How to use this calculator
- Choose metric or imperial units, whichever you are more comfortable with.
- Enter your age, sex, height, and weight.
- Choose the activity level that best matches a typical week, not your best week. If you sit most of the day and exercise a few times a week, you are lightly or moderately active.
- Click Calculate TDEE to see your maintenance calories, your weight loss target, and your weight gain target.
Be honest about your activity level, because picking a higher level than your real life will give you a higher calorie target than you need. If you are between two levels, choose the lower one first and adjust after a few weeks of tracking.
Your BMR is worked out with the Harris-Benedict Revised equation, then multiplied by your activity factor to give your TDEE.
What your result means
Your result is your maintenance calories, the amount you need to stay at your current weight. To lose weight, most people eat a little less than this number, often 300 to 500 calories less per day. To gain weight, most people eat a little more, often 200 to 300 calories more per day.
Your BMR is the energy your body uses at rest, worked out with the Harris-Benedict Revised equation. Your activity level adds the rest. If your weight is steady after two or three weeks, you are close to maintenance. If it is falling fast or you feel very tired, your cut may be too large.
| Target | Calories per day |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | |
| Weight loss target | |
| Weight gain target |
Your report downloads as a PDF you can keep or share with your doctor. No email needed.
Total daily energy expenditure, usually called TDEE, is the total number of calories your body burns in a normal day. It includes everything, from the energy you use at rest to the energy you use walking, working, cleaning, and exercising. If you want to lose weight, gain weight, or simply stay the same, TDEE is the number that matters most, because it tells you how much food your body actually needs each day.
Our free TDEE calculator works out your total in seconds. It starts with your basal metabolic rate, which is the energy your body uses at rest, then adds your activity level on top. That activity level is the part many people get wrong. A desk job with a short walk is very different from a physical job or a week with four gym sessions. Choosing the right activity level gives you a much more useful result, and it helps you set a calorie target that fits your real life.
This calculator is for anyone who wants a clear daily calorie target. It is useful for people starting weight loss, people who want to gain weight without guessing, and people who have reached their goal weight and want to maintain it. It is also useful for people who track food, follow a meal plan, or train regularly and want to fuel their sessions properly.
To use the calculator, enter your age, sex, height, and weight, then choose the activity level that best matches a typical week. The options range from sedentary, for a mostly sitting day with little exercise, through lightly active and moderately active, to very active and extra active for physical jobs or heavy training. Be honest here, because picking a higher level than your real life will give you a higher calorie target than you need. If you are between two levels, choose the lower one first and adjust after a few weeks of tracking.
Your result is your maintenance calories, which is the amount you need to stay at your current weight. To lose weight, most people eat a little less than this number, often 300 to 500 calories less per day. To gain weight, most people eat a little more, often 200 to 300 calories more per day. Your progress after two or three weeks will tell you if the target is right. If your weight is steady, you are close to maintenance. If it is falling fast or you feel very tired, your cut may be too large.
TDEE can change over time. If you lose weight, your TDEE usually falls a little, because a smaller body needs less energy. If you become more active or build muscle, it usually rises, so recalculate every few weeks.
Use your TDEE as a starting point, then test it in real life for two or three weeks and adjust by a small amount if needed.
Frequently asked questions about TDEE
What is TDEE?
TDEE is total daily energy expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including rest, daily activity, and exercise.
How is TDEE different from BMR?
BMR is your calorie burn at rest. TDEE adds your activity level on top of BMR to give your full daily calorie need.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Most people start with 300 to 500 calories below their TDEE. Check your weight after two or three weeks and adjust by a small amount if needed.
How do I choose my activity level?
Choose the level that matches a typical week, not your best week. If you sit most of the day and exercise a few times a week, you are lightly or moderately active.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate every few weeks, or after a clear change in weight, activity, or training. Your TDEE falls a little as you lose weight.
Related tools and guides
- BMR Calculator – Find your resting calorie burn first, then add activity to get your TDEE.
- Calories Calculator – Turn your TDEE into a daily calorie target for loss, maintenance, or gain.
- Macro Calculator – Split your daily calories into protein, carbs, and fat.
Download your TDEE report as a PDF
This calculator is for general information only and is not medical advice. Speak with a healthcare professional before starting a diet or exercise plan.