BMI Calculator
Calculate your Body Mass Index, healthy weight range and ideal weight using metric or imperial units.
Open tool →
🔥
TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Get personalised calorie targets for weight loss, maintenance, and muscle gain.
cm
kg
%
What Is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It accounts for everything: your resting metabolism, the energy used to digest food, and all physical activity including exercise, walking, fidgeting, and daily movement.
Understanding your TDEE is the single most important number for managing body weight. Eat below it to lose weight, eat at it to maintain, and eat above it to gain muscle mass. Unlike generic 2,000-calorie recommendations, a personalised TDEE gives you a target based on your actual body and lifestyle.
🔥
TDEE
Total calories burned per day. Your starting point for any nutrition plan.
💤
BMR
Calories burned at rest keeping vital functions running — heart, lungs, brain.
🏋️
Activity Factor
Multiplier applied to BMR based on how much you move — from ×1.2 to ×1.9.
How TDEE Is Calculated
- 1
Calculate BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor)
The most accurate formula for the general population. Uses weight, height, age, and gender.
Male: BMR = 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5 Female: BMR = 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age − 161 Example (Male, 30, 175cm, 75kg): BMR = 10×75 + 6.25×175 − 5×30 + 5 = 1,708 kcal - 2
Apply Activity Multiplier
Multiply BMR by your activity level to get TDEE.
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier Sedentary × 1.2 → mostly desk work Light × 1.375 → light exercise Moderate × 1.55 → 3–5 days/week Very Active × 1.725 → daily exercise Extreme × 1.9 → athlete / labour Example: 1,708 × 1.55 = 2,647 kcal - 3
Adjust for Your Goal
Apply a deficit for fat loss or a surplus for muscle gain.
Weight Loss → TDEE − 500 kcal Maintenance → TDEE Muscle Gain → TDEE + 250–500 kcal Example at TDEE 2,647: Weight Loss = 2,147 kcal Muscle Gain = 2,897 kcal
BMR vs TDEE — What's the Difference?
| Metric | BMR | TDEE |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Basal Metabolic Rate | Total Daily Energy Expenditure |
| What it is | Calories at complete rest | Actual calories burned per day |
| Includes | Core organ function only | BMR + activity + digestion |
| Use it for | Understanding your base | Setting your calorie target |
| Typical % | 60–75% of TDEE | 100% by definition |
How to Use TDEE for Weight Loss
To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your TDEE — this is called a caloric deficit. An evidence-based approach:
−250 kcal/day
Mild deficit — ~0.25 kg/week fat loss. Best for lean individuals or those close to goal weight
−500 kcal/day
Standard deficit — ~0.5 kg/week fat loss. Most recommended approach — sustainable with minimal muscle loss
−750 kcal/day
Aggressive deficit — ~0.75 kg/week fat loss. Faster results but higher risk of muscle loss. Adequate protein is critical.
Note: 1 kg of body fat ≈ 7,700 kcal. These are estimates — individual results vary based on metabolism, adherence, and body composition changes.
Calculation Examples
Male · 30 · 175 cm · 75 kg · Moderate
BMR: 1,708 kcalTDEE: 2,647 kcalLose: 2,147 kcalMaintain: 2,647 kcalGain: 2,897 kcal
Female · 28 · 165 cm · 60 kg · Light
BMR: 1,361 kcalTDEE: 1,872 kcalLose: 1,372 kcalMaintain: 1,872 kcalGain: 2,122 kcal
Male · 40 · 180 cm · 90 kg · Very Active
BMR: 1,945 kcalTDEE: 3,355 kcalLose: 2,855 kcalMaintain: 3,355 kcalGain: 3,605 kcal
Female · 35 · 158 cm · 55 kg · Sedentary
BMR: 1,298 kcalTDEE: 1,558 kcalLose: 1,058 kcalMaintain: 1,558 kcalGain: 1,808 kcal
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal TDEE?
TDEE varies significantly by body size and activity. For a sedentary adult woman (60 kg) it might be ~1,600–1,900 kcal. For an athletic male (80 kg training 5 days/week) it could be 3,000–3,500 kcal. There is no universal 'normal' — your personalised TDEE depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.
How accurate is the TDEE calculation?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is accurate to within ~10% for most people. Activity multipliers add more uncertainty since they rely on self-reported exercise. For precise tracking, validated methods like doubly labelled water or metabolic testing exist, but the formula method is excellent for practical nutrition planning. Track your weight over 2–4 weeks and adjust intake accordingly.
What is BMR and why does it matter?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns purely to stay alive while at rest — keeping your heart beating, lungs breathing, body temperature stable, and cells functioning. It typically accounts for 60–75% of your total calorie burn. You cannot change it quickly — it's mainly determined by body size, age, and sex.
Should I eat at TDEE or below it to lose weight?
You must eat below your TDEE to lose weight. Eating exactly at TDEE maintains your current weight. A standard 500 kcal/day deficit produces roughly 0.5 kg/week of fat loss — the most widely recommended rate for preserving muscle and being sustainable long-term.
Does TDEE change as I lose weight?
Yes. As your body weight decreases, your BMR and TDEE both decrease because your body has less mass to maintain. This is why weight loss often plateaus after several months. Recalculate your TDEE every 4–6 weeks or every 3–5 kg lost and adjust your calorie target accordingly.
What is the Katch-McArdle formula and when should I use it?
The Katch-McArdle formula calculates BMR from Lean Body Mass (LBM) rather than total body weight. It's more accurate for people with known body fat percentage — particularly athletes or muscular individuals — because muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. If you know your body fat %, enter it in this calculator to use Katch-McArdle instead of Mifflin-St Jeor.
Explore This Tool in Context
TDEE Calculator is part of the Fitness & Health collection. If you want a broader view of similar workflows, open the Fitness & Health category page or browse all QuickTools categories.
Common next steps after this tool include BMI Calculator, Calorie Calculator and Body Fat Calculator.
More in Fitness & Health
View category hub →Calorie Calculator
Estimate daily calorie needs based on age, gender, height, weight and activity level using Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict or Katch-McArdle formulas.
Open tool →
Body Fat Calculator
Estimate body fat percentage using the U.S. Navy method and BMI-based formula. Get body fat mass, lean mass, and ideal fat range for your age.
Open tool →
Water Intake Calculator
Calculate your recommended daily water intake based on body weight, activity level, exercise, and climate. Results shown in ml, liters, oz, and cups.
Open tool →
Popular Tools
Browse all popular tools →Video to GIF Converter
Convert short MP4, WebM, MOV, AVI, MKV, and other video clips into GIFs online with trim controls, frame-rate options, and private in-browser processing.
Open tool →
Animated GIF Maker
Create animated GIFs from a sequence of images online with per-frame delay, output width, loop count, and private in-browser processing — no upload required.
Open tool →
GIF to MP4 Converter
Convert an animated GIF into a compact MP4 or WebM video file online with output width, duration, and FPS controls — processed entirely in your browser, no upload required.
Open tool →
GIF to WebM Converter
Convert an animated GIF into a compact WebM video file online using VP9 or VP8 — output width, duration, and FPS controls with private in-browser processing, no upload required.
Open tool →