TDEE Calculator
TDEE is the number of calories you burn in a full day, and therefore the number every diet is built around. This calculator combines your basal rate with an activity multiplier so you have a maintenance figure to work from — the baseline for losing, gaining or holding weight.
Inputs
Result
2,587 kcal / day
BMR 1,669 kcal
Visual breakdown
How the tdee calculator works
TDEE = BMR × activity factor. Factors: 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 light, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 very active, 1.9 extremely active.
TDEE has four parts: BMR, the thermic effect of food (roughly 10%), planned exercise, and non-exercise activity such as walking and fidgeting, which varies enormously between people.
A deficit of about 500 kcal a day yields roughly 0.45 kg of loss per week, since fat tissue stores approximately 7,700 kcal per kg.
Worked example: a 29-year-old woman, 167 cm, 70 kg, moderately active
- BMR = 10 × 70 + 6.25 × 167 − 5 × 29 − 161 = 1,437.75 kcal.
- TDEE = 1,437.75 × 1.55 = 2,229 kcal.
- Cutting to 1,730 kcal creates a 500 kcal deficit — about 0.45 kg a week.
- Bulking at 2,480 kcal gives a 250 kcal surplus, roughly 0.2 kg a week.
- After losing 6 kg, recalculated TDEE falls to about 2,096 — the target must move too.
Common mistakes to avoid
Double-counting exercise
If your activity factor already includes training, adding your watch's calorie burn on top inflates the target substantially.
Trusting wearable calorie estimates
Wrist devices commonly overestimate exercise expenditure by 20–90%. Treat them as motivation, not accounting.
Ignoring adaptive changes
In a prolonged deficit, spontaneous movement drops and TDEE falls more than the maths predicts. Diet breaks and step tracking counteract this.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know my real TDEE?
Track intake and weight for two to three weeks. Your true maintenance is the average intake that held weight steady, which beats any formula.
Which activity multiplier should I pick?
Base it on daily life, not intent. Desk job with three gym sessions is usually 1.375–1.55, not 1.725.
How big should my deficit be?
10–20% below TDEE for most people. Very large deficits accelerate muscle loss and rarely survive contact with real life.
Does TDEE change on rest days?
Yes, but averaging across the week is simpler and just as effective as cycling intake day by day.
Why has my weight loss stalled at the same calories?
A lighter body burns less, and adaptation reduces movement. Recalculate TDEE, verify portion accuracy, and add steps before cutting calories further.
Learn more
Why your calorie target stops working after two months
Nothing changed except your body. That is precisely the problem, and there are three fixes.
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