TDEE calculator
TDEE is the total energy your body uses in a day. Enter your details to see your TDEE, BMR and BMI.
Enter your details to see your numbers.
You have your number. Now stick to it.
Cal Clark sets your calorie and macro targets and counts your meals from a photo.
What makes up your TDEE
Resting energy (BMR) is the biggest part: what your body burns to breathe, pump blood and keep warm. Digesting food uses about 10% of the day's energy.
The rest is movement: workouts, walking and everyday activity such as standing, cleaning or carrying shopping. This part changes the most from person to person.
BMR or TDEE: which number do you eat to?
BMR is what your body burns at complete rest. TDEE adds everything you do on top. Eat around your TDEE to keep your weight and below it to lose weight.
Eating only your BMR is a much bigger cut than most people need, and it is hard to keep up.
Why your TDEE falls as you lose weight
A lighter body needs less energy to run and to move. Recalculate after every 4 to 5 kg, or when your weight has not changed for two to three weeks.
Calories in common fruit
| Food | Portion | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Banana | 1 medium (118 g) | 105 |
| Apple | 1 medium (182 g) | 95 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131 g) | 62 |
| Strawberries | 1 cup (144 g) | 46 |
| Grapes | 10 pieces (49 g) | 34 |
| Pear | 1 medium (178 g) | 101 |
| Watermelon | 1 wedge (286 g) | 86 |
| Avocado | Half (100 g) | 160 |
Questions
What does TDEE stand for?
Total daily energy expenditure: all the calories your body burns in a day. People also call it maintenance calories or daily calorie burn.
Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?
Yes. Your TDEE is the number of calories that keeps your weight stable.
How do I choose my activity level?
Count the exercise you really do in a normal week, not the plan. If you are between two levels, pick the lower one. Adding food later is easier than finding out after a month that the number was too high.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
In a review of studies, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation was the most reliable of the common formulas, but every formula is an estimate. Check your weight for two to three weeks and adjust by 100 to 200 kcal.
More calculators and guides
Sources
- Mifflin MD et al. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247.
- Frankenfield D et al. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(5):775-789.
- Westerterp KR. Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2004;1(1):5.