TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, the number of calories you burn each day.
Enter your age, sex, weight, height, and activity level to estimate Total Daily Energy Expenditure. Eating at TDEE maintains weight; a 500 kcal daily deficit causes roughly 1 lb per week loss.
Calculate Your TDEE
The One Number That Controls Whether You Gain, Lose, or Maintain Weight
Every diet, meal plan, and nutrition coach boils down to one thing: your TDEE. It's the total number of calories your body burns in a day, from keeping your organs alive, to walking to the kitchen, to your evening run, to digesting the food you eat. Everything.
Think of TDEE like a bank account balance. You earn a certain number of "calorie credits" each day through your metabolism and activity. If you deposit fewer calories (eat less) than you spend, the account goes into deficit and you lose weight. Deposit more than you spend, and the surplus gets stored, mostly as fat.
The problem? Most people have no idea what their TDEE actually is. They guess, follow generic "eat 2,000 calories" advice, or copy someone else's meal plan. That's like trying to stick to a budget without knowing your income. This calculator gives you the number, and the sections below explain exactly what to do with it.
How TDEE Is Calculated
TDEE has four components, each burning calories in different ways. Your total is the sum of all four:
| Component | % of TDEE | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) | 60 to 75% | Breathing, circulation, brain function, cell repair, everything your body does while you sleep |
| NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity) | 15 to 30% | Walking, standing, cooking, fidgeting, typing, all movement that isn't planned exercise |
| TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) | 8 to 12% | Energy spent digesting and absorbing food, protein costs the most (20 to 30%), fat the least (0 to 3%) |
| EAT (Exercise Activity) | 5 to 15% | Deliberate workouts, running, lifting, swimming, cycling, gym classes |
What this means for you: Exercise is the smallest piece of the pie. Your BMR and NEAT together account for 75 to 90% of your calorie burn. This is why people who exercise an hour a day but sit for the other 15 waking hours often struggle to lose weight, that one-hour workout gets outweighed by hours of near-zero NEAT.
Our calculator estimates TDEE by first calculating your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplying it by an activity factor that accounts for NEAT, TEF, and exercise combined. It's not perfect, no equation is, but it gets you within 10 to 15% of your true TDEE, which is close enough to start making progress.
How to Choose Your Activity Level (Without Overestimating)
The biggest source of error in TDEE calculation isn't the formula, it's people choosing the wrong activity level. Most people overestimate. Here's an honest guide:
Sedentary (x1.2)
This is you if: You work at a desk, drive to work, and don't exercise regularly. Even if you walk to the shops occasionally or do housework, that's still sedentary. Most office workers in the UK and US fall here, even if they don't like admitting it.
Lightly Active (x1.375)
This is you if: You exercise 1 to 3 times per week (30 to 60 minute sessions) OR you have a job that involves regular walking (teacher, retail, nurse on a quiet ward). A desk worker who jogs twice a week fits here.
Moderately Active (x1.55)
This is you if: You exercise 3 to 5 times per week at moderate intensity (jogging, weight training, group fitness classes) OR you have a moderately physical job (delivery driver, tradesperson with some desk time). This is where most regular gym-goers land.
Very Active (x1.725)
This is you if: You do hard exercise 6 to 7 days per week OR you have a physical job AND exercise regularly. Think: a builder who also goes to the gym, or someone training for a marathon who runs daily.
Extra Active (x1.9)
This is you if: You're a competitive athlete training twice a day, or you have an extremely physical job (military, labourer) combined with regular exercise. Very few people genuinely qualify for this level.
Pro tip: When in doubt, choose one level lower than you think. If your estimated TDEE is too high, you'll eat too much and won't see results. If it's slightly low, you'll just lose a bit faster. You can always adjust upward after 2 to 3 weeks of tracking.
How to Use Your TDEE for Different Goals
Once you know your TDEE, the maths is simple. Where you set your daily calories relative to TDEE determines whether you lose fat, build muscle, or maintain weight.
| Goal | Daily Calories | Expected Result | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggressive Fat Loss | TDEE - 750 to 1,000 | ~1 kg (2 lbs) per week | People with significant fat to lose (25%+ body fat) |
| Moderate Fat Loss | TDEE - 500 | ~0.5 kg (1 lb) per week | Most people, sustainable and preserves muscle |
| Mild Fat Loss | TDEE - 250 | ~0.25 kg (0.5 lb) per week | Already lean, wanting to drop the last few percent |
| Maintenance | TDEE | Weight stays stable | Happy with current weight, building habits |
| Lean Bulk | TDEE + 200 to 300 | ~0.25 kg (0.5 lb) per week | Building muscle with minimal fat gain |
| Aggressive Bulk | TDEE + 500 | ~0.5 kg (1 lb) per week | Underweight or beginners wanting rapid muscle gain |
What this means for you: For most people wanting to lose fat, TDEE minus 500 is the sweet spot. It's large enough to see real progress on the scale (about 1 lb per week) but small enough that you won't feel miserable, lose muscle, or trigger metabolic slowdown. Use our Weight Loss Calculator to map out your timeline, and our Macro Calculator to split those calories into protein, carbs, and fat.
NEAT: The Calorie Burner You're Probably Ignoring
NEAT stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. It's every calorie you burn from movement that isn't planned exercise, walking to the printer, cooking dinner, tapping your foot, playing with your kids, standing in a queue.
And it's massive. Research shows NEAT can vary by up to 2,000 calories per day between individuals. A 2005 study in Science found that lean people stood and walked an average of 2.5 hours more per day than obese people, burning roughly 350 extra calories daily without ever "exercising."
Here's why this matters for your TDEE: when you go on a diet, your body unconsciously reduces NEAT. You fidget less, take fewer steps, choose the lift over the stairs, all without realising it. This adaptive reduction can wipe out 200 to 300 calories of your planned deficit. It's one of the main reasons weight loss slows after the first few weeks.
The fix: Track your daily steps. Most research suggests 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day is enough to maintain healthy NEAT levels during a diet. If your steps drop below 5,000, your TDEE is probably lower than the calculator suggests.
Why Your TDEE Changes When You Diet (Adaptive Thermogenesis)
Your body isn't a simple maths equation. When you eat less, it fights back. This response, called adaptive thermogenesis, means your TDEE decreases beyond what your new body weight would predict.
A famous example: contestants from the TV show The Biggest Loser were studied 6 years after the show. Despite regaining most of the weight, their metabolic rates were still 500 calories per day lower than expected. Their bodies had permanently downshifted, burning fewer calories than people the same size who'd never dieted.
That's the extreme case. For most people, adaptive thermogenesis reduces TDEE by 5 to 15% during a diet. If your calculated TDEE is 2,200 calories and you've been dieting for 8 weeks, your actual TDEE might be closer to 1,900 to 2,100.
How to minimise adaptive thermogenesis:
- Use a moderate deficit (300 to 500 cal/day, not 1,000+)
- Keep protein high (0.7 to 1g per pound of body weight) to preserve muscle
- Strength train consistently, muscle is metabolically expensive, and keeping it maintains BMR
- Take diet breaks, eat at maintenance for 1 to 2 weeks every 8 to 12 weeks of dieting
- Maintain step count, keep NEAT up by tracking daily steps (8,000+ target)
- Recalculate TDEE every 4 to 6 weeks as your weight changes
Adaptive thermogenesis isn't a reason to avoid dieting, it's a reason to diet smart. Slow, moderate deficits with periodic maintenance breaks produce better long-term results than aggressive crash diets, even though they feel less dramatic week to week.
6 Common Mistakes When Using TDEE
1. Overestimating activity level
The most common error. A desk worker who exercises 3 times a week is "lightly active," not "moderately active." If you're not losing weight at your calculated deficit, try dropping one activity level.
2. Not recalculating after weight loss
A 200-lb person burns more calories than a 180-lb person. If you've lost 20 lbs but are still eating the same calories, your deficit has shrunk or disappeared entirely.
3. Adding exercise calories back
Your TDEE already includes exercise. If your activity level is "moderately active," that accounts for 3 to 5 workouts per week. Don't eat extra on gym days, it's already in the number.
4. Ignoring weekends
Many people stick to their calorie target Monday to Friday, then eat freely on weekends. Two days of overeating by 1,000 calories wipes out a 5-day deficit of 500 calories each. Consistency matters more than perfection.
5. Treating it as exact
TDEE is an estimate, not a lab measurement. Use it as a starting point, track your weight for 2 to 3 weeks, then adjust. If you're not losing at your target rate, reduce by 100 to 200 calories. If you're losing too fast, add 100 to 200.
6. Comparing your TDEE to someone else's
A 6'2" active man and a 5'4" sedentary woman have wildly different TDEEs. Comparing numbers is meaningless. Your TDEE is personalised to your body, and the only comparison that matters is your own progress over time.
Estimated Daily Calorie Needs by Body Weight
The table below gives rough TDEE estimates for moderately active adults (exercise 3 to 5 times per week) at different body weights. These use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation with a 1.55 activity multiplier.
| Body Weight | Men (kcal/day) | Women (kcal/day) |
|---|---|---|
| 55 kg / 121 lbs | 2,050 | 1,750 |
| 65 kg / 143 lbs | 2,250 | 1,950 |
| 75 kg / 165 lbs | 2,450 | 2,100 |
| 85 kg / 187 lbs | 2,650 | 2,300 |
| 95 kg / 209 lbs | 2,800 | 2,450 |
| 105 kg / 231 lbs | 3,000 | 2,600 |
What this means for you: These estimates assume average height (5'9" for men, 5'4" for women) and age 30. Taller, younger, or more muscular people will have higher TDEEs; shorter, older, or less muscular people will have lower ones. The calculator above gives you a personalised number based on your actual stats. Use this table as a sanity check, if your result is wildly different from the range here, double-check your inputs.
When to Consult a Professional
TDEE calculators work well for most people. But certain situations call for professional guidance:
- Eating below TDEE for 6+ weeks with no weight change, possible thyroid issue, hormonal imbalance, or measurement error. A doctor can run blood work, or a dietitian can audit your food tracking.
- History of eating disorders, calorie counting can trigger unhealthy behaviours in people with a history of restrictive eating or binge eating. A therapist specialising in eating disorders can help you use these tools safely.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding, calorie needs increase significantly (roughly 300 extra in 2nd trimester, 450 in 3rd, 500 while breastfeeding). Use our Pregnancy Calculator for trimester-specific guidance, and consult your midwife or GP.
- Medical conditions affecting metabolism, diabetes, PCOS, Cushing's syndrome, or any condition requiring medication that affects weight.
- Under 18, growing bodies have different metabolic needs. TDEE equations are calibrated for adults.
A registered dietitian can also help if you've hit a plateau lasting 4+ weeks despite consistent tracking. Sometimes fresh eyes on your food log catch errors, liquid calories, cooking oils, and "just a handful" snacks are the usual suspects.
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How to use this tool
Enter your age, gender, height, and weight
Select your daily activity level
Click Calculate to see your TDEE and calorie targets
Common uses
- Finding your maintenance calories to avoid unintended weight gain
- Setting a calorie deficit for fat loss based on real energy expenditure
- Calculating a calorie surplus for muscle-building or bulking phases
- Adjusting calorie intake after a change in exercise routine or lifestyle
- Comparing Mifflin-St Jeor and Harris-Benedict estimates for accuracy
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
What is the difference between TDEE and BMR?
How do I use TDEE for weight loss?
How many calories should I eat per day?
Which TDEE formula is most accurate?
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Why am I not losing weight even though I'm eating below my TDEE?
Should I eat back calories burned from exercise?
What is NEAT and why does it matter for TDEE?
Does TDEE decrease when you diet?
How accurate are TDEE calculators?
Is 1,200 calories enough for a woman?
Results are for general informational purposes only and should be checked before use. They are not professional advice. See our Disclaimer and Terms of Service.