Free TDEE Calculator: Estimate Daily Calorie Needs

TDEE Calculator

Age (years)

Gender Select gender Male Female

Weight (kg)

Height (cm)

Activity Level Select activity level Sedentary (little or no exercise) Lightly Active (light exercise 1–3 days/week) Moderately Active (moderate exercise 3–5 days/week) Very Active (hard exercise 6–7 days/week) Extremely Active (very hard exercise, physical job)

Thermic Effect of Food (% of BMR * Activity)

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): calories/day

Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): calories/day

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE): calories/day

Activity Level:

What is TDEE and Why It Matters

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns each day. Knowing your TDEE helps you plan your diet for weight maintenance, loss, or gain, making it a key tool for fitness and health goals. TDEE includes three main components: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), activity level, and the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF).

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

BMR is the energy your body needs to keep basic functions running—like breathing, heart rate, and cell repair—while at complete rest. It’s the foundation of your TDEE and depends on factors like age, gender, weight, and height. Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation for accurate BMR estimates.

Activity Level

Your activity level accounts for calories burned through movement, from workouts to daily tasks like walking or cleaning. This includes both planned exercise and non-exercise activities (known as NEAT—Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). Choose from five activity levels in the calculator, ranging from Sedentary (minimal movement) to Extremely Active (intense training or physical jobs).

Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)

TEF is the energy used to digest, absorb, and metabolize food. It varies by diet—protein-rich foods burn more calories during digestion (up to 20–30%) compared to fats (0–3%). Our calculator lets you adjust TEF (default 10%) to match your diet, ensuring a personalized TDEE estimate.

How Our TDEE Calculator Works

The calculator starts by estimating your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, based on your age, gender, weight, and height. It then multiplies BMR by an activity factor (1.2 for Sedentary to 1.9 for Extremely Active) and adds TEF (a percentage of the activity-adjusted calories). The result is your TDEE, which you can use to:

• Maintain weight: Eat calories equal to your TDEE.
• Lose weight: Eat 300–500 calories less than your TDEE.
• Gain muscle: Eat 300–500 calories more than your TDEE.

Try our free TDEE Calculator above to get a precise estimate and take control of your fitness journey!