What is TDEE and how many calories do I burn a day?

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories you burn in a day. This calculator finds it by first computing your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation from your gender, height, weight, and age, then multiplying by an activity multiplier (PAL). For TDEE for women the BMR formula subtracts 161; for TDEE for men it adds 5, so men typically land higher at the same size. The result is how many calories you burn a day across walking, working, exercise, and fidgeting combined.

What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest to power organs, cells, and basic functions. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is BMR multiplied by an activity factor, so it captures everything you do in a day: walking, working, exercise, fidgeting. TDEE is what you eat to maintain weight.

Which TDEE formula is most accurate?

Mifflin-St Jeor is generally the most accurate for the general adult population and is the default in this calculator. Harris-Benedict tends to overestimate by 5 to 15 percent for many adults. Katch-McArdle is more accurate for lean, athletic people because it uses lean body mass instead of total weight, but it requires a known body fat percentage.

How do I use TDEE to lose weight, and should I subtract 500 or 1000 calories?

To use TDEE to lose weight, eat below your TDEE (a calorie deficit); to gain, eat above it (a calorie surplus). A 500 calorie per day deficit produces roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week and is the most sustainable for most people. A 1000 calorie deficit (the aggressive cut) targets roughly 2 lb per week but is harder to sustain, often costs lean mass, and may trigger this calculator's safety floor for shorter or smaller people. Start at 500 and adjust based on real progress.

Do I need to recalculate my TDEE as I lose weight?

Yes. Every 4 to 8 kg (about 10 to 17 lb) of weight change shifts your BMR meaningfully because your body simply has less tissue to maintain. Re-enter the calculator every 10 to 15 lb of progress, or every 4 to 6 weeks if your activity has changed.

Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?

Yes. TDEE is your maintenance calorie level, the number of calories per day at which your weight stays roughly constant. The 'Maintain' goal card on this page is exactly your TDEE.

How accurate are TDEE calculators, and why does my TDEE seem too low or too high?

Validated equations like Mifflin-St Jeor land within roughly 10 percent of indirect calorimetry (the lab gold standard) for most adults, but activity multipliers add more uncertainty because everyday movement is hard to estimate. These calculators give population averages, so your real burn can be 10 to 20 percent off because of NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), genetics, sleep, stress, and prior dieting history. Treat the result as a calibrated starting point. If weight does not move after 10 to 14 days at a stated target, adjust calories up or down by 100 to 200 and retest.

Can I use this TDEE calculator while pregnant or breastfeeding?

No. Pregnant and breastfeeding people have meaningfully different energy needs (typically +300 to +500 kcal per day depending on stage) and additional micronutrient demands. Use a calculator built for pregnancy, or work with a registered dietitian or your obstetric provider.

What activity level should I pick if I sit at a desk but train hard 4 days a week?

Pick Moderately active (1.55). The activity multiplier reflects your whole week, not just sedentary work. Desk-based work plus 3 to 5 weekly training sessions typically averages to Moderate. If your sessions are short or low intensity, lean toward Lightly active (1.375).

How is the safety floor calculated?

We never recommend less than 1200 kcal/day for women, 1500 kcal/day for men (1350 for the gender-neutral average), or 110 percent of your BMR, whichever number is higher. Eating below this level for extended periods can suppress your metabolism, harm hormonal health, and cost lean mass.

What's NEAT and does this calculator include it?

NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is the calories you burn fidgeting, standing, walking, doing chores, and otherwise being alive outside of formal exercise. NEAT is the single biggest reason two people with the same body data and workouts can have very different TDEEs. The activity multipliers in this calculator bundle NEAT and structured exercise together.

Does TDEE include the thermic effect of food (TEF)?

Yes, partially. TEF is roughly 8 to 12 percent of total intake for a mixed diet (higher on high-protein diets). Standard activity multipliers absorb TEF inside the total expenditure estimate, so you do not need to add it separately.

Free metabolism tool

How many calories should you eat per day?

Most adults need roughly 1,600 to 3,000 calories a day to maintain their weight. Your exact number, your TDEE, is your resting burn (BMR) multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 for a desk job to 1.9 for hard daily training. To lose weight, eat 300 to 500 below it; to build muscle, eat 250 to 500 above. Calculate yours below with three scientific formulas, no signup.

Start calculating

Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdleSafety floor enforcedNo signup

Live previewSample

Maintenance (TDEE)

2,658

kcal

BMR 1,715 · Activity 1.55

Cut-5002,158

Maintain02,658

Bulk+5003,158

Formula compare

1,715

Mifflin

1,798

Harris

1,683

Katch

Verified math

Personal info

Your body data drives the BMR calculation.

Gender

Units

Height

Weight (lbs)

Age (years)

Activity level

Pick the option that matches your real week, not your ideal one.

BMR formula

Mifflin-St Jeor is the default and works for most adults.

Your daily burn

Fill in your body data, activity level, and formula. Results show here.

Saved locally

Saved calculations

Up to 8 entries stored in this browser only. Click any item to reload its inputs.

Save your first calculation to see it here

Fill in the calculator above and click Save calculation.

Method

Three steps to your real burn.

Body data goes in, BMR comes out. Multiply by your weekly activity to see how many calories you burn a day, then pick a goal whether you want to use TDEE to lose weight or to gain.

Step

Enter body data

Pick gender and unit system, then enter height, weight, and age. These four values go into the BMR equation.

BMR = f(weight, height, age, gender)

Step

Pick activity

Sedentary (×1.2) to Extremely active (×1.9). Choose the level that matches your real week, not your goal week.

TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier

Step

Choose a goal

Six goal cards show daily calorie targets from aggressive cut to bulk. Each card shows weekly weight change estimates.

Target = TDEE + goal delta (e.g. −500 cut)

Back to calculator

The math

What each number means.

BMR, TDEE, activity multipliers, and the formula behind each. Plain English, no fluff. Your TDEE is your maintenance calories, the level that holds weight steady. Eat under it for a calorie deficit to lose fat, eat over it for a calorie surplus to build muscle.

At rest

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)

The calories your body burns at complete rest. Think 24 hours lying still, doing nothing, with no digestion happening. It pays the rent for your organs, brain, and basic cellular maintenance.

Formula

Depends on height, weight, age, gender (or lean mass for Katch)

A typical 30-year-old man at 80 kg, 178 cm: BMR ≈ 1,715 kcal

Per day

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)

BMR multiplied by your activity multiplier. It covers everything: structured exercise, walking, fidgeting (NEAT), and the thermic effect of food. Eat at TDEE to maintain weight.

Formula

TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier

1,715 BMR × 1.55 (Moderately active) = 2,658 TDEE

Five levels

Activity multipliers

A single number that captures your whole week. Pick conservatively. Most people overestimate. The multipliers absorb NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), structured exercise, and the thermic effect of food.

Formula

×1.2 to ×1.9 (Sedentary to Extremely active)

Desk + 4 weekly gym sessions = Moderately active (×1.55)

Three equations

Why three formulas?

Mifflin-St Jeor is the modern default (best for general adults). Harris-Benedict is older and reads higher. Katch-McArdle uses lean mass instead of weight, so it adapts to body composition when you know your body fat percentage.

Formula

Mifflin = default · Harris = legacy · Katch = lean mass

The three can differ by 100 to 250 kcal for the same person

Reference

Activity multipliers

Level	Multiplier	Typical week
Sedentary	×1.2	Little or no exercise, desk job
Lightly active	×1.375	Light exercise 1-3 days per week
Moderately active	×1.55	Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week
Very active	×1.725	Hard exercise 6-7 days per week
Extremely active	×1.9	Very hard exercise plus physical job

Multipliers from McArdle, Katch & Katch (Exercise Physiology) and ACSM guidelines. Pick conservatively.

Formulas

BMR equations

Mifflin-St Jeor (1990)
Male: 10·kg + 6.25·cm − 5·age + 5
Female: 10·kg + 6.25·cm − 5·age − 161
Harris-Benedict (revised 1984)
Male: 88.362 + 13.397·kg + 4.799·cm − 5.677·age
Female: 447.593 + 9.247·kg + 3.098·cm − 4.330·age
Katch-McArdle
370 + 21.6 · lean_kg
where lean_kg = weight_kg × (1 − bodyFat ÷ 100)

Mifflin-St Jeor validated in Am J Clin Nutr (1990). Roza-Shizgal revision (1984) for Harris-Benedict. Katch-McArdle from Exercise Physiology.

Pick honestly

Which activity level is actually yours?

Most people overestimate. If you work a sedentary desk job and train a few times a week, you usually land lower than you would guess. If you're between two levels, pick the lower one and adjust after two weeks of real progress.

Sedentary

×1.2

Desk job, mostly seated commute, less than one workout per week.

Office worker, no gym
Remote worker, no walks
Mobility-limited days

Lightly active

×1.375

Light exercise 1 to 3 days per week. Walking on most days.

Yoga 2x/week
Casual walks daily
Beginner lifter, 2 sessions

Moderately active

×1.55

Moderate exercise 3 to 5 days per week. Most fitness-focused adults.

Lifts 3-4x/week
Runs 25-40 km/week
Hybrid CrossFit / cardio

Very active

×1.725

Hard exercise 6 to 7 days per week. Sport-focused training.

Powerlifter 5-6 sessions
Marathon training block
Trade work + weekend cardio

Extremely active

×1.9

Very hard daily training plus physical job or twice-a-day sessions.

Pro athlete in-season
Construction + serious training
Two-a-day endurance

Support

Frequently asked questions.

Quick answers about BMR, TDEE, deficits, and which formula to use.

Still have a question?

Tell us what we missed and we will add it here.

Still have a question?

Tell us what we missed and we will add it here.

Sources & reading

Where the numbers come from.

Methodology

Data sources

BMR equations are drawn from peer-reviewed metabolism research. Activity multipliers come from ACSM exercise physiology guidelines. Calorie-to-bodyweight conversions use 7,700 kcal per kg of body fat (about 3,500 per lb) as established in long-running fat-loss research.

01
Mifflin et al., Am J Clin Nutr (1990)
Original Mifflin-St Jeor BMR validation against indirect calorimetry
02
Roza & Shizgal, Am J Clin Nutr (1984)
Harris-Benedict revision used in this calculator
03
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing
Activity multiplier reference ranges (Sedentary to Extremely active)
04
USDA Dietary Reference Intakes
U.S. government reference for adult energy requirements

Related guides

Long-form articles that go deeper on metabolism, deficits, and macros for any goal.

Editorial

Built by Hunzala Ashfaq, Founder

Updated May 18, 2026Verified against peer-reviewed metabolism research

Data Sources

TDEE is computed as BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, or Katch-McArdle) multiplied by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extremely active). Goal targets apply a 250 to 1,000 kcal/day deficit or surplus, clamped to a safety floor of max(1,200 women / 1,500 men, 110% of BMR). Results are educational, not medical advice.

Mifflin MD et al., 1990 (Am J Clin Nutr) — Original Mifflin-St Jeor BMR equation, the predictor used as our default.
Frankenfield D et al., 2005 (J Am Diet Assoc) — Validation review establishing Mifflin-St Jeor as the most accurate equation for the general adult population.
Roza AM, Shizgal HM, 1984 (Am J Clin Nutr) — Revised Harris-Benedict equation used in our comparison panel.
IOM Dietary Reference Intakes (2005) — Activity multiplier ranges and energy requirement guidance for adults.
Hall KD et al., 2011 (Lancet) — Energy balance model behind our 7,700 kcal/kg fat-loss math.

Related Guides

Built and maintained by Hunzala Ashfaq, founder of DrinkDigits. Last updated 2026-05-19. Calculations verified against official brand and public nutrition data.

This calculator is educational and for general reference only. It is not medical or dietetic advice. Consult a licensed healthcare provider for personalized nutrition guidance.

Other free tools.

Calculators that pair well with your TDEE. All free, no signup, no upsell.

1 / 9

BMR at rest

BMR Calculator

Calories burned at complete rest. Three formulas, demographic comparison, food equivalents.

Open BMR Calculator