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TDEE Calculator
Free Nutrition Tool
TDEE Calculator
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the number of calories you burn per day based on your body and activity level. The starting point for any nutrition plan.
Your Stats
Biological Sex
Units
Activity Level
Sedentary
Desk job, little or no exercise
×1.2
Light
Exercise 1\u20133 days/week
×1.375
Moderate
Exercise 3\u20135 days/week
×1.55
Very Active
Hard training 6\u20137 days/week
×1.725
Athlete
Intense training + physical job
×1.9
BMR Formula
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
2,850
Calories Per Day
Mifflin-St Jeor
1,820
BMR
Calories at rest
×1.55
Activity Factor
Moderately Active
2,850
TDEE
Total daily burn
Aggressive Cut
2,100
−750 cal/day
~1.5 lb/week
Moderate Cut
2,350
−500 cal/day
~1 lb/week
Conservative Cut
2,600
−250 cal/day
~0.5 lb/week
Maintenance
2,850
No change
Sustain weight
Lean Bulk
3,050
+200 cal/day
Slow muscle gain
Standard Bulk
3,350
+500 cal/day
~1 lb/week gain
BMR vs. TDEE Comparison
TDEE at Every Activity Level
| Activity Level | TDEE |
|---|
Fuel Your TDEE With
25g protein per serving. Hit your protein target without excess calories.
Cluster dextrin + BCAAs. Clean intra-workout energy that counts toward your daily carbs.
5g daily. Zero calories, maximum strength and power output.
Caffeine, beta-alanine, citrulline. Train harder to earn a higher TDEE.
What Is TDEE and Why Does It Matter?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It accounts for your Basal Metabolic Rate (the energy required to keep your body alive at rest), the thermic effect of food (calories burned digesting what you eat), non-exercise activity thermogenesis (daily movement like walking and fidgeting), and exercise activity. Your TDEE is the single most important number for any nutrition plan because it determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain weight.
If you eat fewer calories than your TDEE, you lose weight. If you eat more, you gain weight. If you match it, you maintain. Every effective diet — whether the goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or body recomposition — starts with knowing your TDEE.
BMR Formulas Compared
This calculator offers three validated BMR formulas. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1990) is considered the most accurate for the general population and is the default recommendation. The Harris-Benedict equation (revised 1984) is the oldest widely used formula and tends to slightly overestimate in overweight individuals. The Katch-McArdle formula uses lean body mass instead of total weight, making it more accurate for people who know their body fat percentage — particularly lean or muscular individuals whose BMR would be underestimated by weight-based formulas.
Activity Multipliers Explained
Your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor to estimate TDEE. These multipliers are based on the original work by Harris and Benedict and refined over decades of metabolic research. Sedentary (×1.2) applies to desk workers who don't exercise. Lightly active (×1.375) covers 1–3 days of light exercise per week. Moderately active (×1.55) fits 3–5 days of moderate training. Very active (×1.725) applies to hard training 6–7 days per week, and Athlete (×1.9) covers intense daily training combined with a physically demanding job.
Using Your TDEE to Set Calorie Targets
For fat loss, a deficit of 250–750 calories below your TDEE produces sustainable results — approximately 0.5 to 1.5 pounds per week. Larger deficits risk muscle loss and metabolic adaptation. For muscle gain, a surplus of 200–500 calories above TDEE supports growth while limiting unnecessary fat gain. During any calorie manipulation, protein intake becomes critical — Grow whey protein isolate provides 25g per serving to help hit your target without excess calories.
Training intensity also plays a role in your TDEE. Ignite pre-workout helps you train harder, which increases your exercise energy expenditure. Motion provides intra-workout carbohydrates to sustain performance during longer sessions. And Lift creatine monohydrate at 5g daily supports the strength and power output that drives progressive overload — the fundamental stimulus for muscle growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest just to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, and cell production. TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is your BMR plus all additional calories burned through daily activity, exercise, and digesting food. TDEE is always higher than BMR and is the number you should use when setting calorie targets.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate for the general population. If you know your body fat percentage, the Katch-McArdle formula can be more precise because it accounts for lean body mass. The Harris-Benedict equation is widely used but tends to slightly overestimate calorie needs.
For sustainable fat loss, eat 250 to 750 calories below your TDEE. A 500-calorie daily deficit produces roughly 1 pound of fat loss per week. More aggressive deficits can accelerate results but increase the risk of muscle loss, metabolic adaptation, and poor training performance.
Be honest about your weekly exercise frequency and intensity. If you train 3–5 days per week with moderate intensity (most gym-goers and recreational CrossFitters), select "Moderate." If you train 6+ days per week with high intensity, select "Very Active." When in doubt, choose one level lower — it's easier to add calories later than to correct an overestimate.
All TDEE calculators provide estimates, typically within 10% of actual expenditure. Use your calculated TDEE as a starting point and track your weight for 2–3 weeks. If your weight isn't changing as expected, adjust by 100–200 calories per day. Real-world tracking always beats formula precision.
Yes. The XWERKS TDEE Calculator is completely free with no account required. Calculate your TDEE using three different formulas, view calorie targets for every goal, and copy your results to reference later.