TDEE Calculator
Calculate your total daily energy expenditure and see your BMR, activity burn and calories for cutting, maintaining or bulking.
TDEE Calculator — input your values
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Did you know?
This TDEE calculator works out your total daily energy expenditure — the full number of calories you burn in a day — by estimating your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and adding the energy used for activity.
Recommendation
Log your weight for a few weeks and compare the trend to your predicted TDEE to fine-tune the number.
Also worth knowing
Adjust the activity level honestly — a desk job plus three workouts usually means 'lightly active'.
What does this health calculator do?
This TDEE calculator works out your total daily energy expenditure — the full number of calories you burn in a day — by estimating your basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and adding the energy used for activity.
It breaks your daily burn into two parts: BMR and the activity component, so you can see exactly how much movement adds. It then shows practical calorie targets for cutting (a 500-kcal deficit), maintaining and bulking (a 300-kcal surplus), plus a comparison across all five activity levels.
TDEE estimates come from population equations and can be off by 10% or more for individuals. Treat the number as a hypothesis, track your weight for two to three weeks, and adjust intake by 100–200 kcal as needed.
Formula and variables
Men: BMR = 10·kg + 6.25·cm − 5·age + 5 · Women: BMR = 10·kg + 6.25·cm − 5·age − 161.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BMR | Basal metabolic rate (Mifflin-St Jeor), in kcal/day |
| activity | Factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active) |
Worked example
A 30-year-old man, 175 cm, 75 kg, moderately active (factor 1.55).
- BMR = 10 × 75 + 6.25 × 175 − 5 × 30 + 5 = 1,668.75 kcal.
- TDEE = 1,668.75 × 1.55 = 2,586.6 kcal/day.
- Cutting = 2,587 − 500 = 2,087 kcal/day.
- Bulking = 2,587 + 300 = 2,887 kcal/day.
Answer: TDEE ≈ 2,587 kcal/day; 2,087 kcal to cut, 2,887 kcal to bulk.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Log your weight for a few weeks and compare the trend to your predicted TDEE to fine-tune the number.
- Adjust the activity level honestly — a desk job plus three workouts usually means 'lightly active'.
- Recompute after significant weight changes, since both BMR and TDEE scale with body size.
- Pair the calorie target with a macro split so your protein stays adequate.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Overestimating activity — this is the most common source of inflated TDEE predictions.
- Swinging between cutting and bulking without a maintenance phase in between.
- Using the same calories on rest and training days despite different energy needs.
TDEE Calculator — frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
Total daily energy expenditure is the sum of everything you burn in a day: basal metabolism, the thermic effect of food and all physical activity. Eating at your TDEE keeps your weight stable.
How is TDEE calculated?
It's your BMR from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation multiplied by an activity factor that ranges from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extra active).
How many calories should I eat to cut?
A deficit of about 500 kcal below your TDEE typically yields roughly 0.5 kg of weight loss per week, which is sustainable for most people.
How many calories should I eat to bulk?
A modest surplus of about 300 kcal above your TDEE supports gradual muscle gain while limiting fat gain. Bigger surpluses mostly add fat.
How many calories should I eat to maintain my weight?
Eat at your TDEE — the number this calculator reports as maintenance. Total daily energy expenditure covers your BMR, digestion and all activity, so matching your intake to it keeps your weight steady.
Why does my TDEE differ from a friend with the same stats?
Muscle mass, genetics, hormones and daily movement vary between individuals, so equations produce averages. Your personal trend is the real source of truth.
Should I eat more on training days?
Some people benefit from slightly more food on hard training days and less on rest days, but weekly totals matter more than daily precision.
How this calculator works
TDEE Calculator uses the formula shown above (TDEE = BMR × activity factor) and computes the result instantly in your browser — no data leaves your device.