Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn each day including exercise. This calculator uses the Harris-Benedict equation with an activity multiplier to estimate your TDEE, BMR, and calorie targets for weight loss or gain.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the number of calories your body burns in a typical day — at rest plus from all movement, exercise, and digestion. It's the maintenance calorie level: eat at TDEE and your weight stays roughly constant; eat below it to lose weight; eat above it to gain weight or build muscle.
This calculator estimates TDEE using the Harris-Benedict equation (revised 1984) combined with a standard activity multiplier. Enter age, sex, weight, height, and activity level and you get TDEE, BMR (the resting component), and reference targets for weight loss (−500 cal/day), maintenance, and lean gain (+300 cal/day).
The number is a starting point, not a precise prediction. Individual variation in metabolic rate is real — the formula is accurate to within about 10% for most adults. The right way to use TDEE: pick a target based on the estimate, eat there for 2–4 weeks, and adjust based on the actual weight trend.
30-year-old male, 170 lb, 5'8", moderately active. BMR: ~1,780 kcal/day (Harris-Benedict revised) TDEE: ~2,759 kcal/day Eating at TDEE maintains weight. For lifestyle context: this is roughly equal to a typical fast-food meal (1,200 cal) + a healthy dinner (700) + breakfast/snacks (~860).
Same person aiming to lose 1 lb/week. 500-calorie deficit: target ~2,259 kcal/day. In practice: actual loss often runs 0.5–1.5 lb/week and slows over time. Metabolic adaptation reduces TDEE by 5–15% after several weeks of sustained dieting — a small additional cut may be needed every 4–8 weeks.
Use TDEE as the starting calorie target for any weight-management plan. It's most useful at the beginning of a deliberate phase (cut, bulk, recomposition) and as a periodic recalibration point as your body changes.
For more precise estimates: - The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is slightly more accurate than Harris-Benedict for the modern population - DEXA scans and indirect calorimetry give person-specific BMR (gold standard, but expensive) - Track actual maintenance over several weeks if you have any history — your real TDEE is more reliable than any formula
For multi-week tracking, also use the calorie calculator (same family of math, different framing) and the macro calculator (splits the TDEE target across protein/carb/fat).
Calculate daily calorie needs based on age, weight, height, and activity level.
Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate using Mifflin-St Jeor and Harris-Benedict equations.
Calculate your ideal protein, carb, and fat macronutrient split.
Estimate your body fat percentage using the Navy method.
Find your ideal weight using Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi formulas.
Calculate daily protein needs based on weight and activity level.
TDEE
2,759 cal/day
BMR
1,780 cal/day
Lose Weight
2,259 cal/day
~1 lb/week
Gain Weight
3,059 cal/day
~0.6 lb/week