TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure - the number of calories you burn each day. Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula.
How to Use Your TDEE
Your TDEE is the single most important number for body composition. Eat below it consistently and you lose weight; eat above it and you gain weight; eat at it and you maintain. Everything else in nutrition - macronutrient ratios, meal timing, food choices - is secondary to total calorie balance over time. Getting this number right is the foundation of any effective diet.
The Mifflin-St Jeor formula, used here, estimates BMR (calories burned at rest) from your age, weight, height, and sex. This is then multiplied by your activity factor to estimate total daily expenditure. Activity factors are the biggest source of estimation error - most people are more sedentary than they think outside of deliberate exercise sessions. If the calculator's number seems too high, try dropping one activity level and tracking your weight for two weeks to calibrate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your basal metabolic rate (calories burned at rest) plus all physical activity. It is your maintenance calorie level - eating at TDEE neither gains nor loses weight over time.
Which BMR formula does this use?
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely considered the most accurate BMR formula for most people. It accounts for weight, height, age, and sex. The result is multiplied by an activity factor to estimate TDEE.
How many calories above TDEE should I eat to build muscle?
A lean bulk typically targets 200-500 calories above TDEE per day. This surplus supports muscle protein synthesis without excessive fat gain. More aggressive surpluses (500+ calories) result in faster weight gain but a higher proportion of fat mass.
How many calories below TDEE should I eat to lose fat?
A moderate deficit of 300-500 calories per day results in approximately 0.3-0.5 kg of fat loss per week, which is sustainable and preserves most muscle mass. Larger deficits (750-1000 calories) increase the risk of muscle loss and metabolic adaptation.
Why is my TDEE different from other calculators?
Different calculators use different BMR formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle) and different activity multipliers. Activity factor estimates are inherently imprecise - most people underestimate their activity level. Track your intake and weight for 2-3 weeks to calibrate your actual TDEE from real data.
Does strength training increase TDEE?
Yes, in multiple ways. Each training session burns calories directly. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, so adding muscle mass increases your resting metabolic rate. Post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) also elevates calorie burn for hours after training, especially after heavy compound lifts.