Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) Calculator

About this calculator

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, calculated by multiplying your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories burned at complete rest — by an activity multiplier that reflects how active you are (roughly 1.2 for sedentary, up to 1.9+ for very intensely active). TDEE therefore accounts for BMR plus the thermic effect of food and all movement, from daily fidgeting (NEAT) to structured exercise.

Dietitians, personal trainers and anyone tracking body weight use TDEE as the baseline for setting calorie targets: eating below TDEE creates a deficit for fat loss, eating at TDEE maintains weight, and eating above it supports muscle gain or bulking. It's typically calculated by first estimating BMR with a formula like Mifflin-St Jeor or Harris-Benedict, then scaling by the activity factor to arrive at daily calorie needs.