Quick answer
Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is the estimated calories you burn in a day including activity. This calculator takes your basal metabolic rate from the Mifflin–St Jeor equation and multiplies it by the activity factor you choose.
The five activity factors are conventional estimates: 1.2 for little or no exercise, 1.375 for light, 1.55 for moderate, 1.725 for very active and 1.9 for an extra-active routine. Pick the one that matches an average week, not your best week.
Related tools: BMR Calculator: Estimate basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin–St Jeor and revised Harris–Benedict equations. Calorie Calculator: Daily calories to maintain, lose or gain weight. BMI Calculator: Find your Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight status.
How to use the TDEE Calculator
- Choose units: Metric (kg, cm) and Imperial (lb, in).
- Choose sex: Male and Female.
- Enter weight (kg, or lb) (between 20 and 500).
- Enter height (cm, or in) (between 50 and 250).
- Enter age (years) (a whole number, between 15 and 100).
- Choose activity level: Sedentary (little or no exercise), Light (1–3 days/week), Moderate (3–5 days/week), Very active (6–7 days/week) and Extra active (physical job + training).
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Units | Choose one: Metric (kg, cm); Imperial (lb, in) | Starts at Metric (kg, cm) |
| Sex | Choose one: Male; Female | Starts at Male |
| Weight (kg, or lb) | A number | ≥ 20, ≤ 500 |
| Height (cm, or in) | A number | ≥ 50, ≤ 250 |
| Age | A whole number, in years | ≥ 15, ≤ 100 |
| Activity level | Choose one: Sedentary (little or no exercise); Light (1–3 days/week); Moderate (3–5 days/week); Very active (6–7 days/week); Extra active (physical job + training) | Starts at Sedentary (little or no exercise) |
Formula and method
Formula
TDEE = BMR (Mifflin–St Jeor) × activity factor (1.2, 1.375, 1.55, 1.725, 1.9)
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to 1 decimal place unless stated.
Activity multipliers are conventional estimates. Informational estimate, not medical advice. Talk to a qualified health professional about your own situation.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Units = Metric (kg, cm); Sex = Male; Weight (kg, or lb) = 70; Height (cm, or in) = 175; Age = 30; Activity level = Moderate (3–5 days/week).
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Total daily energy expenditure | 2,556 kcal/day |
| Mild weight loss (−250) | 2,306 |
| Weight loss (−500) | 2,056 |
| Mild weight gain (+250) | 2,806 |
| Weight gain (+500) | 3,056 |
Example 2
Inputs: Units = Metric (kg, cm); Sex = Male; Weight (kg, or lb) = 70; Height (cm, or in) = 175; Age = 30; Activity level = Sedentary (little or no exercise).
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Total daily energy expenditure | 1,979 kcal/day |
| Mild weight loss (−250) | 1,729 |
| Weight loss (−500) | 1,479 |
| Mild weight gain (+250) | 2,229 |
| Weight gain (+500) | 2,479 |
The first line is the headline result (total daily energy expenditure). Below it the tDEE Calculator lists mild weight loss (−250), weight loss (−500), mild weight gain (+250) and weight gain (+500), which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to 1 decimal place unless stated.
Worked example
A 30-year-old man who weighs 70 kg and is 175 cm tall has a BMR of 1,648.75 kcal. With moderate activity (1.55) his TDEE is 1,648.75 × 1.55 = 2,555.6, shown as 2,556; with little exercise (1.2) it is 1,978.5, shown as 1,979.
TDEE at each activity level
Every figure in this table comes from running this calculator, so it matches what the form returns.
| Activity level | TDEE (kcal/day) |
|---|---|
| Sedentary (little or no exercise) | 1,979 |
| Light (1–3 days/week) | 2,267 |
| Moderate (3–5 days/week) | 2,556 |
| Very active (6–7 days/week) | 2,844 |
| Extra active (physical job + training) | 3,133 |
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Weight (kg, or lb): entering "5" shows "Weight (kg, or lb) must be at least 20." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the TDEE Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
| Calculator | You enter | It returns |
|---|---|---|
| [BMR Calculator](/health/bmr-calculator/) | units, sex and weight | Basal metabolic rate |
| [Calorie Calculator](/health/calorie-calculator/) | units, sex and weight | Maintenance calories |
| [BMI Calculator](/health/bmi-calculator/) | units, weight and height | Your BMI |
| [Macro Calculator](/health/macro-calculator/) | daily calories, carbohydrate and protein | Carbohydrate |
| [Protein Calculator](/health/protein-calculator/) | units, body weight and profile | Protein per day |
Background: nutrition estimates
Nutrition calculators estimate: they use population-average equations and food tables, and different tables give different numbers for the same food. Certain medical conditions change energy needs in ways basic formulas cannot see, and only laboratory analysis gives exact nutrient values.
Use the result as a starting point, track what actually happens over a few weeks and adjust; ask a qualified professional about medical or clinical decisions.
Assumptions and limitations
- Estimate only
- Not a diagnosis
This calculator gives general information based on published formulas. It is not medical advice, and it cannot account for your health history. Talk to a qualified clinician about decisions that affect your health.
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for weight (kg, or lb) to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
What does the TDEE Calculator calculate?
Total daily energy expenditure from BMR and activity level. It returns Total daily energy expenditure, Mild weight loss (−250), Weight loss (−500), Mild weight gain (+250) and Weight gain (+500).
What formula does the TDEE Calculator use?
TDEE = BMR (Mifflin–St Jeor) × activity factor (1.2, 1.375, 1.55, 1.725, 1.9). Activity multipliers are conventional estimates.
What do I need to enter in the tDEE Calculator?
You enter Units, Sex, Weight (kg, or lb), Height (cm, or in), Age (years) and Activity level.
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to 1 decimal place unless stated. Estimate only.
What are the limits of this calculator?
Estimate only. Not a diagnosis.
What does the “Units” option change?
It sets how the tDEE is worked out. The choices are Metric (kg, cm) and Imperial (lb, in).
What is an example of a tDEE result?
With units Metric (kg, cm), sex Male, weight (kg, or lb) 70, height (cm, or in) 175 and age 30, the total daily energy expenditure is 2,556 kcal/day.
Where does the method come from?
The method follows: Mifflin MD et al., Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:241–247; Roza AM, Shizgal HM, Am J Clin Nutr 1984;40:168–182 (revised Harris–Benedict).
Can I rely on this calculator for a decision?
This calculator gives general information based on published formulas. It is not medical advice, and it cannot account for your health history. Talk to a qualified clinician about decisions that affect your health. For this calculator in particular: Estimate only.
Related calculators
- BMR Calculator — Estimate basal metabolic rate with the Mifflin–St Jeor and revised Harris–Benedict equations.
- Calorie Calculator — Daily calories to maintain, lose or gain weight.
- BMI Calculator — Find your Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight status.
- Macro Calculator — Split daily calories into grams of carbohydrate, protein and fat.
- Protein Calculator — Daily protein target by body weight and activity.
- Calories Burned Calculator — Estimate calories burned from activity, body weight and time using MET values.
- Carbohydrate Calculator — Daily carbohydrate range from calorie intake.
Sources
- Mifflin MD et al., Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:241–247
- Roza AM, Shizgal HM, Am J Clin Nutr 1984;40:168–182 (revised Harris–Benedict)
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.