What is the difference between BMR and TDEE?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest. TDEE adds the calories burned through daily activity and exercise. TDEE is always higher than BMR.

How accurate is the Harris-Benedict equation?

The Harris-Benedict equation is accurate to within about 10% for most people. It may overestimate needs for obese individuals. Track your weight over 2-4 weeks and adjust as needed.

How do I use TDEE for weight loss?

To lose about 1 pound per week, eat 500 calories below your TDEE. A deficit of 250 calories yields roughly half a pound per week. Never go below 1,200 calories without medical supervision.

TDEE Calculator

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.

Inputs

Age

Gender

Weight (lbs)

Height (inches)

Activity Level

Results

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

TDEE by Activity Level

Calorie Targets by Goal

Last updated: April 16, 2026Reviewed by the CalcMountain editorial team

Formula

Harris-Benedict Revised (1984): Men: BMR = 13.397 × kg + 4.799 × cm − 5.677 × age + 88.362 Women: BMR = 9.247 × kg + 3.098 × cm − 4.330 × age + 447.593 Convert imperial → metric: kg = lb / 2.205 cm = in × 2.54 Activity multipliers: Sedentary × 1.2 Lightly active × 1.375 Moderately active × 1.55 Very active × 1.725 Extra active × 1.9 TDEE = BMR × Activity multiplier Example: 30-year-old male, 170 lb, 5'8", moderately active Weight: 170/2.205 = 77.1 kg Height: 68 × 2.54 = 172.7 cm BMR = 13.397 × 77.1 + 4.799 × 172.7 − 5.677 × 30 + 88.362 = 1,033 + 829 − 170 + 88 ≈ 1,780 kcal/day TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 ≈ 2,759 kcal/day Weight loss target (1 lb/week): 2,259 kcal/day

How to use this calculator

Enter age, sex, height, and weight.
Choose activity level honestly — most office workers who exercise 2–3 times per week are "lightly active," not "moderately."
Read TDEE (maintenance). For weight loss, eat ~500 cal below TDEE for ~1 lb/week loss. For lean gain, eat 250–500 cal above.
Track weight for 2–4 weeks at your chosen target. If the rate of change isn't close to expected, your real TDEE is probably 100–300 cal different — adjust intake and continue.
Re-calculate TDEE as you gain or lose substantial weight; the formulas update with body mass.

Worked examples

Maintenance

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).

Weight loss

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.

When to use this calculator

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).

Common mistakes to avoid

Overestimating activity. Most people pick "moderate" when "light" is more honest. Real expenditure data consistently shows lower activity levels than self-reported.
Treating the number as exact. Real metabolic variation is ±10% individually; track weight trends to confirm.
Eating "exercise calories" on top of TDEE. The activity multiplier already accounts for typical workouts. Adding more after a session leads to overeating.
Going aggressively below TDEE. Diets >25% below TDEE accelerate muscle loss, slow metabolism faster, and trigger rebound binges.
Ignoring protein. Protein has the highest thermic effect (you burn ~25% during digestion) and preserves muscle in a deficit.
Re-running TDEE only after big weight changes. The formula updates noticeably even at 10 lb of weight change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & further reading

Mifflin-St Jeor equation — American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Dietary Reference Intakes — Energy — National Academies

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