Estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), basal metabolic rate (BMR), and maintenance calories. Enter your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level using U.S. or metric units.
What is a TDEE calculator?
A TDEE calculator estimates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), or the approximate number of calories your body uses in a full day. TDEE includes the energy your body needs at rest as well as calories used for everyday movement, exercise, digestion, and other physical activity.
TDEE is commonly used as an estimate of your maintenance calories — the approximate number of calories you may need each day to maintain your current body weight when your activity level and other conditions remain similar.
This calculator uses your age, sex, height, weight, and activity level to estimate both your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your daily calorie needs. You can enter your measurements using either U.S. units (lb, ft/in) or metric units (kg, cm).
How does the TDEE calculator work?
The calculator first estimates your resting energy needs using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. It then multiplies that estimate by an activity factor based on your typical activity level.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equations used by this calculator are:
Male
Female
W is body weight in kilograms, H is height in centimeters, and A is age in years. When U.S. units are selected, pounds and feet/inches are converted to kilograms and centimeters before the equation is calculated.
How to choose your TDEE activity level
Your TDEE activity level has a major effect on the final maintenance calorie estimate. Choose the option that most closely reflects your average week, including both planned exercise and your usual movement outside workouts.
- Sedentary (1.2): Little or no structured exercise; mostly seated day.
- Lightly active (1.375): Light exercise about 1–3 days per week.
- Moderately active (1.55): Moderate exercise about 3–5 days per week.
- Very active (1.725): Hard exercise about 6–7 days per week.
- Extra active (1.9): Very hard training and/or a physically demanding job.
For example, someone with a desk job who exercises several times per week may still have a different daily energy expenditure from someone who has a physically demanding job. Walking, standing, household tasks, commuting, and other non-exercise movement can all affect your real daily calorie needs.
Activity factors are estimates rather than direct measurements. If you are unsure between two activity levels, compare your estimated maintenance calories with your actual calorie intake and body-weight trend over time.
TDEE vs. BMR: what is the difference?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) estimates how much energy your body needs at rest to support basic functions such as breathing, circulation, and temperature regulation.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) starts with that resting energy estimate and adjusts it for your activity level. Because TDEE includes daily activity, it is generally the more useful number when estimating how many calories you need per day.
What are maintenance calories?
Maintenance calories are the approximate number of calories you need per day to maintain your current body weight. In everyday calorie tracking, your estimated TDEE is commonly used as your starting maintenance calorie target.
For example, if your estimated TDEE is 2,400 kcal/day, consuming about 2,400 calories per day would be your estimated maintenance starting point. Your actual maintenance calories may be higher or lower depending on your real activity and energy expenditure.
How to use your TDEE and maintenance calorie estimate
The main result from this calculator is your estimated TDEE in kcal/day. The calculator also shows your estimated BMR, a ±5% maintenance range, and simple calorie reference points below and above your estimated TDEE.
These percentages make it easier to compare different calorie targets, but they should not be treated as individualized diet prescriptions. Calorie needs vary from person to person and can change as body weight, activity, and other factors change.
For longer-term weight-change planning, the NIH Body Weight Planner uses a dynamic mathematical model that accounts for changes in energy intake, physical activity, metabolism, and body weight over time.
Why your actual TDEE may be different
A TDEE calculator provides an estimated daily calorie expenditure, not a direct measurement of your metabolism. Two people with similar age, height, weight, and exercise schedules can still have different actual daily energy needs.
Your real maintenance calories can be influenced by factors such as non-exercise movement, training volume, body composition, changes in body weight, sleep, health conditions, and medications.
If you use your TDEE for calorie tracking, compare your average calorie intake with your body-weight trend over several weeks under similar conditions. If your weight consistently changes while eating near the calculated amount, your practical maintenance calories may be different from the estimate.
TDEE Calculator FAQ
- Q. What does TDEE mean?A. TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is an estimate of the total number of calories your body uses during a full day, including resting energy and physical activity.
- Q. Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?A. For everyday calorie tracking, TDEE is commonly used as an estimate of maintenance calories — the approximate calorie intake needed to maintain your current body weight.
- Q. How do I calculate my TDEE?A. This calculator first estimates your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and then multiplies that value by the activity factor you select.
- Q. Does TDEE include exercise?A. Yes. The activity factor is intended to account for your overall activity, including exercise. Adding the same workout calories separately to your TDEE can therefore double-count some of your activity.
- Q. How accurate is a TDEE calculator?A. A TDEE calculator provides an estimate based on population-level equations and an activity multiplier. Your actual daily calorie expenditure may differ, so your calorie intake and body-weight trend over time can help you evaluate your practical maintenance level.
- Q. Should I use U.S. or metric units?A. Either unit system produces the same calculation. Pounds and feet/inches are converted internally to kilograms and centimeters before the Mifflin-St Jeor equation is applied.
- Q. What activity level should I choose?A. Choose the activity level that best describes your typical week rather than your most active day. Consider both structured exercise and how much you normally move during work and daily life.
- Q. Is this TDEE calculator for children or teens?A. No. This calculator is designed as a general estimator for adults. Children and teenagers have different energy requirements and should use age-appropriate methods.
TDEE calculator references
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. “A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1990; 51(2):241–247.
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health — Body Weight Planner and research on mathematical modeling of human energy balance and body weight change.
TDEE calculator limitations
This TDEE calculator provides a general calorie estimate for adults and is intended for informational purposes. It is not a direct measurement of your metabolism or individualized medical or nutrition advice. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, eating disorders, medical conditions, medications, or intensive athletic training can substantially change energy needs. Consult a qualified health professional when individualized guidance is needed.
