TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Quick Facts
- •TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor
- •500 kcal deficit/day ≈ 1 lb loss/week
- •Average adult TDEE: 2,000–2,500 kcal
What Is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn per day, including all activity. It is calculated by multiplying your BMR by an activity factor. TDEE is the most important number for weight management — eat below it to lose weight, above it to gain.
Activity Multipliers
Sedentary (desk job, little exercise): BMR × 1.2. Light activity (1–3 days/week): BMR × 1.375. Moderate (3–5 days/week): BMR × 1.55. Active (6–7 days/week): BMR × 1.725. Very active (athlete/physical job): BMR × 1.9.
Understanding the tdee calculator
Total daily energy expenditure is your basal metabolic rate multiplied by an activity factor. It is an estimate with a genuine margin of error, usually 10 to 15 percent, so the right way to use it is as a starting point that you adjust from real weight data over two to three weeks.
Worked examples
TDEE for a 30 year old woman, 165 cm, 65 kg, lightly active
- 1Mifflin St Jeor BMR = (10 × 65) + (6.25 × 165) - (5 × 30) - 161.
- 2That is 650 + 1031 - 150 - 161 = 1370 kcal.
- 3Lightly active multiplier is 1.375.
- 4TDEE = 1370 × 1.375 = 1884 kcal.
About 1,880 kcal per day to maintain weight.
Setting a fat loss target from that TDEE
- 1A deficit of 20 percent is sustainable for most people: 1884 × 0.80 = 1507 kcal.
- 2A 500 kcal daily deficit predicts roughly 0.45 kg of fat loss per week.
- 3Weigh daily, average the week, and adjust by 100 to 150 kcal if the average does not move for two weeks.
Start near 1,500 kcal and adjust from the trend, not from a single weigh-in.
Activity multipliers
| Level | Multiplier | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | Desk job, little deliberate exercise |
| Lightly active | 1.375 | Light exercise 1 to 3 days a week |
| Moderately active | 1.55 | Moderate exercise 3 to 5 days a week |
| Very active | 1.725 | Hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week |
| Extra active | 1.9 | Physical job plus daily training |
Most people overestimate their activity level by one step. If your weight is stable, your real TDEE is simply your current intake.
Calorie targets by goal
| Goal | Adjustment | Expected rate |
|---|---|---|
| Aggressive fat loss | TDEE - 25% | 0.7 to 1 percent of bodyweight per week |
| Steady fat loss | TDEE - 20% | 0.5 percent of bodyweight per week |
| Maintenance | TDEE | Stable within normal fluctuation |
| Lean gain | TDEE + 10% | 0.25 to 0.5 percent of bodyweight per week |
Frequently asked questions
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This calculator provides estimates. Individual metabolism varies. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice.