TDEE Calculator
Estimate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE): the calories you burn in a day, including exercise and everyday movement. It starts from your basal metabolic rate and your activity level.
An estimate for healthy adults
Calories you burn (kcal/day)
2,123
Check the highlighted fields to see your result.
- Basal metabolic rate
- 1,370 kcal/day
- With −250 kcal
- 1,873 kcal/day
- With −500 kcal
- 1,623 kcal/day
Results are estimates for information only and do not constitute financial, medical, or legal advice.
How it works
First, the calculator estimates your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. Then it multiplies it by an activity factor, from 1.2 for little or no exercise to 1.9 for very hard exercise or a physical job. These factors are widely used approximations, so treat the result as a starting point and adjust it based on how your weight changes over a few weeks.
The formula
TDEE = BMR × activity factor (1.2 / 1.375 / 1.55 / 1.725 / 1.9)
Worked example
A 30-year-old woman, 65 kg (143 lb) and 165 cm (5 ft 5 in), who exercises moderately 3 to 5 days a week.
- BMR: about 1,370 calories a day.
- TDEE: 1,370 × 1.55 ≈ 2,124 calories a day.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al.A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990.
- Harvard Health Publishing.Calorie deficit explained: Is it a safe, sustainable approach to weight loss?(moderate deficit of 500 calories a day and calorie ranges for weight loss).
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what your body burns at complete rest. TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) adds everything else: daily movement, exercise, and digesting food. TDEE is the number that matters for planning how much to eat.
Which activity level should I choose?
Most people overestimate how active they are. If you sit most of the day and exercise a few times a week, "light" or "moderate" is usually closer than "active." You can check over a few weeks: if your weight stays the same, your intake is close to your TDEE.
Why does the calculator show −250 and −500?
Those are the moderate changes many health professionals suggest when someone wants to lose weight gradually, about 0.25 to 0.5 kg (0.5 to 1 lb) a week. The calculator never shows targets below 1,200 kcal a day for women or 1,500 for men; bigger cuts should only be made with medical supervision.