TDEE Calculator
1You and your activity
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the number of calories your body burns in a full day: your BMR (basal metabolic rate, the energy you burn at complete rest to breathe, pump blood and keep warm) plus everything you burn by moving, exercising and digesting food. Eat about your TDEE and your weight stays stable; eat less and you lose weight.
Your TDEE, calories a day
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Basal metabolic rate by equation
Daily calorie targets
On the treadmill: –
Treadmill calorie calculatorFor general information only, not medical advice. These formulas estimate population averages and can be off for an individual; talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet or training, especially with a health condition, during pregnancy or for anyone under 18.
Free tool · Updated November 1, 2026
How many calories do you burn in a day?
Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is your basal metabolic rate plus everything you do. The calculator estimates it with three equations and turns it into clear calorie targets to maintain, lose or gain weight.
Short answer
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the number of calories you burn in a full day, at rest and on the move. It equals your basal metabolic rate (BMR) multiplied by an activity factor. For example, a moderately active 35-year-old man at 5 ft 9 in and 180 lb has a BMR of about 1,742 calories and a TDEE of about 2,700. Eating about 500 calories below your TDEE loses roughly 1 lb a week at first. Enter your own details below.
Key takeaways
- Mifflin-St Jeor is the BMR equation most dietitians use for healthy adults.
- Your activity factor moves TDEE more than any other input; pick it honestly.
- A 500-calorie daily deficit is a sustainable starting point for most adults.
- Recalculate every 10 lb (4 to 5 kg) lost, because TDEE falls with your weight.
TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure: the calories your body burns in a day. Most of it is your basal metabolic rate, the energy needed at complete rest. Daily movement, exercise and digesting food make up the rest.
No one measures BMR at home, so the calculator estimates it with the three equations used most in nutrition practice, multiplies it by your activity level and turns the result into calorie targets. Treat the numbers as a starting point and adjust after two or three weeks of tracking your weight.
How BMR and TDEE Are Calculated
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation, published in 1990 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is the default because it predicts resting energy expenditure best for most healthy adults. The Harris-Benedict equation dates from 1918; the calculator uses the 1984 revision by Roza and Shizgal.
Katch-McArdle uses lean body mass instead of weight, height and age, so it suits lean or muscular people who know their body fat percentage. Your TDEE is the BMR multiplied by the activity factor below.
| Equation | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) | 10 x weight + 6.25 x height – 5 x age + 5 | 10 x weight + 6.25 x height – 5 x age – 161 |
| Harris-Benedict, revised (1984) | 88.362 + 13.397 x weight + 4.799 x height – 5.677 x age | 447.593 + 9.247 x weight + 3.098 x height – 4.330 x age |
| Katch-McArdle | 370 + 21.6 x lean body mass | same |
Activity Levels and Multipliers
Most people overestimate their activity. If you sit most of the day and train three times a week, lightly to moderately active is usually right. *Example: a 35-year-old man, 5 ft 9 in and 180 lb, Mifflin-St Jeor.
| Activity level | Multiplier | Example TDEE* |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 | 2,090 kcal |
| Lightly active | 1.375 | 2,395 kcal |
| Moderately active | 1.55 | 2,700 kcal |
| Very active | 1.725 | 3,005 kcal |
| Extra active | 1.9 | 3,310 kcal |
Using Your TDEE to Lose Weight
The classic rule counts about 3,500 calories per pound of fat, so a 500-calorie daily deficit loses about 1 lb a week at first. The NIH Body Weight Planner shows why loss slows over time: as you get lighter, your TDEE falls, so the same intake becomes a smaller deficit.
- Split the deficit. Eat 250 calories less and burn 250 more: 30 minutes of brisk incline walking covers it for many people; check yours with the treadmill calorie calculator.
- Keep protein and strength work. They help you keep muscle while you lose fat; track body fat with the navy body fat calculator.
- Set a realistic goal weight. The ideal body weight calculator shows the healthy range for your height.
- Make walking a habit. See how to lose weight on a treadmill and our best treadmills for weight loss.
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Cite this calculator
- TitleTDEE Calculator
- PublisherFitGearHQ
- URLhttps://fitgearhq.com/tdee-calculator/
- Updated
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Checklist Before You Set Your Calories
4 checks
Tap a number to check off that step.
- 01
Weigh yourself firstMorning weight on the same scale gives the best starting number.
- 02
Pick your activity level honestlyCount your typical week, not your best one.
- 03
Track for two to three weeksIf your weight does not move as expected, adjust by 100 to 200 calories.
- 04
Recalculate as you loseUpdate your weight every 10 lb (4 to 5 kg).
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1Choosing a higher activity level
Instead: An optimistic multiplier can erase the whole deficit.
Mistake 2Cutting too deep
Instead: Large deficits cost muscle and are hard to keep up.
Mistake 3Eating back every exercise calorie
Instead: Fitness trackers often overestimate the calories burned.
Mistake 4Never adjusting
Instead: Your TDEE falls with your weight, so targets must follow.
The Bottom Line
- Three BMR equations: Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict (1984 revision) and Katch-McArdle.
- Five activity levels from sedentary to extra active.
- Six calorie targets with the usual minimums (1,500 men, 1,200 women).
- US and metric units; the link keeps your inputs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Total daily energy expenditure: the calories you burn in a day, from your basal metabolic rate plus movement, exercise and digestion.
For most healthy adults, Mifflin-St Jeor. Katch-McArdle is better for lean people who know their body fat percentage.
About 500 below your TDEE to lose roughly 1 lb a week, without going under 1,200 a day for women or 1,500 for men unless supervised.
No. BMR is the energy you need at complete rest; TDEE adds everything you do, so it is always higher.
Daily brisk walking can add 150 to 400 calories, more on an incline; the treadmill calorie calculator shows your number.
Your TDEE falls as you lose weight. Recalculate with your new weight and adjust intake or activity.
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