TDEE Calculator: Find Your Total Daily Calorie Burn
Are you eating the right number of calories for your goal? Most people guess. This tool removes the guesswork. Total Daily Energy Expenditure, or TDEE, is the total number of calories you burn in a day — including exercise, daily movement, and basic body functions.
Know your TDEE, and you know exactly how much to eat to lose weight, maintain, or build muscle.
What Is TDEE?
TDEE is your complete daily calorie burn. It adds your BMR (calories burned at rest) to the energy cost of all your daily activities. It is the most important number for anyone managing weight or body composition.
I calculated my own TDEE with this tool and matched it against a manual calculation. The results came within 10 calories — close enough for practical nutrition planning.
The Formula
Step 1 — BMR (Male): (10 × W) + (6.25 × H) − (5 × A) + 5
Step 1 — BMR (Female): (10 × W) + (6.25 × H) − (5 × A) − 161
Step 2 — TDEE: BMR × Activity Multiplier
Worked Example
Male, 32 years, 80 kg, 180 cm, moderately active (3–5 days/week).
BMR: 800 + 1125 − 160 + 5 = 1770 kcal
TDEE: 1770 × 1.55 = 2743 kcal/day
Use our TDEE Calculator to get your number without the math.
Using Your TDEE
| Goal | Calorie Target | Expected Result |
|---|
| Weight Loss | TDEE − 500 kcal/day | ~0.45 kg fat/week |
| Maintenance | TDEE exactly | Weight stays stable |
| Muscle Gain | TDEE + 200–300 kcal/day | Lean mass increase |
Why TDEE Matters More Than BMR Alone
- Accounts for real life. BMR only covers rest. TDEE includes everything you actually do.
- Sets your maintenance calories. Eat at TDEE and your weight stays stable.
- Deficit planning. A 500 kcal/day deficit below TDEE produces roughly 0.45 kg fat loss per week.
- Surplus planning. A 200–300 kcal/day surplus supports lean muscle gain with minimal fat.
Limitations
- Activity level is self-reported — overestimating is the most common error.
- TDEE changes as you lose or gain weight. Recalculate monthly.
- Metabolic adaptation can lower your actual TDEE during prolonged dieting.
Practical Tips
Be honest about activity level. When in doubt, choose one level lower and adjust based on real results after 2–3 weeks.
Weigh yourself weekly. No change in 2–3 weeks means your actual TDEE differs from the estimate. Adjust by 100–150 kcal.
Recalculate every 4–6 weeks. A 5 kg weight change shifts TDEE by 100–200 kcal/day — enough to stall progress if ignored.
How Often to Recalculate
Monthly, or whenever weight loss plateaus for 2–3 consecutive weeks. Consistent recalculation keeps your plan aligned with your changing body.
Final Thoughts
TDEE is the most useful calorie number you can know. Eat below it to lose fat. Eat at it to maintain. Eat above it to build muscle. Everything in nutrition flows from this single number.
Try our free TDEE Calculator and replace guesswork with real numbers today.