TDEE Calculator: Find Your Daily Calorie Needs
Use our free TDEE Calculator to estimate how many calories you burn daily. Find your maintenance calories, BMR, and calorie needs based on your activity level.
What Is a TDEE Calculator?
A TDEE calculator estimates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, which is the number of calories your body uses throughout a typical day.
This includes energy used for basic body functions, daily movement, exercise, and food digestion.
Knowing your estimated TDEE can help you understand your maintenance calories and make more informed nutrition and fitness decisions.
How to Use the TDEE Calculator
Follow these simple steps:
- Choose Metric or Imperial measurements.
- Select Male or Female for the calculation formula.
- Enter your age, weight, and height.
- Choose your activity level.
- View your estimated daily calories, BMR, and weekly energy expenditure.
- Compare how different activity levels affect your results.
- Use Copy Result to save your calculation.
The calculator updates automatically when you change your inputs.
You can also select the optional Katch–McArdle formula if you have a body fat percentage estimate.
How Is TDEE Calculated?
The calculator first estimates your resting energy expenditure using the Mifflin–St Jeor equation.
It then multiplies that estimate by an activity factor.
TDEE = BMR Estimate × Activity Multiplier
For example:
- Estimated BMR: 1,699 calories
- Activity multiplier: 1.55
TDEE = 1,699 × 1.55 = Approximately 2,633 calories per day
This result represents an estimate of average daily energy expenditure, not an exact measurement.
What Is BMR?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) refers to the energy your body needs to support essential functions at rest, including breathing, circulation, and temperature regulation.
Our calculator uses the Mifflin–St Jeor equation by default to estimate resting energy needs.
Mifflin–St Jeor Formula
For males:
BMR = (10 × Weight in kg) + (6.25 × Height in cm) − (5 × Age) + 5
For females:
BMR = (10 × Weight in kg) + (6.25 × Height in cm) − (5 × Age) − 161
Although the calculator labels this result BMR, Mifflin–St Jeor is commonly used to estimate resting metabolic rate.
BMR vs TDEE: What's the Difference?
BMR and TDEE measure different aspects of energy expenditure.
| BMR | TDEE |
|---|---|
| Estimates resting energy needs | Estimates total daily energy use |
| Does not account for your full daily activity | Includes an activity adjustment |
| Useful as a starting point | Useful for estimating maintenance calories |
For most people, estimated TDEE is higher than their resting energy requirement because everyday activities use additional energy.
TDEE Activity Levels Explained
Your activity level directly affects your estimated daily calorie needs.
| Activity Level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Mostly sitting, little exercise | 1.20 |
| Lightly Active | Light exercise 1–3 days per week | 1.375 |
| Moderately Active | Moderate exercise 3–5 days per week | 1.55 |
| Very Active | Hard exercise most days | 1.725 |
| Extra Active | Heavy training or physically demanding work | 1.90 |
These are standard planning multipliers. Actual calorie expenditure can vary depending on daily movement, exercise intensity, occupation, and individual metabolism.
Our calculator lets you compare all five activity levels instantly.
What Are Maintenance Calories?
Maintenance calories are the approximate number of calories needed to maintain your current body weight over time, assuming your activity and other conditions remain relatively stable.
For example, if your estimated TDEE is 2,400 kcal/day, that provides a starting estimate for daily maintenance calories.
Your actual maintenance needs may differ. Body-weight trends over several weeks can help you evaluate whether an estimate is realistic.
TDEE Calculator for Weight Management
TDEE is often used as a starting point for understanding calorie intake during weight management.
Our calculator includes an optional Calorie Scenarios section showing:
- 10% below estimated maintenance calories
- Estimated maintenance calories
- 10% above estimated maintenance calories
For example, with an estimated TDEE of 2,500 calories:
| Scenario | Example Calories |
|---|---|
| 10% Below | 2,250 kcal |
| Maintenance | 2,500 kcal |
| 10% Above | 2,750 kcal |
These are mathematical comparisons, not personalized recommendations for gaining or losing weight.
Katch–McArdle TDEE Calculation
For visitors who know their approximate body fat percentage, the tool offers an optional Katch–McArdle formula.
This method uses estimated lean body mass rather than height, age, and sex constants.
Lean Body Mass = Weight × (1 − Body Fat Percentage ÷ 100)
Resting Energy Estimate = 370 + (21.6 × Lean Body Mass in kg)
The calculator then applies your selected activity multiplier to estimate TDEE.
Because the calculation depends on body fat percentage, inaccurate body composition estimates may affect the result.
Why Use Our TDEE Calculator?
Our calculator offers several useful features:
- Daily calorie expenditure estimate
- Maintenance calorie calculation
- BMR estimate
- Metric and imperial measurements
- Five activity levels
- Mifflin–St Jeor formula
- Optional Katch–McArdle formula
- Weekly energy expenditure
- Interactive activity comparison
- Optional calorie scenarios
- Automatic calculations
- Copy Result and Reset
It is designed to help adults understand their energy needs without complicated calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does TDEE stand for?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It estimates the total number of calories your body uses during a typical day.
How many calories do I burn in a day?
The answer depends on factors such as age, weight, height, and physical activity. Enter your details into the TDEE Calculator to get an estimate.
Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?
Estimated TDEE is commonly used as a starting estimate for maintenance calorie intake. Actual maintenance needs may vary.
Is BMR lower than TDEE?
Generally, yes. TDEE includes an activity adjustment, while BMR represents resting energy needs.
Which TDEE formula should I use?
Mifflin–St Jeor is a practical default for most adults. Katch–McArdle is an alternative when a reasonably reliable body fat estimate is available.
Does exercise increase TDEE?
Physical activity generally increases energy expenditure. The calculator accounts for activity through the selected multiplier.
Can I calculate TDEE in pounds and feet?
Yes. Select Imperial to enter weight in pounds and height in feet and inches.
Is the TDEE Calculator accurate?
The calculator uses established equations and common activity multipliers. However, results are estimates because individual metabolism and actual movement vary.
Can I use TDEE to plan my calorie intake?
Yes. Estimated TDEE can provide a useful starting reference, but individual calorie needs should be assessed over time rather than relying on one calculation.
Does TDEE change over time?
Yes. Daily energy needs can change with body weight, age, physical activity, body composition, and other factors.
Important: This calculator provides general estimates for adults. It is not intended for children, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or medical nutrition planning.