Total Daily Energy Expenditure — Precision Metabolic Analysis
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It represents the total number of calories your body burns in a single day, accounting for everything from basic bodily functions like breathing and digestion to physical activity and exercise.
Understanding your TDEE is the foundation of any nutrition plan. Whether you're a beginner just learning about calorie tracking or an experienced athlete fine-tuning your diet, your TDEE tells you how much energy your body needs to maintain its current weight.
Our free TDEE calculator uses the scientifically validated Mifflin-St Jeor equation to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then multiplies it by an activity factor to give you an accurate daily calorie estimate. Simply enter your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level above to get started.
Men generally have a higher TDEE than women due to greater muscle mass and typically larger body size. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula accounts for this with a gender-specific calculation.
BMR for men:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age) + 5
A typical TDEE range for men is between 1,800 and 3,200 calories per day, depending on age, body size, and activity level. Sedentary men usually fall on the lower end, while very active men or those with physically demanding jobs can burn well over 3,000 calories daily.
For men looking to build muscle, a surplus of 200-300 calories above TDEE combined with resistance training is generally recommended. For fat loss, a deficit of 300-500 calories is a sustainable starting point.
Women typically have a lower TDEE than men, primarily due to differences in body composition and hormonal profiles. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula uses a different constant for women to reflect this.
BMR for women:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age) - 161
A typical TDEE range for women is between 1,400 and 2,400 calories per day. Factors like menstrual cycle phase, pregnancy, and breastfeeding can all affect daily energy needs. Active women and those with more muscle mass will be on the higher end of this range.
Women should be cautious about extreme calorie deficits, as going below 1,200 calories per day can disrupt hormonal balance and metabolism. A moderate deficit of 300-500 calories is a safer and more effective approach to fat loss.
Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, developed in 1990 and widely regarded as the most accurate BMR formula for the general population. Research has shown it predicts resting metabolic rate within about 10% for most people.
First, we calculate your BMR — the calories you'd burn doing absolutely nothing. Then we multiply by an activity factor based on your reported exercise habits:
The result is your estimated TDEE — the total calories you burn per day. We also calculate calorie targets for weight loss and weight gain at mild, moderate, and aggressive paces based on the principle that 1 kg of body fat equals approximately 7,700 calories.
Most TDEE calculators are full of ads, want you to make an account, or try to sell you something. We wanted something simpler.
You put in your stats, you get your numbers. Everything runs in your browser, so we never see or store your data. We use real formulas from actual research, not some made-up algorithm. And it's free. No catch.
If you're trying to lose weight, build muscle, or just want to know how much you should be eating, this is for you. Use your TDEE as a starting point, then adjust based on what actually happens over a few weeks. Keep in mind that any calculator gives you an estimate — everyone's body is a little different.