TDEE Calculator
Estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. If you know your body fat percentage, you can also estimate BMR using the Katch-McArdle equation.
Enter an age greater than 0.
Enter a height greater than 0 cm.
Enter a weight greater than 0 kg.
Activity factors are estimates. Consider both structured exercise and your normal daily movement or work activity.
What Is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is an estimate of the calories your body uses over the course of a typical day, including resting energy needs and physical activity.
TDEE can be useful as a starting point when planning for weight maintenance, weight loss, or weight gain. Your actual energy needs can vary, so changes in body weight over time can help you determine whether your starting estimate needs adjustment.
Formulas Used
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation by default. If you provide a body fat percentage, it uses the Katch-McArdle equation instead to estimate BMR from lean body mass.
Mifflin-St Jeor (male): BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Mifflin-St Jeor (female): BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) − 161
Katch-McArdle: BMR = 370 + (21.6 × LBM kg)
LBM means lean body mass. It is estimated here as weight × (1 − body fat percentage).
TDEE is estimated by multiplying the calculated BMR by the selected activity factor.
These equations provide estimates rather than direct measurements of metabolism. Results can differ from actual energy expenditure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is an estimate of the energy your body would use at rest under specific conditions. TDEE estimates total daily energy expenditure by applying an activity factor to the estimated BMR.
How can I use TDEE for weight loss?
A common approach is to start with a modest calorie deficit relative to estimated TDEE and then monitor your weight and other progress over several weeks. A specific deficit is not guaranteed to produce the same result for everyone, so your intake may need adjustment based on your response.
How can I use TDEE for weight gain?
For weight gain, a modest calorie surplus above estimated TDEE can be a reasonable starting point. Combining adequate nutrition with resistance training may help support muscle gain. Calorie intake can be adjusted based on progress.
Is the Mifflin-St Jeor formula accurate?
Mifflin-St Jeor is a widely used equation for estimating resting energy expenditure from age, sex, height, and weight. Like other predictive equations, it provides an estimate rather than a direct measurement, so individual results can differ from the calculated value.
Why should I add body fat percentage?
Providing body fat percentage allows the calculator to estimate lean body mass and use the Katch-McArdle equation for BMR. It does not automatically make the result more accurate because the body fat estimate itself may contain measurement error.