enter your age, height and weight.
  2. Pick the activity level that matches a typical week.
  3. Optionally add your body fat percentage for the Katch-McArdle formula.
  4. Read your TDEE, the calorie targets for your goal and the macro split.

Features

  • TDEE from Mifflin-St Jeor BMR times an activity factor.
  • Katch-McArdle BMR when you know your body fat.
  • Five activity levels with plain descriptions.
  • Calorie targets for losing, keeping or gaining weight.
  • Warning when a target falls below the usual minimum intake.
  • Protein, carbohydrate and fat in grams for a 30 / 40 / 30 split.
  • Metric and imperial units; nothing stored, sent or put in the page address.

How TDEE is calculated

TDEE equals BMR multiplied by an activity factor. BMR is the energy for basic body functions at rest; the factor adds the energy for movement, exercise and digestion. The factors below are the ones used in most nutrition software. They are averages, so treat the result as a starting point.

Activity levelTypical weekFactor
SedentaryDesk job, little or no exercise1.2
Lightly activeLight exercise 1–3 days a week1.375
Moderately activeModerate exercise 3–5 days a week1.55
Very activeHard exercise 6–7 days a week1.725
Extra activePhysical job plus hard training, or training twice a day1.9

Calories to lose or gain weight

About 7,700 kcal of energy is stored in a kilogram of body fat (around 3,500 kcal per pound). Eating 550 kcal less than your TDEE each day therefore adds up to roughly 0.5 kg of fat loss a week, and 275 kcal less to about 0.25 kg. The same numbers in surplus give a slow, lean weight gain when combined with strength training.

The table marks any target that falls below the minimum usually advised without medical supervision: 1,200 kcal a day for women and 1,500 for men. Below that it becomes hard to get enough protein, vitamins and minerals, and the body adapts by burning less.

The macro split

Calories come from protein and carbohydrates (4 kcal per gram) and fat (9 kcal per gram). The calculator shows a balanced 30 percent protein, 40 percent carbohydrates and 30 percent fat split at your maintenance calories, which sits within the ranges recommended for adults: 10 to 35 percent of calories from protein, 45 to 65 from carbohydrates and 20 to 35 from fat. If you are trying to keep muscle while losing fat, a higher protein share, around 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, helps.

Making the estimate fit you

Formulas can be off by 10 percent or more for any one person, and most people overestimate how active they are. The best way to calibrate is simple: eat a steady, measured amount for two to three weeks and weigh yourself several times a week. If your average weight doesn't change, that intake is your true TDEE. If it drops or rises, adjust by about 100 to 200 kcal and check again. Recalculate after every few kilograms of change, because a lighter body burns less.

Frequently asked questions

What is TDEE?

Total daily energy expenditure: all the calories you burn in a day, including rest, movement, exercise and digestion. Eating this much keeps your weight stable.

How accurate is a TDEE calculator?

It is an estimate, usually within about 10 percent. Track your weight and intake for a few weeks to find your real number.

Which activity level should I choose?

Choose the one that describes a typical week, not your best week. If unsure, pick the lower level; most people overestimate their activity.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

A deficit of about 500 kcal a day from your TDEE leads to roughly 0.5 kg (1 lb) of loss a week. Don't go below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) kcal a day without medical advice.

Should I eat back the calories I burn exercising?

Your activity level already includes regular exercise. Only add calories for unusual extra activity, and then only part of it, since exercise burn is often overestimated.

Is my data stored?

No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere. Your inputs are not put in the page address either.

Why does my TDEE change when I lose weight?

A smaller body needs less energy to run and move, so TDEE falls as you lose weight. Recalculate every few kilograms.

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