Your total daily energy expenditure, or TDEE, is the number of calories you burn in a full day, including exercise, daily movement, and everything your body does at rest. Knowing it is the starting point for any calorie target. Enter your details below to calculate it.

TDEE Calculator

How TDEE Is Calculated

The calculator first estimates your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the calories your body burns at complete rest, using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. It is considered one of the most accurate formulas for healthy adults:

  • Men: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age + 5
  • Women: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age – 161

It then multiplies your BMR by an activity factor to estimate your TDEE.

Activity Level Multiplier Typical Daily Steps
Sedentary 1.2 Under 5,000
Lightly active 1.375 5,000-7,500
Moderately active 1.55 7,500-10,000
Very active 1.725 10,000-12,500
Extremely active 1.9 12,500+ plus training

Using Your Wearable to Pick the Right Activity Level

Most people overestimate how active they are. If you wear a tracker, check your average daily steps over the last two to four weeks and use the table above as a guide. You can also convert those steps to distance with our Steps to Miles Calculator, and estimate the extra burn from specific workouts with the Calories Burned Calculator.

Your watch also shows a daily total calorie figure. It is worth comparing with your TDEE here: if they are close, great. If they are far apart, keep in mind that both are estimates, and your real maintenance level shows up in your weight trend over a few weeks.

Setting a Calorie Target

A deficit of about 500 calories a day leads to roughly 1 pound of weight loss per week for many people, while a smaller 250-calorie deficit is easier to sustain. For muscle gain, a modest surplus of about 250 calories paired with strength training limits unwanted fat gain. Weigh yourself under similar conditions several times a week and adjust your target after two to three weeks based on the trend.

Disclaimer: TDEE is an estimate based on population averages. It is not medical advice. Talk with a healthcare provider before making major changes to your exercise, diet, or sleep, especially if you have a health condition or take medication. Very low calorie diets should only be followed under medical supervision.