TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — maintenance calories by activity level.
TDEE — Total Daily Energy Expenditure — is your true maintenance calorie level: BMR plus everything you burn through movement and activity in a day. It's the number that actually determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain weight.
Choosing the right activity level
Most people overestimate their activity level. "Sedentary" means a desk job with little to no structured exercise. "Moderate" assumes 3-5 days of exercise weekly. Unless you have a physically demanding job or train intensely most days, "light" or "moderate" is usually more accurate than people initially select — overestimating leads to overestimating your calorie needs.
TDEE isn't fixed
Your TDEE shifts as your weight, muscle mass, and activity level change — someone who loses significant weight will generally see their TDEE drop too, since a smaller body burns fewer calories at rest. Recalculate periodically rather than relying on one static number indefinitely.
Frequently asked questions
Why do TDEE estimates vary between different calculators?
Different tools use different formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor vs. Harris-Benedict, for example) and different activity multiplier assumptions — small formula differences compound, so it's normal to see estimates vary by a couple hundred calories between tools.
Should I eat at my TDEE if I want to maintain weight?
Yes, roughly — eating consistently at your estimated TDEE should keep your weight stable over time, though individual variation means you may need to adjust slightly based on how your weight actually trends over a few weeks.