TDEE Calculator (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)

How TDEE is built up

Total daily energy expenditure is the number of calories you burn in a full day. It starts from your basal metabolic rate and multiplies it by an activity factor: about 1.2 for desk work with little exercise, 1.375 for light exercise one to three days a week, 1.55 for moderate exercise three to five days, 1.725 for hard exercise six to seven days and 1.9 for very physical jobs plus training.

The factors come from studies that compared measured energy use with predicted BMR. They already include the energy used to digest food and everyday movement such as walking around the house, so you should not add those separately.

Worked example

A man with a BMR of 1,750 kcal who trains moderately four days a week uses the 1.55 factor: 1,750 × 1.55 = 2,712 kcal per day. Eating about that much should keep his weight stable. A deficit of around 500 kcal a day (about 2,200 kcal) would aim for roughly 0.5 kg of fat loss per week, since a kilogram of body fat stores about 7,700 kcal.

Adjusting the estimate

Most people overestimate their activity level, so start with the lower factor if you are unsure. Track your weight for two to three weeks at a steady intake. If your weight does not move as expected, adjust intake by 100 to 200 kcal and check again. That real-world feedback is more reliable than any formula.