TDEE Calculator
How to Use the TDEE Calculator
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the estimated number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It includes your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and the calories you burn through daily activities such as walking, working, exercising, and other physical movements.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Select Your Unit System
- Metric: Choose this option if you measure your height in centimeters (cm) and your weight in kilograms (kg).
- Imperial: Choose this option if you measure your height in feet/inches and your weight in pounds (lbs).
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Select Your Gender
Choose Male or Female. Gender is used to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which affects your daily calorie needs.
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Enter Your Age, Height, and Weight
- Enter your exact age.
- Provide your current height and weight using your selected unit system.
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Select Your Activity Level
Choose the option that best describes your daily lifestyle:
- Sedentary: Little or no exercise; mostly sitting throughout the day.
- Lightly Active: Light exercise or physical activity 1–3 days per week.
- Moderately Active: Moderate exercise or sports 3–5 days per week.
- Very Active: Intense exercise or physical work 6–7 days per week.
- Extremely Active: Physically demanding work or intense training multiple times per day.
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Click the “Calculate TDEE” Button
The calculator will estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and display your recommended daily maintenance calories.
Understanding Your TDEE Results
Maintenance Calories (TDEE)
Your TDEE represents the estimated number of calories you need each day to maintain your current body weight. Consuming approximately this amount of calories can help keep your weight stable.
Weight Loss Goal (Calorie Deficit)
To support healthy and sustainable weight loss, consider consuming approximately 500 fewer calories than your TDEE. Combining a moderate calorie deficit with regular exercise and a balanced diet may help you lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week, although results vary by individual.
Muscle Gain / Weight Gain Goal (Calorie Surplus)
If your goal is to build muscle or gain weight, consider consuming 300–500 additional calories above your TDEE. Pairing this calorie surplus with strength training and adequate protein intake can help support muscle growth.
TDEE Calculator: How to Use This Calculator
Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) estimates the energy your body uses across an average day. It combines resting energy needs with the energy used for movement, exercise and digestion. The result is useful as a starting point for understanding energy balance, but it is not a direct measurement of your metabolism.
Step-by-step instructions and example
Enter your age, height, weight and other requested details. Choose the activity option that most closely describes your usual week rather than your most active day. For example, a calculator might estimate maintenance needs at 2,100 calories per day. This is an illustration, not a prescription: actual needs can be higher or lower, and changes in body weight over several weeks provide additional context.
How to interpret the result
Read the number alongside the assumptions shown on this page. Check the units, the age range and any activity or goal setting before drawing conclusions. An estimate is most useful when it helps you ask better questions, plan a balanced routine or discuss your needs with a qualified professional. It should not be used to diagnose a disease, decide to stop medication or justify a very restrictive diet.
For practical use, focus on consistent habits: regular meals, a variety of foods, sleep, movement that suits your ability and enough time to notice patterns. If you choose to track progress, look at trends over several weeks rather than reacting to one day’s result. Water retention, digestion, stress, sleep and normal hormonal changes can all affect measurements.
Important limitations
Calculator equations are simplified models. They cannot account for every difference in body composition, genetics, medication, health status or daily routine. Results may be less reliable for children, teenagers, older adults, pregnancy or breastfeeding, competitive athletes and people with significant medical conditions. In those situations, seek advice tailored to your circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does maintenance calories mean?
It is an estimated intake at which body weight may remain broadly stable over time, though daily weight naturally fluctuates.
Which activity level should I choose?
Choose a realistic average. If unsure between two options, use the more conservative estimate and reassess over time.
Should I change calories based on one weigh-in?
No. Hydration, salt, digestion and menstrual-cycle changes can affect scale weight. Look at longer-term trends instead.
What should I do if the result seems wrong?
Recheck each entry and the units first. If the result still seems inconsistent, do not force your routine to fit the number; use a trusted professional to review it.
Is this a medical diagnosis?
No. This page is for general education. It does not replace medical assessment or personalised advice from a registered dietitian or other qualified healthcare professional.