TDEE Calculator

Your TDEE
2,573
total calories burned per day

🎯 Calorie Targets

Aggressive Cut (−20%)–
Moderate Cut (−15%)–
Maintenance (TDEE)–
Lean Bulk (+10%)–
Standard Bulk (+20%)–

What Is TDEE?

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day — combining your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) with calories burned through daily activity, exercise, and digestion. It's the most accurate baseline for planning weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.

How to Use the TDEE Calculator

  1. Select your sex and enter your age.
  2. Enter your weight and height.
  3. Choose your typical weekly activity level.
  4. Review your TDEE and calorie targets for different goals.

TDEE Formula

TDEE
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier
BMR = Mifflin-St Jeor basal metabolic rate
Activity Multiplier = 1.2 to 1.9 depending on activity level

Worked Example

Example: 30-Year-Old Male, 5'8", 160 lb, Moderately Active

BMR ≈ 1,660 calories/day

Activity multiplier: 1.55

TDEE ≈ 2,573 calories/day

For a moderate cut (−15%): ≈ 2,187 calories/day

Understanding Your Results

Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight. Eating below it creates a calorie deficit for weight loss; eating above it creates a surplus for weight gain. The percentage-based targets shown give reasonable starting points — a 15-20% deficit is generally considered sustainable for most people, while more aggressive cuts are harder to maintain long-term.

Tips for Using Your TDEE

  • Reassess your TDEE every few weeks as your weight changes, since a smaller body typically burns fewer calories.
  • Prioritize protein intake, especially in a calorie deficit, to help preserve muscle mass.
  • Use these numbers as a starting point and adjust based on your real-world results over 2–3 weeks.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Overestimating activity level, which inflates TDEE and can stall weight loss.
  • Not recalculating TDEE after significant weight changes.
  • Cutting too aggressively, which can be hard to sustain and may affect muscle retention and energy levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

A common approach is eating 15-20% below your TDEE for sustainable fat loss, though the right deficit depends on your goals and how you respond over time.

It's a solid population-based estimate, but individual metabolism varies — track your actual weight trend over a few weeks and adjust your calorie target accordingly.

Yes — TDEE decreases as body weight decreases, so recalculating periodically keeps your calorie target accurate.

Be honest about your typical week, not your best week — most people overestimate their activity level, which can stall progress if the calorie target is set too high.