TDEE Calculator

This calculator can be used to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which represents the total calories your body burns in a day based on your activity level and physical characteristics.

Modify the values and click the Calculate button to determine your daily energy expenditure
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ages 18 - 80
feet inches
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Results unit:
BMR estimation formula:
Body Fat: %
ages 18 - 80
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Results unit:
BMR estimation formula:
Body Fat: %

Other unit conversions will be available soon.

  • Exercise: 15-30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
  • Intense exercise: 45-120 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
  • Very intense exercise: 2+ hours of elevated heart rate activity.
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
2,500 Calories
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
1,700 Calories
Activity Multiplier
1.465
Formula Used
Mifflin St Jeor
BMR Activity Thermic Effect 1,700 700 100

What does this mean?

Your TDEE of 2,500 Calories represents the estimated number of calories you burn each day. This can be used as a starting point for weight management:

  • To maintain weight: Consume approximately your TDEE in calories daily
  • To lose weight: Consume fewer calories than your TDEE (typically 500 calories less per day to lose about 1 pound per week)
  • To gain weight: Consume more calories than your TDEE (typically 500 calories more per day to gain about 1 pound per week)
BMI Calculator Calorie Calculator Macro Calculator BMR Calculator Body Fat Calculator

Understanding Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It represents the sum of all energy your body uses for basic physiological functions and physical activities. Understanding your TDEE is essential for effective weight management, athletic performance, and overall health optimization.

The Purpose of This TDEE Calculator

Our TDEE Calculator serves as a valuable tool for anyone looking to understand their daily caloric needs. By providing a personalized estimate of your energy expenditure based on your unique physical characteristics and activity level, this calculator helps you:

  • Establish a baseline for caloric intake goals
  • Create more effective weight management strategies
  • Optimize nutrition for athletic performance
  • Understand how lifestyle changes affect your energy needs
  • Make more informed dietary choices
  • Track changes in your metabolic rate over time

While this calculator provides a good estimate of your TDEE, it's important to remember that individual variations in metabolism, genetics, and other factors can influence your actual energy expenditure. The calculated value should be used as a starting point, with adjustments made based on your observed results over time.

How To Use This Calculator

Our TDEE Calculator is designed to be user-friendly while providing accurate estimates based on established formulas. Follow these steps to get the most accurate results:

  1. Select your preferred unit system - Choose between US units (feet/inches/pounds) or metric units (cm/kg)
  2. Enter your age - Input your current age (between 18-80 years)
  3. Select your gender - Choose male or female (this affects the BMR calculation)
  4. Input your height and weight - Provide accurate measurements for the most reliable results
  5. Select your activity level - Choose the option that best represents your typical weekly activity
  6. Adjust settings (optional) - You can select your preferred output unit (calories or kilojoules) and BMR calculation formula
  7. Click "Calculate" - The calculator will process your information and display your estimated TDEE

For the most accurate results, be honest about your activity level. Many people tend to overestimate their physical activity, which can lead to inflated TDEE estimates. If you're unsure, it's often better to select a lower activity level and adjust based on your results.

What is TDEE?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure, which represents the total amount of energy (measured in calories or kilojoules) that your body uses in a 24-hour period. This energy is required for everything from basic life-sustaining functions like breathing and circulation to physical activities like walking, exercising, and even fidgeting.

Your TDEE is the sum of several components:

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

BMR is the number of calories your body needs to maintain basic physiological functions while at complete rest in a temperate environment and in a post-absorptive state (meaning digestion is complete). It represents the energy needed to keep your heart beating, your lungs breathing, your kidneys filtering, your brain functioning, and to maintain your body temperature.

BMR typically accounts for 60-70% of your total daily energy expenditure and is influenced by several factors:

  • Body composition - Lean muscle mass requires more energy to maintain than fat tissue
  • Body size - Larger bodies generally have higher BMRs
  • Age - BMR typically decreases with age as muscle mass decreases
  • Gender - Men generally have higher BMRs than women due to greater muscle mass
  • Genetics - Some people naturally have faster or slower metabolisms
  • Hormonal factors - Thyroid function and other hormonal conditions can affect BMR
  • Health status - Certain medical conditions can increase or decrease BMR

Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)

The thermic effect of food refers to the energy your body uses to digest, absorb, and process the nutrients in the food you eat. Different macronutrients have different thermic effects:

  • Protein - Has the highest thermic effect, requiring about 20-30% of its energy content for processing
  • Carbohydrates - Require about 5-10% of their energy content for processing
  • Fats - Have the lowest thermic effect, requiring only about 0-3% of their energy content for processing

On average, TEF accounts for approximately 10% of your total daily energy expenditure, though this can vary based on your diet composition.

Physical Activity

This component includes both deliberate exercise (like running, swimming, or weightlifting) and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which covers all the physical movements you make throughout the day that aren't formal exercise (walking, standing, fidgeting, etc.).

Physical activity is the most variable component of TDEE and can range from 15% of TDEE in sedentary individuals to 50% or more in highly active individuals. The activity multiplier in our calculator accounts for this component.

Adaptive Thermogenesis

This is the energy expended due to environmental factors like temperature regulation (shivering in cold environments or cooling mechanisms in hot environments) and other adaptive processes. It typically accounts for a small percentage of TDEE but can become significant in extreme conditions.

How is TDEE Calculated?

TDEE calculation involves a two-step process: first calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then multiplying it by an activity factor to account for your physical activity level.

Step 1: Calculate BMR

Our calculator offers two widely accepted formulas for estimating BMR:

Mifflin-St Jeor Equation (Default)

This is considered one of the most accurate equations for estimating BMR in most individuals:

For men:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5

For women:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) - 161

Katch-McArdle Formula

This formula takes into account lean body mass, which can provide more accurate results for individuals with athletic or muscular builds who know their body fat percentage:

BMR = 370 + (21.6 × Lean Body Mass in kg)

Where Lean Body Mass = Weight in kg × (1 - body fat percentage / 100)

Step 2: Apply Activity Multiplier

Once BMR is calculated, it's multiplied by an activity factor to account for your daily physical activity:

  • BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) = BMR × 1.0
  • Sedentary (little or no exercise) = BMR × 1.2
  • Light Activity (exercise 1-3 times/week) = BMR × 1.375
  • Moderate Activity (exercise 4-5 times/week) = BMR × 1.465
  • Active (daily exercise or intense exercise 3-4 times/week) = BMR × 1.55
  • Very Active (intense exercise 6-7 times/week) = BMR × 1.725
  • Extra Active (very intense exercise daily, or physical job) = BMR × 1.9

The result of this calculation is your estimated TDEE, representing the total calories you burn in a day.

Factors Affecting TDEE

Several factors can influence your TDEE beyond the basic inputs used in our calculator:

Body Composition

Muscle tissue is metabolically more active than fat tissue, meaning it burns more calories at rest. Two people with the same weight but different body compositions can have significantly different TDEEs. This is why strength training can be beneficial for increasing metabolic rate.

Age

Metabolic rate typically decreases with age, primarily due to the natural loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) and hormonal changes. On average, BMR decreases by approximately 1-2% per decade after early adulthood.

Hormonal Factors

Various hormones influence metabolic rate, including:

  • Thyroid hormones - Regulate the rate of cellular metabolism
  • Insulin - Affects how cells use energy
  • Leptin and ghrelin - Influence hunger and energy balance
  • Sex hormones - Affect body composition and energy expenditure

Conditions like hypothyroidism can significantly reduce TDEE, while hyperthyroidism can increase it.

Environmental Temperature

Your body expends energy to maintain its core temperature. In cold environments, you burn more calories through shivering and other warming mechanisms. In hot environments, your body uses energy for cooling processes like sweating.

Pregnancy and Lactation

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding have significantly higher energy needs to support the growth and nourishment of their baby.

Illness and Recovery

Many illnesses increase metabolic rate as the body fights infection or repairs tissues. For example, fever can increase BMR by approximately 7% for each degree Fahrenheit above normal body temperature.

Dietary Patterns

The composition of your diet can affect your TDEE through the thermic effect of food. High-protein diets tend to have a higher thermic effect, potentially increasing overall energy expenditure slightly.

Adaptive Thermogenesis

Your body can adapt to changes in caloric intake by adjusting metabolic rate. During prolonged caloric restriction, TDEE may decrease beyond what would be expected from changes in body weight alone (metabolic adaptation). Similarly, consistent overfeeding can lead to small increases in metabolic rate.

Using TDEE for Weight Management

Understanding your TDEE provides a scientific foundation for effective weight management strategies:

Weight Maintenance

To maintain your current weight, aim to consume approximately the same number of calories as your TDEE. This creates an energy balance where calories in equal calories out.

Weight Loss

To lose weight, you need to create a caloric deficit by consuming fewer calories than your TDEE. A deficit of 500-1000 calories per day is often recommended for sustainable weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week.

It's important to note that as you lose weight, your TDEE will decrease due to having less body mass to maintain and potential metabolic adaptations. This means you'll need to recalculate your TDEE periodically during a weight loss journey.

Weight Gain

To gain weight (particularly muscle mass), you need to create a caloric surplus by consuming more calories than your TDEE. A surplus of 250-500 calories per day, combined with resistance training, is often recommended for lean muscle gain.

Recomposition

Body recomposition—losing fat while gaining muscle—typically involves eating at or slightly below TDEE while following a structured resistance training program and consuming adequate protein. This approach is most effective for beginners, those returning to exercise after a break, and individuals with higher body fat percentages.

Limitations of TDEE Calculations

While TDEE calculators provide valuable estimates, they have several limitations to be aware of:

Individual Variations

The formulas used to calculate TDEE are based on population averages and may not account for individual metabolic variations. Some people naturally have faster or slower metabolisms than predicted by standard equations.

Estimation of Activity Level

Self-assessment of activity level is subjective and often inaccurate. Many people overestimate their activity level, leading to inflated TDEE estimates.

Metabolic Adaptations

Your body adapts to changes in caloric intake and exercise patterns. During prolonged caloric restriction, metabolic rate may decrease more than predicted by changes in body weight alone.

Measurement Errors

Inaccuracies in measuring height, weight, or body fat percentage can affect the accuracy of TDEE calculations.

Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)

NEAT varies significantly between individuals and can be influenced by factors not captured in standard activity multipliers, such as occupation, environment, and even personality traits.

Practical Applications of TDEE

Beyond basic weight management, understanding your TDEE has several practical applications:

Athletic Performance

Athletes need to ensure they're consuming enough calories to support their training demands. Inadequate energy intake can lead to decreased performance, increased injury risk, and in extreme cases, relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S).

Metabolic Health

Maintaining an appropriate energy balance supports metabolic health by helping regulate hormones like insulin, leptin, and ghrelin. This can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.

Nutritional Planning

Knowing your TDEE allows for more precise macronutrient planning. Once you establish your caloric needs, you can determine appropriate protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake based on your specific goals and preferences.

Tracking Progress

Regular recalculation of TDEE can help track metabolic changes over time. Increases in TDEE (at the same body weight) may indicate improvements in metabolic health or increases in muscle mass.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is this TDEE calculator?

This calculator provides an estimate based on established formulas and your input data. For most people, it's accurate within 10-15% of their actual TDEE. However, individual variations in metabolism, genetics, and other factors can affect accuracy. The best approach is to use the calculated TDEE as a starting point, then adjust based on your observed results over 2-3 weeks.

How often should I recalculate my TDEE?

It's recommended to recalculate your TDEE whenever there are significant changes in your body weight (more than 10 pounds), activity level, or age (annually). During active weight loss or gain phases, recalculating every 10-15 pounds lost or gained is advisable.

Why is my TDEE decreasing even though I'm exercising more?

Several factors could explain this:

  • Weight loss has reduced your BMR
  • Your body has adapted to your exercise routine, making it more efficient
  • You might be compensating for increased exercise with decreased activity throughout the rest of the day
  • Overtraining or inadequate recovery might be affecting your hormonal balance

Should I eat back the calories I burn during exercise?

This depends on your goals. If you're trying to lose weight, eating back all exercise calories may slow progress. If you're maintaining weight or building muscle, eating back some or all exercise calories may be appropriate. The activity multiplier in TDEE already accounts for regular exercise, so be careful not to double-count.

Which BMR formula should I use?

For most people, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (default) provides the most accurate estimate. If you know your body fat percentage and have an athletic build with significant muscle mass, the Katch-McArdle formula may provide a more accurate result.

How does TDEE differ from BMR?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) represents only the energy needed for basic life-sustaining functions at complete rest. TDEE includes BMR plus additional energy expended through physical activity, the thermic effect of food, and adaptive thermogenesis. TDEE is always higher than BMR, with the difference depending primarily on your activity level.

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