Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
2,451
cal/day
Estimated maintenance intake for your current stats, activity, and formula mode.
BMR
Activity
TEF
Calorie Targets
Goal Targets by Intake
Pick a target and the macro planner updates immediately.
Macro Breakdown
Adjust the split
Sliders auto-balance to 100%. Selecting a goal resets to the preset for that target.
Maintenance macro plan
TDEE Components
Where the calories come from
Maintenance is split into resting needs, activity, and digestion.
BMR
1,783 cal
Activity
423 cal
TEF
245 cal
BMR Stats
Calculation details
Use this to audit which formula and multiplier drove the estimate.
Goal Table
Daily targets and weekly planning view
Compare maintenance, cutting, and bulking options side by side, then export the current plan.
| Goal | Daily Calories | Weekly Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Expected Use |
|---|
Formula Blueprint
How the TDEE estimate is built
Resting energy comes from a BMR formula, then an activity multiplier projects maintenance intake for planning.
Mifflin-St Jeor
Men: (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) - (5 × age) + 5
Women: (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) - (5 × age) - 161
Used as the default BMR formula when body fat is not supplied or when you explicitly choose Mifflin mode.
Katch-McArdle
BMR = 370 + (21.6 × lean mass in kg)
Auto mode switches here when body fat is present because lean mass can tighten the estimate for trained users.
Total Daily Energy
TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier
The component view then shows that maintenance estimate as resting energy plus an approximate activity and digestion split for planning context.
kgBody weight in kilograms
cmHeight in centimeters
Lean massBody weight × (1 - body fat %)
MultiplierActivity profile from sedentary through super active
Pro Tips
Use the number well
Maintenance calories are a starting estimate. Your scale trend and adherence matter more than formula precision alone.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About TDEE
These answers match the page's FAQ schema and focus on maintenance calories, formulas, deficits, and macro planning.
What is TDEE and why does it matter?
TDEE is your total daily calorie burn after resting metabolism, movement, training, and digestion are all counted together. It matters because it is the baseline number for fat loss, maintenance, and muscle gain.
What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is your resting baseline with no activity layered on top. TDEE uses that baseline and adds daily movement, exercise, and digestion to estimate real-world maintenance calories.
What is the most accurate TDEE formula?
For most adults, Mifflin-St Jeor is the best default. Katch-McArdle can be more precise if you have a trustworthy body-fat measurement because it uses lean mass directly.
How many calories below my TDEE should I eat to lose weight?
For most people, 250 to 500 calories below TDEE is the sustainable range. That usually lands around a 15 to 20 percent deficit, which is much easier to recover from and maintain than an extreme cut.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Recalculate every 10 to 15 pounds of body-weight change or when your activity level shifts meaningfully. New training volume, a more active job, or a long break from activity all justify a refresh.
Why is my TDEE different from other calculators?
Different calculators use different BMR equations, activity multipliers, and rounding logic. Small differences are normal. Larger differences usually come from formula choice or activity-level interpretation.
Can I use TDEE to build muscle?
Yes. TDEE is the foundation for lean bulking. Most natural lifters do best with a surplus of about 250 to 500 calories above maintenance, paired with enough protein and progressive resistance training.
Should I eat my TDEE on rest days?
You can keep calories steady every day or eat slightly less on rest days. The simpler approach is usually better unless you already track well and prefer calorie cycling.
What is NEAT and why does it matter for TDEE?
NEAT is non-exercise activity thermogenesis, which includes walking, standing, chores, and all the extra movement that is not formal exercise. It can create large real-world differences in maintenance calories.
What macros should I eat at my TDEE?
Protein should usually be set first, then carbs and fat can be distributed based on your goal and preferences. For fat loss, higher protein intakes are especially useful for muscle retention and satiety.
How accurate is this TDEE calculator in practice?
It is a planning estimate, not a lab measurement. The best way to tighten it is to compare the calculator's output with 2 to 3 weeks of consistent intake and body-weight trend data.
Data Integrity
Methodology and source verification
This calculator estimates resting energy with Mifflin-St Jeor by default and switches to Katch-McArdle when body-fat data is available in auto mode. Maintenance calories are then projected from the selected activity multiplier, and the component bars show an approximate planning split rather than a lab-grade metabolic measurement. It is designed for calorie targeting and nutrition planning, not for diagnosing metabolic conditions or replacing indirect calorimetry.
Verified
Reference basis: the calculator uses established resting-energy equations, standard activity multipliers commonly used for TDEE planning, and macro calorie conversions of 4 calories per gram for protein and carbs and 9 calories per gram for fat.
Mifflin-St Jeor predictive equation
Used as the default resting-energy model and widely referenced in nutrition practice when direct calorimetry is not available.
Open the PubMed recordNIDDK Body Weight Planner model overview
Used as a federal reference point for how energy intake, expenditure, and weight change interact over time.
Open the NIDDK plannerDietary Reference Intakes energy chapter
Used for the high-level framing of total energy expenditure components, including the thermic effect of food as a meaningful but secondary share of daily expenditure.
View the reference PDF