TDEE Calculator

Last updated: Jul 22, 2026 | Reviewed by Calkulator Team | 2 min read

Health

Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure accurately

TDEE combines your Basal Metabolic Rate with activity level to give the total calories your body burns daily. A 30-year-old, 70 kg male with moderate activity burns approximately 2,500 calories/day.

Use TDEE as your baseline, then adjust by ±300-500 calories based on whether you want to lose or gain weight.

Your Details

Metric (kg/cm) Imperial (lb/in)

Weight

Height

Age

yrs

Gender

Male Female

Activity Level

Goal

TDEE (Maintenance)

—

BMR: —

Goal Calories—

Protein Target—

Carbs Target—

Fats Target—

Formula Used

Mifflin-St Jeor (most accurate for general population)
Male BMR = 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5
Female BMR = 10W + 6.25H − 5A − 161
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier

Live Result Illustration

Visual summary — updates instantly as you enter values above

LIVE

Real-Life Guide to Using the TDEE Calculator

Total daily energy expenditure and calorie goal. Use the examples and checks below to turn the number into a practical decision.

When this calculator is useful

People who already know their BMR but want a single number that folds in workouts, walking, and daily activity use this before setting a cutting, bulking, or maintenance calorie plan.

For most people, the best way to use the TDEE Calculator is to try the real case first, then change one input at a time. That makes the trade-off visible. For example, with a loan calculator you can change tenure while keeping the same rate; with an investment calculator you can change return assumption while keeping the same monthly contribution; with a health, education or measurement calculator you can check how much one input changes the final category.

The result should answer a practical question: Can I afford this? How much should I save? Is this score enough? Is this measurement within range? What is the safer or cheaper option? If the output does not answer the decision clearly, adjust the inputs until the scenario matches your real situation.

Real-Life Example

IT professional planning a lean bulk: A 24-year-old man, 75 kg, 175 cm, who lifts weights four times a week and has a desk job, wants to gain muscle without excess fat.

1Mifflin-St Jeor BMR = (10×75) + (6.25×175) - (5×24) + 5 = 750 + 1093.75 - 120 + 5 = 1728.75 kcal. Using a "moderately active" multiplier of 1.55, TDEE ≈ 1728.75 × 1.55 ≈ 2680 kcal, so a lean bulk target of TDEE + 300 puts his daily intake around 2980 kcal.

2Now change one input, such as rate, time, quantity, unit or score, and compare the new result with the first one.

Muscle gain calls for a modest surplus above TDEE, not maintenance calories or a large surplus that mostly adds fat.

Practical Advice

Use the TDEE Calculator as a planning tool, not just a number generator. Write down the inputs you used, because the final answer is meaningful only when you remember the assumptions behind it.

If the decision affects money, health, tax, safety, academics or legal compliance, keep a second check ready. That second check may be a bank quote, payslip, official rule, prescription, site measurement, mark sheet or invoice.

Common Mistakes

Picking "very active" because they go to the gym once a week, when that activity tier assumes near-daily intense training or physical labour
Treating TDEE as a fixed number forever instead of recalculating after significant weight change or a shift in job/activity (e.g. starting work-from-home)
Eating exactly at TDEE while trying to lose fat, not realizing TDEE is the maintenance number and a deficit below it is required for weight loss
Double-counting exercise calories by both selecting an active lifestyle tier and adding a fitness tracker's workout calorie burn on top
Ignoring NEAT (non-exercise activity like fidgeting, walking around the office) as if only gym sessions count toward activity level

How to Interpret Results

TDEE represents the total calories you burn in a day including all activity; eating at this number maintains weight, eating below it (typically by 300-500 kcal) drives fat loss, and eating above it supports muscle or weight gain, so pick your calorie target relative to this baseline rather than eating the TDEE number itself when the goal is change.

A good interpretation looks at both the main result and the supporting values. If a page shows totals, ratios, categories, schedules or warnings, read those together instead of focusing only on the biggest number.

TDEE Calculator FAQs

Useful answers for interpreting the output, avoiding mistakes and using the result responsibly.

What is TDEE and how is it different from BMR?

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for exercise, walking, work, and daily movement. BMR alone only reflects calories burned at complete rest.

Which activity level should I choose?

Sedentary means little to no exercise and a desk job; lightly active means light exercise 1-3 days a week; moderately active means moderate exercise 3-5 days a week; very active means hard exercise 6-7 days a week or a physically demanding job. Most office workers who exercise a few times weekly should pick lightly to moderately active, not very active.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight based on my TDEE?

A deficit of 300-500 kcal below TDEE per day is a commonly recommended sustainable range, producing roughly 0.25-0.5 kg loss per week. Larger cuts increase risk of muscle loss and fatigue.

My weight is not changing even though I am eating according to my TDEE - why?

TDEE estimates carry some margin of error since they rely on formulas rather than direct measurement, so your real maintenance could differ by a couple hundred calories. Track actual weight trend over 2-3 weeks and adjust intake by 100-150 kcal if there is no movement.

Does this calculator work for very muscular or very overweight people?

Less precisely. Formula-based TDEE estimates are built on average body composition, so bodybuilders with unusually high muscle mass and people with a high body fat percentage can see meaningful deviation from the calculated number in either direction.

Should I recalculate TDEE after losing weight?

Yes, TDEE drops as body weight drops because a lighter body burns fewer calories at rest and during activity. Recalculating every 5-8 kg of change keeps your calorie targets accurate.

Is this safe to use for a growing teenager?

This calculator is designed for adults; teenagers have different, growth-adjusted energy needs that a general adult TDEE formula does not capture well. A paediatrician or registered dietitian should guide calorie planning for teens.

Can I use my TDEE number as a permanent target?

No, treat it as a starting estimate that needs occasional recalibration as your weight, age, and activity level change over months. Checking in every 4-6 weeks against real-world weight trend is the practical way to keep it accurate.

What is TDEE?

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, accounting for your basal metabolic rate (calories burned at rest) plus the energy used for all physical activity. It's the number you need to know to manage your weight effectively.

To lose weight, eat below your TDEE (calorie deficit). To gain muscle, eat above TDEE (calorie surplus). To maintain weight, match your TDEE. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula — the most widely validated equation for estimating BMR.

Example Calculation

Profile: Male, 30 years, 75 kg, 175 cm, moderately active (gym 4x/week).

1BMR = 10×75 + 6.25×175 − 5×30 + 5 = 1,755 kcal

2TDEE = 1,755 × 1.55 = 2,720 kcal/day

3Fat loss goal: 2,720 − 500 = 2,220 kcal/day

✓ Expected loss: ~0.5 kg/week at 2,220 kcal/day

Activity Level Guide

Sedentary (×1.2): Desk job, no planned exercise, daily life only
Lightly active (×1.375): Light walks or gym 1–3 days/week
Moderately active (×1.55): Gym or sports 3–5 days/week
Very active (×1.725): Intense training 6–7 days/week or physical job
Extra active (×1.9): Twice-daily training or extremely physical job
Most people overestimate their activity level — when in doubt, choose one level lower

Key Terms

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): Calories your body burns just to keep you alive at complete rest — breathing, circulation, cell repair. BMR = ~60–70% of TDEE for sedentary people.
Calorie Deficit: Eating fewer calories than your TDEE. 500 kcal/day deficit = ~0.5 kg/week fat loss (since 1 kg fat ≈ 7,700 kcal). Deficits over 1,000 kcal/day risk muscle loss and metabolic adaptation.
Calorie Surplus: Eating more than TDEE to support muscle growth. A lean bulk of +200–300 kcal/day minimizes fat gain while providing enough energy for muscle synthesis.
Protein (2.0–2.6g/kg): Higher protein during a deficit preserves muscle mass. During a bulk, adequate protein (1.6–2.2g/kg) supports muscle protein synthesis. Protein has the highest thermic effect of food.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is TDEE calculation from a formula?

TDEE calculators using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula are accurate to within ±10–15% for most people. The biggest source of error is the activity multiplier — most people overestimate their activity level. A "moderately active" office worker who does 45 minutes of gym 4 times a week is often closer to "lightly active" because the remaining 23 hours of the day are sedentary. For best accuracy: use the calculated TDEE as a starting point, eat at that amount for 2 weeks while weighing yourself daily, then adjust based on actual weight change. 1 kg change = approximately 7,700 kcal over the period.

Why am I not losing weight even at the calculated deficit?

Several reasons: (1) Underestimated calorie intake — research shows people underestimate food intake by 20–50%, especially with restaurant meals and snacks. Track everything including oils and sauces. (2) Overestimated TDEE — try dropping the activity level by one category. (3) Metabolic adaptation — when in a prolonged deficit, your body reduces TDEE by 5–15% through reduced movement and lower metabolic rate. Try a 1–2 week diet break at maintenance to reset. (4) Water retention masking fat loss — especially around hormonal cycles in women or when starting strength training (muscles store glycogen + water).

How much protein should I eat daily?

For muscle preservation during fat loss: 2.0–2.6g per kg of body weight. For muscle building: 1.6–2.2g/kg. For general health maintenance: 1.2–1.6g/kg. These are significantly higher than the RDA of 0.8g/kg (which is a minimum to prevent deficiency, not an optimal performance recommendation). Protein sources available in India: chicken breast (31g/100g), eggs (13g/2 eggs), paneer (18g/100g), dal/lentils (9g/100g cooked), Greek yogurt (10g/100g), whey protein (20–25g/scoop).

Is it better to lose weight fast or slowly?

Moderate fat loss (0.5–1% of body weight per week) preserves muscle mass better than aggressive deficits. At 0.5% loss per week: a 70 kg person loses ~350g of mostly fat per week. At 1 kg/week (very aggressive): muscle loss increases, hormonal disruption increases, and adherence drops dramatically. The exception is people with high obesity where faster initial loss (under medical supervision) is sometimes appropriate. For most people: 0.25–0.5 kg/week is sustainable, preserves muscle, and leads to better long-term body composition than crash dieting.