TDEE Calculator
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Results
Estimated TDEE 2,724 kcal a day: BMR 1,758 kcal (Mifflin–St Jeor) × 1.55 (moderately active).
| Activity level | Multiplier | kcal/day | kJ/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | × 1.2 | 2,109 | 8,825 |
| Lightly active | × 1.375 | 2,417 | 10,112 |
| Moderately active (your level) | × 1.55 | 2,724 | 11,399 |
| Very active | × 1.725 | 3,032 | 12,686 |
| Extra active | × 1.9 | 3,340 | 13,973 |
Activity multipliers are a rule of thumb, not a measurement. If your weight stays steady over a few weeks, your average intake is a better guide to your real TDEE than any formula.
This is an estimate from a published formula, not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own situation.
How to use the TDEE calculator
- Choose US or metric units and enter your sex, age, height and weight.
- Pick the activity level that fits an average week, or enter your own multiplier.
- Leave the formula on Mifflin–St Jeor unless you know your body fat percentage well, in which case Katch–McArdle is an option.
- Read your TDEE, then check the table to see how much the estimate changes between levels.
TDEE formula
Mifflin–St Jeor BMR = 10 × kg + 6.25 × cm − 5 × age + 5 (men) or − 161 (women)
Calories from activity = TDEE − BMR
Your BMR covers the energy used at rest. The activity multiplier scales it up to include everything else: daily movement, planned exercise and the energy used to digest food. The multipliers used here, from 1.2 to 1.9, are a widely used rule of thumb rather than measured values, which is why you can also enter your own.
Worked example
A 35-year-old man who is 5 ft 10 in (177.8 cm) and 180 lb (81.6 kg) has a Mifflin–St Jeor BMR of 1,758 kcal a day. He runs or goes to the gym four times a week, so he is moderately active: 1,758 × 1.55 = 2,724 kcal a day (11,399 kJ). About 967 kcal of that comes from activity and digestion.
Activity levels explained
Pick the description that matches most weeks. The kcal columns show TDEE for the man in the example and for a 35-year-old woman who is 5 ft 5 in and 140 lb.
| Level | Multiplier | What it means | Man | Woman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | × 1.2 | Mostly sitting during the day (desk work, driving) with little or no planned exercise. | 2,109 | 1,597 |
| Lightly active | × 1.375 | Light exercise or sport on 1 to 3 days a week, such as brisk walks, easy cycling or yoga. | 2,417 | 1,830 |
| Moderately active | × 1.55 | Moderate exercise on 3 to 5 days a week, such as jogging, swimming laps or a gym session of 45 to 60 minutes. | 2,724 | 2,063 |
| Very active | × 1.725 | Hard exercise or sport on 6 or 7 days a week, or a job that keeps you on your feet and moving most of the day. | 3,032 | 2,296 |
| Extra active | × 1.9 | Very hard daily training (for example twice a day) or heavy manual work such as construction or farm labour, plus exercise. | 3,340 | 2,529 |
Each step up adds 10 to 15% to the estimate, so choosing the wrong level matters more than the choice of BMR formula. If you are unsure between two levels, start with the lower one.
How the multipliers compare with research
Researchers express the same idea as the physical activity level (PAL): total energy expenditure divided by BMR. The FAO/WHO/UNU expert consultation on human energy requirements (2004) classes lifestyles by PAL as below, and notes that values above 2.40 are hard to keep up for long. Applied to the man in the example:
| Lifestyle (FAO/WHO/UNU) | PAL | TDEE for the example man |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary or light activity | 1.40–1.69 | 2,461–2,971 kcal |
| Active or moderately active | 1.70–1.99 | 2,988–3,498 kcal |
| Vigorous or vigorously active | 2.00–2.40 | 3,515–4,219 kcal |
The FAO's lowest band starts at 1.40, above the 1.2 "sedentary" multiplier, so the 1.2 factor may underestimate energy use for someone who is up and about during the day. The NIH Body Weight Planner also asks for a PAL between 1.4 and 2.5.
Tips
- Check it against real life. If your weight has been stable for a few weeks, your average daily intake is your TDEE, whatever the formula says.
- Don't add exercise twice. The multiplier already includes your workouts. If you log exercise separately with the calories burned calculator, start from the sedentary level instead.
- Turn it into a plan. The calorie calculator adds weight-change goals, and the macro calculator splits a calorie target into protein, carbohydrate and fat.
This is not medical advice; talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51(2):241–247.
- Roza AM, Shizgal HM. The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated. Am J Clin Nutr 1984;40(1):168–182.
- FAO/WHO/UNU. Human energy requirements, Food and Nutrition Technical Report Series 1 (Rome, 2004), Table 5.3.
- NIDDK, NIH Body Weight Planner.
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
Total daily energy expenditure is the number of calories you burn in a day: your basal metabolic rate plus everything you do, from walking around to exercise and digesting food. Eating about your TDEE keeps your weight roughly stable.
How do I calculate my TDEE?
Multiply your BMR by an activity multiplier. A 35-year-old man who is 5 ft 10 in and 180 lb has a Mifflin–St Jeor BMR of about 1,758 kcal. If he is moderately active (× 1.55), his TDEE is about 2,724 kcal a day.
What activity level should I choose?
Choose the one that matches most weeks. Sedentary (× 1.2) is mostly sitting with little exercise; lightly active (× 1.375) is light exercise 1 to 3 days a week; moderately active (× 1.55) is moderate exercise 3 to 5 days; very active (× 1.725) is hard exercise 6 to 7 days; extra active (× 1.9) is very hard training or a physical job plus exercise.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
It is an estimate. BMR formulas can be off by 10% or more for an individual, and activity multipliers are a rule of thumb. Each step up the activity scale adds 10 to 15%, so for the man above the estimate ranges from 2,109 kcal (sedentary) to 3,340 kcal (extra active). Your weight trend over a few weeks is the best check.
Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?
Yes. Maintenance calories are the intake that matches your TDEE, so your weight stays about the same. To lose or gain weight, the calorie calculator subtracts or adds calories from this figure based on a weekly goal.