What is TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It includes your basal metabolic rate (BMR), physical activity, and the thermic effect of food.
How to calculate TDEE?
TDEE is calculated in two steps. First, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates your BMR:
- Men: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161
Then BMR is multiplied by an activity factor to get your TDEE.
What are the activity level multipliers?
- Sedentary (1.2) — desk job, little or no exercise
- Light (1.375) — exercise 1–3 days per week
- Moderate (1.55) — exercise 3–5 days per week
- Active (1.725) — exercise 6–7 days per week
- Very active (1.9) — intense training twice per day
TDEE calculation examples
A 30-year-old male, 80 kg, 180 cm, moderately active: BMR = 1780 kcal, TDEE = 2759 kcal. To lose weight, aim for about 2259 kcal per day (−500 kcal deficit).
A 25-year-old female, 60 kg, 165 cm, lightly active: BMR = 1345 kcal, TDEE = 1850 kcal. For mild weight loss — about 1600 kcal per day.
How to use TDEE for weight management?
Once you know your TDEE, you can set calorie goals:
- Weight loss: eat 500 kcal below TDEE (about 0.5 kg per week)
- Mild weight loss: 250 kcal deficit
- Maintenance: eat at your TDEE level
- Weight gain: 250–500 kcal surplus
What is the difference between TDEE and BMR?
BMR is the number of calories your body burns at rest — breathing, digestion, and maintaining body temperature. TDEE includes BMR plus all physical activity, so it is always higher than BMR.