How do I know my activity level?

Sedentary: desk job, no exercise. Lightly active: walking or light exercise 1-3 days/week. Moderate: structured exercise 3-5 days. Very active: hard exercise 6-7 days. Extremely active: intense training plus physical job. When in doubt, choose one level lower.

Why am I not losing weight eating below my TDEE?

Common reasons include underestimating calorie intake (not measuring portions), overestimating activity level, metabolic adaptation from prolonged dieting, water retention masking fat loss, or an inaccurate TDEE estimate. Track accurately for 2-3 weeks before adjusting.

Does TDEE change over time?

Yes. TDEE decreases as you lose weight (smaller body burns fewer calories), age (metabolism slows), or become less active. It increases with muscle gain, increased activity, or during pregnancy and growth periods.

What is the thermic effect of food?

TEF is the energy your body uses to digest and process food, accounting for about 10% of TDEE. Protein has the highest TEF (20-30% of calories consumed), followed by carbs (5-10%) and fats (0-3%).

Should I eat back exercise calories?

It depends on your goal. For weight loss, eat back only 50-75% of exercise calories since calorie trackers tend to overestimate burn. For maintenance or muscle gain, eating back most exercise calories helps fuel recovery.

TDEE Calculator

Find out exactly how many calories your body burns every day — and set smarter diet goals.

TDEE Calculator

Total Daily Energy Expenditure

TDEE Calculator

Calculate your total daily calorie needs

Weight (kg)

Height (cm)

Age

Gender

Activity Level

Formula

TDEE = BMR x Activity Multiplier

What Is TDEE?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It accounts for everything: your resting metabolism, the energy used to digest food, and all the calories burned through physical activity. Think of it as your body's complete energy budget for the day.

TDEE is the number that actually matters when you're setting a calorie goal. Eat at your TDEE and your weight stays the same. Eat below it and you lose fat. Eat above it and you gain muscle (or weight). Unlike BMR alone, TDEE reflects your real daily burn — so your calorie target is based on how you actually live, not just how you'd burn calories lying still.

How to Use This Calculator

1Enter your age, gender, height, and weight in the fields provided.
2Select your activity level — from sedentary (desk job, little exercise) to extra active (hard training twice a day).
3Click Calculate to run the Mifflin-St Jeor formula and apply your activity multiplier.
4Review your TDEE plus goal-adjusted calorie targets for weight loss, maintenance, and muscle gain.

The Formula Behind the Numbers

Step 1 — Calculate BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor):
  Men:   BMR = 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5
  Women: BMR = 10W + 6.25H − 5A − 161
  (W = kg, H = cm, A = age)

Step 2 — Multiply by Activity Factor:
  Sedentary:         TDEE = BMR × 1.2
  Lightly active:    TDEE = BMR × 1.375
  Moderately active: TDEE = BMR × 1.55
  Very active:       TDEE = BMR × 1.725
  Extra active:      TDEE = BMR × 1.9

Calorie goals:
  Weight loss:  TDEE − 500  (≈ 0.45 kg / week)
  Maintenance:  TDEE
  Muscle gain:  TDEE + 250 to +500

W = weight in kg, H = height in cm, A = age in years. A 500-calorie daily deficit equals roughly 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week under steady conditions.

Worked Examples

Example 1 — 28-year-old woman, moderately active

Stats: 60 kg, 165 cm, age 28. BMR = (10 × 60) + (6.25 × 165) − (5 × 28) − 161 = 600 + 1,031.25 − 140 − 161 = 1,330 cal. Activity multiplier (moderately active): × 1.55. TDEE = 2,062 cal/day. Weight-loss target (−500 cal): 1,562 cal/day.

Example 2 — 32-year-old man, lightly active

Stats: 80 kg, 178 cm, age 32. BMR = (10 × 80) + (6.25 × 178) − (5 × 32) + 5 = 800 + 1,112.5 − 160 + 5 = 1,757.5 ≈ 1,758 cal. Activity multiplier (lightly active): × 1.375. TDEE ≈ 2,417 cal/day. Maintenance target: 2,417 cal/day.

Example 3 — 25-year-old man, very active

Stats: 75 kg, 183 cm, age 25. BMR = (10 × 75) + (6.25 × 183) − (5 × 25) + 5 = 750 + 1,143.75 − 125 + 5 = 1,774 cal. Activity multiplier (very active): × 1.725. TDEE ≈ 3,060 cal/day. Muscle-gain target (+250 to +500 cal): 3,310–3,560 cal/day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is a TDEE calculation?▾

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the most validated formula available and is accurate within ±10% for most people. Activity multipliers introduce additional variability because self-reported activity levels can be inconsistent. Treat your calculated TDEE as a strong starting point, then adjust by 100–200 calories every 2–3 weeks based on actual weight trends.

Why am I not losing weight even when eating below my TDEE?▾

Several factors can stall progress: inaccurate food logging (studies show most people underestimate intake by 20–40%), water retention masking fat loss on the scale, and adaptive thermogenesis — your body gradually lowering its calorie burn in response to a prolonged deficit. If the scale hasn't moved in 3+ weeks, try a 1–2 week diet break at maintenance calories before resuming your deficit.

What is adaptive thermogenesis?▾

Adaptive thermogenesis (also called metabolic adaptation) is your body's natural response to sustained calorie restriction. Over weeks or months of eating less, your metabolism can slow by 5–15% beyond what's predicted by the change in body weight alone. This is why recalculating TDEE every 4–8 weeks — especially after significant weight loss — is important for keeping your calorie target accurate.

How often should I recalculate my TDEE?▾

Recalculate every 4–8 weeks or whenever your weight changes by more than 3–4 kg, your activity level shifts significantly, or your progress stalls unexpectedly. As you lose or gain weight, your BMR changes — so your TDEE and calorie goals need to be updated to stay accurate. A quick recalculation takes less than a minute and keeps your targets on track.

Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?▾

Yes — your TDEE is your maintenance calorie level. Consistently eating at your TDEE will keep your weight stable over time. The terms are interchangeable in practical nutrition contexts. The distinction worth noting is that TDEE is calculated from a formula, while your true maintenance calories can only be confirmed by tracking intake and weight for 2–4 weeks to see where the scale stays flat.