TDEE calculator

Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the calories your body actually burns each day — then see the targets for fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.

Biological sex
Activity level
BMR (at rest)
1768
kcal / day
TDEE (maintenance)
2740
kcal / day
GoalDaily target (kcal)Rate
Aggressive cut1990~0.7 kg/week loss
Moderate cut2240~0.5 kg/week loss
Maintenance2740Hold bodyweight
Lean bulk2990~0.25 kg/week gain
Standard bulk3240~0.5 kg/week gain

What is TDEE?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period — combining your resting metabolic rate with the energy you use during exercise, daily movement, and the thermic effect of food.

Your TDEE is the one number that determines body composition over time. Eat consistently below it and you lose weight; eat above it and you gain; match it and you stay roughly the same. Everything else in nutrition — macros, meal timing, food quality — plays a supporting role.

How the calculation works

This calculator uses the Mifflin–St Jeor formula, which has the strongest validation across the general population for estimating Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):

  • Men: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5
  • Women: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) − 161

BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor — from 1.2 for a sedentary desk job to 1.9 for a very active lifestyle with hard daily training — to produce your TDEE. The activity factor is the most subjective part of the estimate. If in doubt, pick the lower option and adjust upward if your weight drops faster than expected.

Using your TDEE to set a goal

Once you have your maintenance calories, set a target based on your goal:

  • Fat loss: A deficit of 300–500 kcal/day is manageable for most people and produces roughly 0.3–0.5 kg of loss per week without gutting training performance. Bigger deficits work faster short-term but increase muscle loss risk.
  • Muscle gain: A modest surplus of 200–300 kcal above maintenance supports growth while keeping fat gain minimal. Larger surpluses rarely build muscle faster — they just add more body fat.
  • Maintenance / recomposition: Eating at TDEE while training progressively allows simultaneous fat loss and muscle gain in beginners and those returning after a break.

Split your calories into macros

Once you have your TDEE, the next step is deciding how to split those calories between protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Protein intake is especially important: it determines how much of your weight change comes from fat vs. muscle. Use the macro calculator to get exact gram targets for your goal.

Pair calories with a structured program

Hitting your calorie target gets the body composition moving; a well-structured program ensures the weight you lose is fat and the weight you gain is muscle. Want a complete weekly routine built around your goal? Build a free program in about 30 seconds.

Estimates only. Individual calorie needs vary. If you have a medical condition or significant weight-loss goal, consult a qualified dietitian or physician before making large changes to your intake.