Enter your height, weight, age, sex, and activity level to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), the number of calories your body burns each day at your current activity level.
TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure to find out exactly how many calories you need to cut, bulk, or maintain weight.
Enter your stats to reveal your energy expenditure.
Save your TDEE Calculator result
Create a free Health is Heaven account to save this result, log it over time, and track it alongside 20+ other clinical markers.
Save your TDEE result to your free Health is Heaven dashboard. Track how your calorie needs shift as your weight and activity level change. Create your free account and access all 21 health tools in one place.
What Your TDEE Result Means
Your TDEE is the daily calorie intake at which your weight stays constant. Use the table below to understand where your result sits and what it implies for your current goal.
| TDEE Range | Typical Profile | What It Means for You |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 kcal/day | Small frame, sedentary, or older adult | Very modest energy requirement. A 200-300 kcal daily deficit is enough for steady loss. Avoid extreme restriction. |
| 1,500-2,000 kcal/day | Average-sized sedentary to lightly active adult | Standard range. A 300-500 kcal deficit creates 0.5-1 lb/week loss. Track for 2 weeks before adjusting. |
| 2,000-2,500 kcal/day | Moderately active adult or larger sedentary adult | A 500 kcal daily deficit is well-tolerated. Prioritise protein (25-35% of calories) to preserve muscle. |
| 2,500-3,000 kcal/day | Very active adult or athletic individual | Ample room for a deficit if losing. For muscle gain, a 300-500 kcal surplus with resistance training is effective. |
| Over 3,000 kcal/day | Athlete or physically demanding job | High requirement. Maintaining performance while cutting requires careful planning. Consider working with a registered dietitian. |
Calorie Targets by Goal
Once you know your TDEE, adjusting intake relative to it is straightforward. The ranges below are based on guidelines from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the National Institutes of Health.
| Goal | Daily Calorie Intake | Expected Weekly Change | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate weight loss | TDEE minus 300-500 kcal | -0.5 to -1 lb (-0.25 to -0.5 kg) | Most sustainable for long-term results |
| Aggressive weight loss | TDEE minus 500-750 kcal | -1 to -1.5 lb (-0.5 to -0.7 kg) | Harder to maintain; risk of muscle loss without adequate protein |
| Weight maintenance | Equal to TDEE | 0 | Re-calculate every 5-10 lb of weight change |
| Lean bulk | TDEE plus 200-300 kcal | +0.25 to +0.5 lb (+0.1 to +0.25 kg) | Minimises fat gain; suited to beginners and intermediates |
| Muscle gain | TDEE plus 300-500 kcal | +0.5 to +1 lb (+0.25 to +0.5 kg) | Accepts more fat gain; suited to experienced lifters with progressive training |
Important: Do not drop below 1,200 calories per day (women) or 1,500 calories per day (men) without medical supervision. Very low calorie diets risk muscle loss, nutrient deficiency, and hormonal disruption.
How This Calculator Works
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which research identifies as the most accurate among commonly used predictive formulas for resting energy expenditure (Frankenfield et al., 2005, JADA). It first calculates your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then multiplies it by an activity factor to estimate total daily calorie burn.
For men: BMR = (10 x weight kg) + (6.25 x height cm) - (5 x age years) + 5
For women: BMR = (10 x weight kg) + (6.25 x height cm) - (5 x age years) - 161
TDEE: BMR x Activity Multiplier (see table below)
Source: Mifflin MD et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51(2), 241-247.
Activity Level Multipliers
The activity multiplier accounts for daily movement. Choose the level that best matches your typical week, not your best or worst week.
| Activity Level | Multiplier | Who It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.20 | Desk job, little or no deliberate exercise |
| Lightly active | 1.375 | Light exercise 1-3 days per week |
| Moderately active | 1.55 | Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week |
| Very active | 1.725 | Hard exercise 6-7 days per week |
| Extremely active | 1.90 | Twice-daily training, or physically demanding job plus daily exercise |
Why Your TDEE Is a Starting Point, Not a Fixed Target
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation predicts resting energy expenditure with a mean error of approximately 10% in clinical validation studies. Several factors cause real-world TDEE to differ from the calculated estimate.
- Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): Fidgeting, standing, and incidental movement vary significantly between individuals and can account for 200-300 calorie differences per day at the same stated activity level.
- Body composition: Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. Two people of identical weight, height, and age can have meaningfully different BMRs if their lean mass differs.
- Metabolic adaptation: During a prolonged calorie deficit, the body reduces TDEE by 100-300 calories through hormonal changes. This is a normal physiological response, not a formula error.
- Genetics and hormones: Thyroid function, insulin sensitivity, and genetic variation in metabolic enzymes all influence actual energy expenditure in ways no formula can fully capture.
Use your calculated TDEE as a starting target. Track your actual intake and weight for 2-3 weeks, then adjust by 100-200 calories based on the real result. The formula gets you close; your own data gets you precise.
6 Health Numbers to Track Alongside Your TDEE
TDEE answers how much you burn. These six tools answer the surrounding questions that determine whether your calorie target actually works for your body.
BMI Calculator
BMI translates your weight and height into a single screening number. Pair it with your TDEE to see whether your calorie target supports a healthy body weight over time.
Body Fat Calculator
Body fat percentage tells you more than weight alone. Two people at the same TDEE can look and feel very different depending on whether their energy comes from fat stores or muscle tissue.
Calorie Calculator
Get a detailed breakdown of daily calorie needs by meal and macronutrient. Cross-check it against your TDEE result for a complete picture of your energy balance.
Target Heart Rate Calculator
Your training heart-rate zones determine which activity multiplier actually fits your workouts. A zone-2 walk and a zone-4 run use different activity levels, even at the same frequency.
Sleep Debt Calculator
Poor sleep raises cortisol and disrupts ghrelin and leptin, the hormones that regulate appetite. High sleep debt makes a calorie deficit significantly harder to maintain in practice.
Metabolic Age Calculator
Metabolic age reflects cellular energy efficiency. It explains why two people with the same TDEE can respond very differently to identical calorie targets and exercise plans.
If Your Result Seems Too High or Too Low
Result seems too high
- Double-check your activity level. Most people overestimate how active they are. Try one level lower and compare the output.
- Verify your units: weight in lbs vs. kg, height in feet/inches vs. cm.
- If you have maintained a large deficit for many weeks, metabolic adaptation may have lowered your actual TDEE below the calculated value. Track intake and weight for 2-3 weeks to find your real maintenance number.
Result seems too low
- If you are very muscular for your height and weight, Mifflin-St Jeor may underestimate your BMR slightly. The Katch-McArdle formula (which uses body fat percentage) can provide a more accurate estimate in that case.
- If your weight has been increasing despite eating at what you believe is your TDEE, track your actual intake with a food diary for 2 weeks. Portion estimation error is the most common explanation, not an inaccurate formula.
When to See a Doctor
The TDEE calculator is a planning and screening tool. Consult a healthcare provider or registered dietitian in any of the following situations.
- Your calculated TDEE is below 1,200 kcal/day (women) or 1,500 kcal/day (men) even at your maintenance level. Very low energy requirements can indicate an underlying metabolic condition.
- You have maintained a 400-500 kcal daily deficit consistently for 12 or more weeks with no measurable weight change. This warrants investigation for thyroid disorders, insulin resistance, or hormonal imbalances.
- You are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant. Calorie requirements differ significantly and standard TDEE formulas do not apply.
- You are recovering from an eating disorder. Calorie targets should be set with clinical support, not a self-administered formula.
- You are managing a chronic condition such as type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, or heart failure where dietary intake directly affects disease management.
- You experience fatigue, hair loss, cold intolerance, or persistent hunger at your target calorie level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good TDEE for weight loss?
Your TDEE is your maintenance calorie level. For steady weight loss, eat 300-500 calories below your TDEE per day. A 500-calorie daily deficit creates roughly 1 pound (0.45 kg) of weekly loss, which the National Institutes of Health identifies as a sustainable rate for most adults. Deeper deficits lose weight faster but are harder to sustain and raise the risk of muscle loss.
What is the difference between TDEE and BMR?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — covering only breathing, circulation, and cell repair. TDEE adds your daily movement and exercise on top of BMR. For a sedentary adult, TDEE is typically 1.2 times BMR. As activity increases, the gap between the two widens significantly.
How accurate is the TDEE calculator?
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation has a mean error of around 10% compared to measured resting energy expenditure in clinical studies (Frankenfield et al., 2005, Journal of the American Dietetic Association). Real-world TDEE can vary by 200-300 calories from the estimate due to differences in non-exercise activity, body composition, and metabolic adaptation. Use your result as a starting point, track for 2-3 weeks, and adjust based on actual weight change.
Should I eat exactly my TDEE every day?
No, and you do not need to. TDEE represents a daily average. Your body regulates energy over days and weeks, not hour by hour. Eating slightly over on some days and under on others is normal and sustainable, as long as the weekly average aligns with your goal. Rigid day-by-day tracking is often harder to sustain than a flexible weekly-average approach.
How do I choose the right activity level?
When in doubt, choose one level lower than you think. Most people overestimate their daily activity. If your chosen level produces a TDEE but your weight is not responding as expected after 3 weeks of consistent tracking, drop your multiplier one level and recalculate. Exercise logged in fitness trackers is often inflated versus actual energy expenditure.
Can my TDEE change over time?
Yes. TDEE changes as body weight, muscle mass, and age change. Re-calculate every 5-10 pounds of weight change or after a significant shift in activity level. Metabolic adaptation (adaptive thermogenesis) can also reduce TDEE by 100-300 calories during a prolonged calorie deficit. This is a normal physiological response, not a sign the calculator is wrong.
What happens if I eat 500 calories below my TDEE?
A sustained 500-calorie daily deficit produces approximately 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fat loss per week as a useful approximation, though actual results vary due to water retention, muscle preservation, and metabolic adaptation. Do not drop below 1,200 calories per day (women) or 1,500 calories per day (men) without medical supervision. Going too low risks muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, and hormonal disruption.
Is TDEE different for men and women?
Yes. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula uses different constants for biological sex, reflecting average differences in muscle mass and hormonal profiles. At equal body weight, activity level, and age, a man's TDEE is usually 100-200 calories higher than a woman's. Both estimates carry the same approximate 10% margin of error.
Sources
- Mifflin MD et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51(2), 241-247.
- Frankenfield D et al. (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(5), 775-789.
- National Institutes of Health, NIDDK. Weight Management.
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Evidence-Based Nutrition Resources.
- Hall KD et al. (2012). Energy balance and its components: implications for body weight regulation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 95(4), 989-994.
- Mayo Clinic. Calorie calculator.
Medical Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational and educational purposes only. Results are estimates and are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Do not use these results to start, stop, or modify any medical treatment or diet without consulting a qualified healthcare provider. See our Medical Disclaimer and Editorial Policy for full details.
Can't find the tool you need?
We are constantly building new clinical-grade tools. Tell us what you're looking for, and we'll prioritize building it.