TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure based on age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. Get personalized calorie recommendations for weight loss, maintenance, and muscle gain with comprehensive fitness guidance.
📋 Quick Navigation
BMR
Activity Factor
Daily Calories
Weekly Total
🎯 Personalized Calorie Goals
🔥 Extreme Cut
1000 cal/day deficit. Aggressive weight loss (~2 lbs/week). Only for short periods with medical supervision.
📉 Aggressive Cut
750 cal/day deficit. Fast weight loss (~1.5 lbs/week). Good for significant fat loss.
⚖️ Moderate Cut
500 cal/day deficit. Steady weight loss (~1 lb/week). Best sustainable approach.
🎯 Light Cut
250 cal/day deficit. Slow weight loss (~0.5 lb/week). Easiest to maintain.
➡️ Maintenance
At TDEE. Maintain current weight. Suitable for body recomposition with exercise.
📈 Lean Bulk
300 cal/day surplus. Slow muscle gain (~0.5 lb/week lean mass). Minimal fat gain.
📊 Detailed Breakdown
| Metric | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor) | — | Resting metabolic rate |
| TDEE | — | Total daily energy expenditure |
| Activity Burn | — | Calories from activity & exercise |
| Daily Surplus/Deficit | Adjustable | Adjust based on your goals |
🧠 Understanding TDEE & Metabolism
What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It consists of your BMR (basal metabolic rate) - calories burned at rest - plus calories burned through daily activities and exercise. Understanding your TDEE is essential for managing weight, whether your goal is weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
Components of TDEE
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): ~60-75% of TDEE. Calories burned at complete rest for basic body functions (breathing, circulation, cell production). NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): ~15-30% of TDEE. Calories from daily activities (walking, working, fidgeting). Exercise: ~5-15% of TDEE. Calories from intentional workouts. TEF (Thermic Effect of Food): ~10% of TDEE. Calories used to digest food.
Activity Level Multipliers
Sedentary (1.2x): Little or no exercise. Desk job. Lightly Active (1.375x): Exercise 1-3 days/week. Some daily activity. Moderately Active (1.55x): Exercise 4-5 days/week. Regular activity. Very Active (1.725x): Exercise 6-7 days/week. High daily activity. Extremely Active (1.9x): Intense exercise daily or physical job.
🧮 TDEE & BMR Formulas
Mifflin-St Jeor Formula (Most Accurate for BMR)
BMR = (10 × Weight(kg)) + (6.25 × Height(cm)) − (5 × Age(years)) + 5
For Women:
BMR = (10 × Weight(kg)) + (6.25 × Height(cm)) − (5 × Age(years)) − 161
Then:
TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor
Harris-Benedict Formula (Alternative)
BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 × Weight(kg)) + (4.799 × Height(cm)) − (5.677 × Age)
For Women (Original 1919):
BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 × Weight(kg)) + (3.098 × Height(cm)) − (4.330 × Age)
Note: Mifflin-St Jeor is more accurate for modern populations
Activity Factor Application
Activity Factors:
Sedentary = 1.2
Lightly Active = 1.375
Moderately Active = 1.55
Very Active = 1.725
Extremely Active = 1.9
Example Calculation
Step 1: Calculate BMR
BMR = (10 × 75) + (6.25 × 180) − (5 × 25) + 5
BMR = 750 + 1125 − 125 + 5 = 1755 calories
Step 2: Apply Activity Factor
TDEE = 1755 × 1.55 = 2720 calories/day
🎯 Using TDEE for Your Goals
Weight Loss Strategy
To lose weight, consume fewer calories than your TDEE. A deficit of 500 calories/day results in ~1 lb (~0.45 kg) weight loss per week. Aggressive deficits (750+ cal/day) cause faster weight loss but are harder to sustain and may result in muscle loss. Combine calorie deficit with resistance training to preserve muscle.
Weight Maintenance
To maintain weight while making changes to body composition (building muscle while losing fat), eat at your TDEE while doing strength training. This is called "body recomposition." Over 8-12 weeks, you may lose fat and gain muscle while weight stays similar.
Muscle Gain (Bulking)
To build muscle, eat 300-500 calories above TDEE combined with progressive strength training. Eat 0.8-1g protein per pound of bodyweight. Gain should be ~0.5-1 lb per week of which about half should be muscle (the other half is water/fat). Faster gains result in more fat.
Macro Breakdown Recommendations
Weight Loss: 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat (higher protein preserves muscle). Maintenance: 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat (balanced approach). Muscle Gain: 30% protein, 45% carbs, 25% fat (protein supports growth).