Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns every day, combining your basal metabolic rate with your physical activity level. Knowing your TDEE is the foundation for any diet plan — whether you want to lose fat, maintain weight, or build muscle. This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely considered the most accurate BMR formula available.
Calculate Your TDEE
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
0
calories/day at rest
Total Daily Energy Expenditure
0
calories/day with activity
Daily Calorie Targets
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cal/day (-500)
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cal/day
0
cal/day (+500)
Macronutrient Breakdown
| Goal | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Loss | — | — | — | — |
| Maintenance | — | — | — | — |
| Weight Gain | — | — | — | — |
Protein & carbs = 4 cal/g, fat = 9 cal/g. Cutting uses 35/35/30 split; maintenance & bulking use 30/40/30.
Calorie Comparison
How to Use the TDEE Calculator
Understanding your Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the single most important step in managing your weight effectively. Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or simply maintaining a healthy weight, knowing how many calories your body actually uses each day gives you a concrete number to build your nutrition plan around. This free TDEE calculator does all the math for you in seconds.
Step 1: Choose Your Units
Use the toggle at the top of the form to switch between metric (kilograms and centimeters) and imperial (pounds and feet/inches). The calculator automatically converts between units, so you can use whichever system you are most comfortable with.
Step 2: Enter Your Stats
Fill in your age, gender, height, and weight. These four values are used in the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the number of calories your body burns at complete rest. The formula accounts for the fact that men and women have different metabolic rates, and that metabolism naturally slows with age.
Step 3: Select Your Activity Level
Choose the activity level that best describes your typical week. Be honest — overestimating activity is one of the most common mistakes. If you work a desk job but hit the gym three times a week, Moderately Active is likely the right choice. The activity multiplier is applied to your BMR to produce your TDEE.
Step 4: Review Your Results
After clicking Calculate, you will see your BMR and TDEE, along with calorie targets for three goals: weight loss (TDEE minus 500 calories), maintenance (your TDEE), and weight gain (TDEE plus 500 calories). A 500-calorie deficit or surplus corresponds to roughly one pound of body weight change per week. The macronutrient table breaks each target into grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat so you can plan your meals accordingly.
Tips for Accuracy
Weigh yourself in the morning before eating for the most consistent measurement. Recalculate your TDEE every time your weight changes by more than 5 kg (10 lbs) or when your activity level changes significantly. Remember that no formula is perfectly precise — use your TDEE as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results over two to four weeks.
FAQ
Is this TDEE calculator free to use?
Yes, the TDEE Calculator is completely free with no limits. You can calculate your daily energy expenditure, BMR, and macronutrient breakdown as many times as you want. There is no signup required and no premium features. Everything runs locally in your browser.
Is my personal data safe and private?
Yes, all calculations run entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your height, weight, age, and other personal details are never sent to a server, never stored in a database, and never shared with anyone. Once you close the page, your data is gone.
What is TDEE and why does it matter?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It represents the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including your basal metabolic rate, physical activity, and the thermic effect of food. Knowing your TDEE helps you set accurate calorie targets for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
What is the Mifflin-St Jeor equation?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate formula for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). For men the formula is 10 times weight in kg plus 6.25 times height in cm minus 5 times age plus 5. For women it is the same but minus 161 instead of plus 5. It was published in 1990 and is recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A safe and sustainable approach is to eat 500 calories below your TDEE, which typically results in about 1 pound of weight loss per week. This calculator shows your TDEE minus 500 as the recommended cutting target. Going much lower than this can slow your metabolism and lead to muscle loss.
What activity level should I choose?
Choose Sedentary if you have a desk job and do not exercise. Lightly Active means light exercise 1 to 3 days per week. Moderately Active is moderate exercise 3 to 5 days per week. Very Active is hard exercise 6 to 7 days per week. Extra Active is for athletes or people with physically demanding jobs who also train daily.
How are the macronutrient grams calculated?
The calculator uses standard macro ratios: for maintenance and bulking it uses 30% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 30% fat. For cutting it shifts to 35% protein, 35% carbs, and 30% fat to preserve muscle mass. Protein and carbs provide 4 calories per gram while fat provides 9 calories per gram.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body needs at complete rest just to maintain basic functions like breathing and circulation. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for your daily movement and exercise. TDEE is always higher than BMR.