Free TDEE Calculator
Find Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in 24 hours. It matters because eating below your TDEE causes weight loss, eating above it causes weight gain, and eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight. It's the most fundamental number in any nutrition or fitness plan.

To use a TDEE calculator to lose weight, follow three steps: (1) Calculate your TDEE using the form above — this gives you your maintenance calories. (2) Subtract 300–500 kcal from your TDEE to create a calorie deficit. A 500 kcal/day deficit produces approximately 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week. (3) Eat at your deficit calorie target consistently. Track your weight weekly and recalculate your TDEE every 4–6 weeks as your body weight changes. This approach is backed by the most extensive evidence for safe, sustainable fat loss.

"TDEE cal" is a shorthand for TDEE calculator — the tool used to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. You may also see it written as "tdee cal", "tdee calculation", or "tdee calc". All refer to the same process: estimating how many calories your body burns per day based on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level. Our free online tdee cal tool on this page provides instant results using three validated formulas.

TDEE calculators are estimates based on predictive formulas and may vary from your actual metabolic rate by ±10–20%. Individual factors like genetics, hormones, gut microbiome, and muscle fiber composition all affect metabolism. Use your calculated TDEE as a starting point and adjust based on 2–4 weeks of real-world results.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body needs at complete rest — just to keep your heart beating, lungs breathing, and organs functioning. TDEE is your BMR plus all the calories you burn through activity, exercise, and digesting food. TDEE is always higher than BMR, typically by 20–100% depending on activity level.

A moderate deficit of 500 calories per day (below your TDEE) is generally recommended for sustainable weight loss of ~1 pound (0.45 kg) per week. Aggressive deficits of 750 kcal/day can accelerate fat loss but may increase muscle loss and hunger. Deficits greater than 1,000 kcal/day are rarely recommended without medical supervision.

Research shows the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990) is more accurate than the original Harris-Benedict formula for most modern adults. A 2005 meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found Mifflin-St Jeor predicted RMR within 10% for approximately 82% of non-obese subjects. The Katch-McArdle formula is most accurate if you know your body fat percentage.

Be honest and conservative. Most people overestimate their activity level, which leads to overeating. "Sedentary" means a desk job with little exercise. "Lightly active" means 1–3 workouts per week. "Moderately active" means 3–5 workouts per week. "Very active" means daily hard training. If unsure, choose one level lower and adjust based on results.

Yes. TDEE tends to decrease by roughly 1–2% per decade after age 30, primarily because muscle mass declines (sarcopenia) which reduces BMR. Women also experience a significant metabolic shift during menopause. Regular resistance training is the most effective way to maintain metabolic rate as you age.

Yes. To build muscle (bulk), you need to eat above your TDEE — typically 250–500 calories per day above maintenance. A lean bulk uses a smaller surplus (+250 kcal) to minimize fat gain while maximizing muscle growth. Combined with progressive resistance training, this caloric surplus provides the energy your body needs to synthesize new muscle tissue.