TDEE Calculator

What Is TDEE—Your Body’s Caloric Blueprint?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) represents the total number of calories your body burns in a single day. It’s the sum of three major components:

• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – energy used at rest for vital functions.
• Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) – calories burned digesting and absorbing nutrients.
• Physical Activity – exercise and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).

Why TDEE Matters for Your Goals

Whether you aim to lose weight, build muscle, or simply maintain, knowing your TDEE is the cornerstone of any nutrition strategy. TDEE tells you exactly how many calories you can consume to achieve:

• Weight Loss – consume fewer calories than your TDEE to create a deficit.
• Maintenance – match intake to TDEE to stay stable.
• Weight Gain – exceed TDEE to support muscle or healthy weight gain.

Breaking Down BMR: The Largest Component

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) accounts for ~60–75% of TDEE. It’s the calories your body uses at complete rest to maintain heartbeat, respiration, and cell function. Several validated formulas estimate BMR:

Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The Hidden Burner

TEF is the energy required for digestion, absorption, and metabolizing nutrients. On average:

• Protein: 20–30% of calories
• Carbohydrates: 5–10% of calories
• Fat: 0–3% of calories

To estimate TEF, multiply daily caloric intake by ~0.1 (10%) as a generic average.
Example: A 2,000 kcal diet → TEF = 200 kcal.

Activity Energy Expenditure: Your Lifestyle Factor

Physical Activity Energy Expenditure (PAEE) includes structured exercise and day‑to‑day movement (NEAT). We use activity multipliers to scale BMR to TDEE:

Calculating Your TDEE: Step‑by‑Step

1. Estimate your BMR using one of the formulas above.
2. Calculate TEF (≈10% of intake) if you want extra precision.
3. Choose an activity multiplier that best matches your lifestyle.
4. Apply the formula: TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier.
5. Adjust based on goals:
   • Deficit: subtract 10–20% for weight loss.
   • Surplus: add 5–15% for muscle gain.

Practical Example

Let’s calculate TDEE for a 30‑year‑old male, 75 kg, 175 cm, lightly active:

BMR (Mifflin–St Jeor): (10 × 75) + (6.25 × 175) – (5 × 30) + 5 = 1,686 kcal

TDEE: 1,686 × 1.375 = 2,318 kcal/day

To lose fat, aim for ~2,000 kcal/day; to gain muscle, target ~2,550 kcal/day.

Nutrition Strategies Around TDEE

Once TDEE is known, tailor macros and meal timing:

• Protein: 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day to preserve/build muscle.
• Fats: 20–35% of total calories for hormones & satiety.
• Carbs: fill remaining calories for energy & recovery.

Tracking & Adjustment

TDEE is an estimate. Track progress weekly:

• Weigh yourself under consistent conditions.
• Log daily intake in a nutrition app (MyFitnessPal, Cronometer).
• Adjust intake by ±5–10% if weight stalls for 2–3 weeks.

Further Reading & Resources

• NIH TDEE Overview:nih.gov
• WHO Obesity & Energy Balance:who.int
• PubMed Studies on BMR & TDEE:pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Conclusion: Master Your Calories, Master Your Goals

By understanding TDEE and its components—BMR, TEF, and activity—you gain a powerful tool for managing weight, performance, and overall health. Use the formulas and strategies outlined here as your foundation, track results consistently, and fine-tune as you go. Your body will thank you for the precision, and you’ll reach your goals faster and more sustainably.

Frequently Asked Questions