TDEE Calculator
Total daily energy expenditure: the calories you use in a day, from your BMR and activity level.
About you
Filled in with example values. Replace them with your own.
Optional
Uses Katch-McArdle for BMR, which accounts for lean body mass.
Results update as you type.
Result
TDEE: about 2,759 kcal a day (BMR 1,780 × 1.55)
Total daily energy expenditure
2,759kcal a day
An estimate, not medical advice. TDEE is a rough estimate: the activity multipliers are broad averages, and people of the same size can use quite different amounts of energy. Treat it as a starting point, not a target. If you are pregnant, under 18, have a medical condition or want to change your weight, ask a doctor or a registered dietitian.
- BMRMifflin-St Jeor
- 1,780 kcal
- Activity multiplier
- × 1.55
- Per week
- 19,313 kcal
At each activity level
- Sedentary × 1.22,136 kcal
- Lightly active × 1.3752,448 kcal
- Moderately active × 1.552,759 kcal
- Very active × 1.7253,071 kcal
- Extra active × 1.93,382 kcal
If you are between two levels, the lower one gives the more cautious estimate.
How it’s calculated
BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor)
10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5 = 1,780 kcal
TDEE
1,780 × 1.55 = 2,759 kcal
Important
This calculator gives a general estimate from a published formula. It is not a diagnosis and not medical advice, and it cannot take your health, medicines or history into account. TDEE is a rough estimate of maintenance calories, not a diet plan or a calorie target.For advice about your weight, diet or health, talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian. See theDisclaimer.
How the TDEE calculator works
First the calculator estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, or with Katch-McArdle if you enter your body fat percentage. It then multiplies BMR by an activity multiplier to account for the energy used moving, working and exercising.
The result is shown for your chosen activity level and, for comparison, for every level.
The formula
TDEE = BMR × Activity multiplier
Activity multipliers
- Sedentary (little or no exercise): × 1.2
- Lightly active (light exercise 1–3 days a week): × 1.375
- Moderately active (moderate exercise 3–5 days a week): × 1.55
- Very active (hard exercise 6–7 days a week): × 1.725
- Extra active (very hard exercise and a physical job): × 1.9
Worked example
A man, 30, 180 cm, 80 kg, moderately active:
- BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor): 10 × 80 + 6.25 × 180 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 1,780 kcal
- TDEE: 1,780 × 1.55 = 2,759 kcal a day, or about 11,544 kJ
- Sedentary, the same person would be at 1,780 × 1.2 = 2,136 kcal
Limitations
- Both the BMR equation and the activity multiplier are averages; your real energy use can differ noticeably.
- Activity varies from day to day, and the levels only describe it broadly.
- For adults only. Not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with medical conditions that affect metabolism.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
Total daily energy expenditure: an estimate of all the calories your body uses in a day, at rest and while moving. If you regularly eat about this much, your weight would be expected to stay roughly the same.
Which activity level should I pick?
Choose the description closest to a typical week, counting both exercise and how active your job is. If you are between two levels, the lower one gives the more cautious estimate. You can also enter your own multiplier.
Where do the activity multipliers come from?
They are the multipliers commonly used with BMR equations such as Harris-Benedict and Mifflin-St Jeor. They are broad averages rather than measurements, which is why the result is only an estimate.
Can I use TDEE to lose or gain weight?
This calculator estimates the calories for keeping your weight steady. How much to change what you eat, and how fast, depends on your health and goals, so talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making big changes.
Why does adding body fat change the result?
With a body fat percentage, BMR is worked out with the Katch-McArdle equation from lean body mass instead of Mifflin-St Jeor. For people with more or less muscle than average, this can give a different estimate.