TDEE Calculator
Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the calories your body burns each day. Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula. No signup, no email, no nonsense.
Calorie targets by goal
Suggested macros at maintenance
Default split: 30P / 40C / 30F. Higher protein (1g per lb of bodyweight) is recommended if you're cutting or training hard.
12-week weight trajectory at each goal
How this calculator works
Step 1 — Calculate BMR
Basal Metabolic Rate is the calories your body burns at complete rest, just to keep your organs running. We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation by default, published in 1990 and shown in independent studies to be more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict equation:
- Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
If you provide body fat %, we switch to Katch-McArdle, which uses lean body mass and is more accurate for athletic populations:
- BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean mass (kg)
Step 2 — Multiply by activity level
Your TDEE is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor. Each level adds the energy cost of NEAT (non-exercise movement) and EAT (exercise activity).
Step 3 — Apply your goal
Eating below TDEE creates a calorie deficit and you'll lose weight. Eating above creates a surplus and you'll gain weight. We show three common goal targets — but the real test is tracking your weight over 2-3 weeks and adjusting by ±100-200 calories if you're not progressing as expected.
Accuracy note
All TDEE formulas are estimates. They're typically within 10% of true expenditure for most people. The biggest source of error is overestimating your activity level — if you have a desk job and lift 3x/week, you're probably "Light" or "Moderate," not "Active." Be honest with yourself.
Sources: Mifflin MD, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 Feb;51(2):241-7. · Katch FI, McArdle WD. Nutrition, Weight Control, and Exercise. 1977.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total calories your body burns in 24 hours, including basal metabolism, exercise, digestion, and incidental movement.
Which formula does this calculator use?
Mifflin-St Jeor by default — the most accurate equation for the general population. If you enter body fat %, we switch to Katch-McArdle, which is more accurate for lean and athletic populations.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
Within roughly 10% of your true daily expenditure. The largest source of error is overestimating activity level. Track your weight for 2-3 weeks while eating your calculated TDEE and adjust by ±100-200 calories if your weight is moving in the wrong direction.
What activity level should I pick?
Sedentary is desk work with no exercise. Light is 1-3 light workouts a week on top of a desk job. Moderate is 3-5 workouts a week. Active means 6-7 hard sessions a week or manual labor. Very Active is two-a-day training. When in doubt, pick one level lower than feels right — most people overestimate.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
A safe deficit is 15-25% below your TDEE. Mild cut (-15%) gives ~1 lb/week of loss; aggressive cut (-25%) gives ~2 lbs/week. Going lower than 25% is hard to sustain and usually backfires.
Should I recalculate as I lose weight?
Yes — every 5-10 lbs of weight change. Your BMR drops as your body shrinks, so your TDEE will too. Re-running this calculator every few weeks keeps your targets honest.
Why is my TDEE different on other calculators?
Different sites use different BMR formulas (Harris-Benedict, Mifflin-St Jeor, Katch-McArdle, Cunningham) and different activity multipliers. Differences of 100-300 calories are normal. Pick one calculator and stick with it for consistency.
Does this calculator store my data?
No. Calculations happen entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, nothing is stored, no signup is required.
Coming soon to BurnMath
More single-purpose, no-signup calculators we're building next: