TDEE calculator: how many calories you burn a day
Your basal metabolic rate, your total daily expenditure based on how much you move, and how many calories to eat to lose fat, maintain or build muscle — using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula.
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What TDEE is and why it is the number that matters
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is everything your body burns in a day: basal metabolism — keeping your heart, brain and temperature running — is 60-70%; digesting what you eat, about 10%; and the rest is movement, both training and walking to the metro or climbing stairs. Eating below that figure means losing fat; above it, gaining weight. There is no other law.
The formula we use is Mifflin-St Jeor: in the comparison published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association (2005) it best predicted real expenditure in the general population, ahead of Harris-Benedict. The activity factor is where most people go wrong, almost always upward: three workouts a week with a desk job is "moderate", not "active".
With your TDEE in hand, two decisions remain: how much to subtract or add for your goal, and how to split those calories. For the first there is the calorie deficit calculator; for the second, the macro calculator, which starts from this same TDEE and turns it into grams of protein, carbs and fat.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure: the calories your body burns on a normal day. It adds up your basal metabolic rate (what you burn at rest), digesting what you eat, the exercise you do on purpose and everyday movement. It is the reference figure for deciding how much to eat.
How is TDEE calculated?
First the basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula (weight, height, age and sex), then multiplied by an activity factor: 1.2 if sedentary, 1.375 for light activity, 1.55 moderate and 1.725 if you train almost daily or have a physical job. This calculator does both steps instantly.
How many calories do I burn a day doing nothing?
That is your basal metabolic rate (BMR): what you would burn lying down all day. For a 75 kg, 176 cm, 28-year-old man it is about 1,715 kcal; for a 60 kg, 165 cm, 30-year-old woman, about 1,320 kcal. The calculator shows it next to your TDEE.
Which activity factor should I pick?
Most people rate themselves more active than they are. If you sit at work and train 3-4 times a week, you are "moderate", not "active". "Active" means training 6-7 days or having a physical job. When in doubt, pick the lower level and adjust after two weeks based on the scale.
How many calories should I eat to lose fat or build muscle?
To lose fat, 12% to 25% below your TDEE (the calculator shows −20%); to build muscle, 10-15% above it. In both cases protein comes first: between 1.6 and 2.4 g per kilo of body weight depending on the goal.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
It is an estimate with roughly a 10% margin of error: Mifflin-St Jeor is the most accurate formula for the general population, but it does not know how much you move outside the gym or how you digest. Use it as a starting point and correct it with your real weight every 2-3 weeks.