Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and learn how many calories you burn daily. Use your results to create effective calorie goals for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain based on your lifestyle and activity level.
LiteCalc first determines your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. This formula estimates the calories your body burns at rest based on your age, gender, height, and weight.
Next, your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor ranging from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active). This adjustment accounts for calories burned through workouts, daily movement, and overall lifestyle.
The final result is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in 24 hours. With this number, you can accurately plan calorie intake for fat loss, muscle building, or maintenance.
Enter your five data points and click Calculate TDEE. Your results display BMR, TDEE, BMI, and four calorie goal targets instantly.
Enter your current age in years, select your biological sex (used for the Mifflin-St Jeor gender constant), enter your height (cm or ft/in), and current weight (kg or lbs). Use your true current weight, not a goal weight — the formula calculates based on what you actually weigh today.
Choose the level that reflects your total daily life, not just your gym sessions. Research shows 80% of people overestimate their activity level. If unsure between two levels, select the lower one — it is easier to increase calories later than to wonder why you are not losing weight.
| Level | Multiplier | Typical Day |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | x1.2 | Desk job, car commute, no structured exercise |
| Light | x1.375 | Walking, yoga, or light gym 1–3 days/week |
| Moderate | x1.55 | Gym/sports 3–5 days/week, some active days |
| Active | x1.725 | Hard training 6–7 days/week or physical labor |
| Very Active | x1.9 | Twice-daily training sessions, elite athlete or manual labor job |
BMR: calories at complete rest. TDEE: your total daily burn including all activity. BMI: body mass index for reference. The Calorie Goals section shows four daily intake targets: extreme loss (−2 lbs/week), weight loss (−1 lb/week), maintenance, and weight gain (+1 lb/week). Use these as starting points, then adjust based on real results after 2–3 weeks.
The calories your body burns at complete rest to keep vital functions running: breathing, circulation, cell repair, and organ function. This represents 60–70% of your total daily calorie burn. BMR is the absolute minimum you should eat — consistently eating below your BMR can slow your metabolism and harm health.
Your BMR multiplied by your activity factor. This is the total calories you burn each day, including all exercise, movement, and digestion. Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight. Eating below = weight loss. Eating above = weight or muscle gain. TDEE is your single most important number for any physique goal.
A 500-calorie daily deficit below TDEE creates roughly a 3,500-calorie weekly deficit — the approximate caloric equivalent of 1 pound of fat. The calculator shows both a moderate deficit (−1 lb/week) and an extreme deficit (−2 lbs/week). Extreme deficits risk muscle loss; a moderate 300–500 calorie deficit is most sustainable long-term.
A 250–500 calorie surplus above TDEE supports lean muscle growth when combined with resistance training. The +1 lb/week target shown is on the aggressive end — for a lean bulk, many lifters prefer a surplus of only 250–300 calories above TDEE to minimize fat gain alongside muscle growth.
The calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate BMR, then applies an activity multiplier. This two-step process is the industry standard for TDEE estimation.
Men BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Women BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) − 161
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier (1.2 to 1.9)
Inputs: Female, age 32, height 165 cm, weight 68 kg, Moderate activity (3–5 days/week exercise).
This woman should eat around 1,655 calories/day for a steady 1 lb/week fat loss, or 2,155 calories/day to maintain weight. Verify by plugging these inputs into the calculator above.
| Formula | Inputs Required | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Mifflin-St Jeor ✓ | Age, gender, height, weight | Most people; most accurate for general population |
| Harris-Benedict | Age, gender, height, weight | Historical; tends to slightly overestimate by 5% |
| Katch-McArdle | Lean body mass only | Lean athletes who know their body fat % |
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, validated by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1990) and recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as the most accurate formula for healthy non-obese adults.
If your TDEE is 2,400 calories, a 20% deficit (480 calories) brings you to 1,920 calories/day — sustainable for weeks. Avoid extreme deficits (>25% below TDEE) as they risk muscle loss, hormonal disruption, and metabolic adaptation. Track your scale weight as a weekly average, not daily, to avoid noise from water fluctuations.
For a lean bulk, add 250–300 calories above your TDEE (not 500). A TDEE of 2,600 + 275 surplus = 2,875 calories/day. Expect to gain 0.5–1 lb per week, mostly muscle with minimal fat if training consistently. Larger surpluses primarily increase fat gain, not muscle gain beyond a point.
Eating at TDEE while following a high-protein diet and progressive resistance training can result in body recomposition — losing fat while gaining muscle simultaneously. This works best for beginners and those returning after a break. Expect slow changes on the scale but improved body composition over 3–6 months.
If you hit a weight loss plateau after 3+ weeks: first recalculate TDEE using your new, lower weight. Your TDEE may have dropped by 100–200 calories. If the new TDEE matches your intake, you are now at maintenance — not in a deficit. Reduce intake by 100–150 calories or add 1 extra activity day to restore the deficit.
A desk worker who trains 4 days/week often makes the mistake of selecting Active (1.725). The correct choice is usually Moderate (1.55) because most waking hours are sedentary despite the gym sessions. Selecting too high a multiplier inflates your TDEE estimate by 200–400 calories and can stall fat loss results.
Competitive athletes often use a 12–16 week cut at 20–25% below TDEE. A 200 lb male athlete with TDEE 3,200 calories would target 2,400–2,560 calories/day. Weekly weigh-ins guide adjustments. As TDEE drops with weight loss, recalculate every 2 weeks and reduce intake accordingly to maintain the deficit percentage.
Once you know your TDEE calorie target, split it into macros. Here are science-backed starting ratios and the most common errors that prevent results.
| Goal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fat Loss | 35–40% | 30–35% | 25–30% |
| Maintenance | 25–30% | 40–50% | 25–30% |
| Muscle Gain | 30–35% | 40–50% | 20–25% |
Protein: 4 cal/g. Carbs: 4 cal/g. Fat: 9 cal/g. Aim for 0.7–1.0g protein per pound of bodyweight as a baseline regardless of goal.
Studies show 80% of people choose a level too high. A gym-goer with an office job who trains 4x/week is usually Moderate (1.55), not Active (1.725). That difference is 250–400 extra calories — enough to erase a deficit entirely.
Every 10 lbs lost reduces your BMR by roughly 50–70 calories. After losing 20 lbs, your TDEE can be 100–140 calories lower. What was a 500-calorie deficit may now be a 350-calorie deficit — slowing your rate of loss significantly.
If your activity level already includes exercise, eating back those calories eliminates your deficit. Only add calories for specific extra workouts beyond your selected activity level, and use only 50–75% of estimated calories since fitness trackers overestimate burn by 20–40%.
Repeatedly eating below your BMR can trigger adaptive thermogenesis — your body reducing TDEE beyond what weight loss alone explains. This makes future fat loss harder. Always create your deficit from TDEE, keeping intake above BMR at minimum.
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TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total calories your body burns each day through all activities — from breathing and digestion to workouts and daily movement. It equals your BMR multiplied by your activity factor. Knowing your TDEE lets you set accurate calorie targets: eat below for fat loss, at TDEE for maintenance, or above for muscle gain.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates BMR: Men: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5. Women: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) − 161. Then TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier (1.2–1.9). It is validated in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as the most accurate formula for healthy adults.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories you burn at complete rest to maintain vital functions — about 60–70% of total calorie burn. TDEE multiplies your BMR by your activity factor to include all daily movement, exercise, and the thermic effect of food. For most people, TDEE is 20–90% higher than BMR depending on activity level.
Eat 300–500 calories below your TDEE daily for 0.5–1 lb fat loss per week. For 1 lb/week, subtract 500. For 2 lbs/week, subtract 1,000 (extreme). Sustainable results come from a moderate deficit, not crash dieting. Never eat below your BMR — doing so risks muscle loss, fatigue, and metabolic adaptation that makes future fat loss harder.
Sedentary (1.2): desk job, minimal walking, no exercise. Light (1.375): 1–3 days/week of walking, yoga, or light gym. Moderate (1.55): 3–5 days/week of gym, running, or sports. Active (1.725): 6–7 days/week of hard training or physical labor. Very Active (1.9): twice-daily training or extremely demanding manual work. When unsure, choose one level lower — studies show 80% of people overestimate their activity.
TDEE calculators are typically accurate within ±10% for most healthy adults when activity levels are entered honestly. Individual variation in genetics, sleep quality, stress, and body composition shifts actual TDEE. Use the calculator as a starting estimate, track your real weight changes weekly for 2–3 weeks, and adjust your calorie intake by 100–200 calories if results don’t match expectations.
No. If you selected an activity level that includes your workouts, those calories are already in your TDEE. Eating them back eliminates your deficit. If you selected Sedentary and track exercise separately, you can add back only 50–75% of the estimated burn — not 100%, since fitness trackers and exercise apps overestimate calorie burn by 20–40%.
For a lean bulk, eat 250–300 calories above your TDEE per day combined with progressive resistance training. For example, TDEE 2,600 → target 2,850–2,900 calories. Expect 0.5–1 lb gain per week. Larger surpluses of 500+ calories primarily increase fat gain beyond what is needed for muscle growth. Adjust your macros to prioritize 0.8–1g protein per pound of bodyweight.
Recalculate every 4–6 weeks, or after losing or gaining 5+ pounds, changing your exercise frequency significantly, or a birthday (age affects the formula). As you lose weight, your BMR decreases because you have less mass to maintain. Every 10 lbs lost lowers TDEE by roughly 50–70 calories. Failing to recalculate is one of the top reasons people hit weight loss plateaus.
Yes. TDEE includes all calories burned daily, including structured exercise, because the activity multiplier accounts for your workout habits. Select the activity level that reflects your complete lifestyle — not just your gym sessions. A 1-hour gym session 3x/week with an otherwise sedentary office job typically still puts you at Moderate (1.55), not Active (1.725).