Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the total calories you burn in a day — your BMR (calories at rest) multiplied by an activity factor that accounts for movement and exercise. It is your maintenance calorie level: eat this much and your weight stays steady.

How do I use TDEE to lose or gain weight?

Eat below your TDEE to lose weight and above it to gain. A deficit of about 500 calories a day yields roughly one pound of fat loss per week; a similar surplus supports lean gain when paired with training.

TDEE Calculator

Q: Which activity level should I choose?

Be honest and count only real activity: sedentary (desk job, little exercise) ×1.2; light (1–3 workouts/week) ×1.375; moderate (3–5) ×1.55; very active (6–7) ×1.725; extra active (physical job or twice-daily training) ×1.9. Most people overestimate.

Your total daily energy expenditure — the calories you burn in a full day of living and moving. This is your maintenance number: the anchor for any weight goal.

Your TDEE (maintenance calories)

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Mild loss (−250/day)

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Lose 1 lb/week (−500)

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Mild gain (+250/day)

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BMR (at rest)

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How TDEE is calculated

BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor) × Activity factor = TDEE

BMR is your at-rest burn; the activity factor scales it up for everything else you do in a day.

Worked example

A man with a BMR of 1,718 who is lightly active (×1.375):

1,718 × 1.375 = ~2,362 calories/day to maintain his weight.

Turning TDEE into a plan

TDEE is your baseline. Eat at it to maintain; subtract to lose, add to gain. Because roughly 3,500 calories equal a pound of fat, a 500/day deficit trends toward one pound of loss per week — but treat the number as a starting estimate, not gospel: activity multipliers are rough, and your real burn only reveals itself after a couple of weeks of consistent tracking. Adjust based on the scale, not the formula. Next steps: set a specific target with the calorie calculator, size your deficit with the calorie deficit calculator, and split the calories into macros.

Frequently asked questions

What is TDEE?

Total daily calories burned — BMR × activity factor. Your maintenance level.

How do I use TDEE to lose weight?

Eat below it. ~500/day under trends toward 1 lb/week loss.

Which activity level should I choose?

Count real activity only; most people overestimate. Sedentary ×1.2 to extra active ×1.9.

Related calculators

Medical disclaimer: TDEE is an estimate; real energy needs vary. Not medical or nutritional advice — consult a professional before major diet changes. Formula: Mifflin-St Jeor × activity factor. Last reviewed: July 2026.