worldofcalcsTDEE Calculator ๐โโ๏ธ
What is TDEE?
TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the number of calories you burn in a whole day. It is your maintenance level: eat this much and your weight stays about the same, eat less and you lose weight, eat more and you gain.
How TDEE is calculated
BMR, the energy you burn at complete rest, comes from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation: 10 ร weight (kg) + 6.25 ร height (cm) โ 5 ร age, plus 5 for men or minus 161 for women. It is then multiplied by 1.2 if you sit most of the day, 1.375 for light exercise 1โ3 days a week, 1.55 for moderate exercise 3โ5 days, 1.725 for hard exercise 6โ7 days or 1.9 for very physical work or training twice a day.
Where your calories go
- Resting metabolism (BMR) is the largest part, usually 60โ70% of TDEE, even for active people.
- Everyday movement such as walking, standing, housework and climbing stairs often burns more than planned workouts. Walking more is one of the easiest ways to raise your TDEE.
- Digesting food uses about 10% of what you eat, a little more for protein.
- TDEE falls as you lose weight, because a lighter body uses less energy. Recalculate after every 4โ5 kg.
- Most people pick an activity level that is too high. If your weight doesn't change as expected after 2โ3 weeks, adjust your intake by 100โ200 kcal.
- These are estimates for healthy adults. Speak to a doctor or dietitian if you are pregnant, have a medical condition or plan a big change in diet.
Worked example
- A 30-year-old man, 70 kg and 170 cm, who exercises 3โ5 days a week
- BMR = 10 ร 70 + 6.25 ร 170 โ 5 ร 30 + 5 = 1,618 kcal
- TDEE = 1,618 ร 1.55 = 2,507 kcal a day
- To lose about 0.5 kg a week: about 2,007 kcal a day; to gain: about 3,007
- If he had a desk job and didn't exercise, his TDEE would be 1,941 kcal, over 550 kcal less
TDEE by body weight
Daily calories to keep weight steady for a 30-year-old man (170 cm) and woman (160 cm).
| Weight | Man, desk job | Man, exercises 3โ5 days | Woman, desk job | Woman, exercises 3โ5 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 1,701 | 2,197 | 1,427 | 1,843 |
| 60 kg | 1,821 | 2,352 | 1,547 | 1,998 |
| 70 kg | 1,941 | 2,507 | 1,667 | 2,153 |
| 80 kg | 2,061 | 2,662 | 1,787 | 2,308 |
| 90 kg | 2,181 | 2,817 | 1,907 | 2,463 |
| 100 kg | 2,301 | 2,972 | 2,027 | 2,618 |
Desk job uses the 1.2 multiplier and exercising 3โ5 days uses 1.55. Each extra 10 kg adds about 120โ155 kcal a day.