TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) with recommended macros for weight loss, maintenance or gain.
Basal Metabolic Rate
1618 kcal/day
Calories burned at rest
Total Daily Energy Expenditure
2507 kcal/day
Total calories needed daily
To Lose Weight
2007 kcal/day
1 lb/week loss
To Gain Weight
3007 kcal/day
1 lb/week gain
Recommended Macros
188g
Protein (30%)
282g
Carbs (45%)
70g
Fat (25%)
Last updated: September 2026
How this calculator is verified
Checked by True Calculator automated test suite on
- Formula verified against a published worked example in the automated test suite
- Edge cases (zero, negative, boundary and unit-mismatch inputs) covered by unit tests
The full verification method is on our how we verify page. Found an error? Tell us and we will re-check it.
When to Use This Calculator
Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the number your maintenance calories are based on, and every serious cut or bulk starts there. This calculator estimates your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and multiplies it by an activity factor from sedentary to very active, giving the calories you burn in a day. Someone wanting to lose weight eats roughly 500 calories below this number; someone gaining eats above it. Gym-goers, runners and people on Indian home-cooked diets use it to plan portions and protein targets, and it is the number dietitians ask for first. Activity factors are self-reported, so be honest with the dropdown — most people overestimate how active they are, which quietly inflates the number.
How to Use This Calculator
- Step 1: Enter your weight, height, age and sex.
- Step 2: Pick your activity level, from sedentary to very active, matching your typical week including work and exercise.
- Step 3: Calculate and read your BMR and your Total Daily Energy Expenditure in calories.
- Step 4: Read the calorie figures for losing and gaining weight, plus the protein, carb and fat targets for maintenance.
Worked Example
A 30-year-old woman who is 160 cm tall, weighs 60 kg and exercises lightly one to three times a week selects the light activity option. Mifflin-St Jeor gives a BMR of 1,289 calories, and the light multiplier of 1.375 raises her TDEE to about 1,772 calories. The calculator then shows about 1,272 calories for losing weight at the usual 500-calorie deficit and 2,272 for gaining. It also returns macros of about 133 g protein, 199 g carbs and 49 g fat for the maintenance level.
Tips and Common Mistakes
- •Tip 1: Pick the activity level that describes your real week; a 45-minute walk a few times a week is light, not active.
- •Tip 2: Use the maintenance number first and only move to the deficit or surplus figure after two steady weeks.
- •Tip 3: Re-run the calculator after a 5 kg change, since TDEE falls as body weight falls.
- ✗Mistake 1: Choosing very active to justify a larger budget, which usually produces a number that outruns your actual burn.
- ✗Mistake 2: Adding your exercise calories on top of the TDEE figure, since your activity level is already folded into the multiplier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total calories your body burns in a day: your resting metabolism, the energy used to digest food, and all your physical activity. It equals your maintenance calories — eat this amount and your weight stays steady.
How is TDEE calculated?
The calculator first finds your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor: 1.2 for sedentary, 1.375 light, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 very active and 1.9 extra active. A BMR of 1,289 with light activity gives a TDEE of about 1,772 calories.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A deficit of about 500 calories per day below your TDEE leads to roughly 0.5 kg of fat loss per week. The calculator shows this deficit number directly — and the gain figure too — so you can compare goals before adjusting your diet.
Why does my TDEE change as I lose weight?
A lighter body burns fewer calories because moving it takes less energy, so your maintenance number falls as you lose weight. Re-run the calculator after every 5 kg change instead of sticking with an old target.
What macro split does the calculator use?
The macros follow a 30% protein, 45% carbs and 25% fat split of your TDEE. For a 1,772 calorie maintenance target that works out to about 133 g protein, 199 g carbs and 49 g fat per day.
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