TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day — your resting metabolism (BMR) plus digestion, daily movement, and exercise. You calculate it as BMR × an activity factor (1.2 sedentary up to 1.9 extra active). Eat at your TDEE to maintain weight, below it to lose, above it to gain.
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What TDEE actually means
Every calorie target — for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain — is just your TDEE with an adjustment. That's why it matters: it's the baseline everything else is measured against. If you don't know roughly how much you burn, you're guessing at how much to eat.
The four parts of TDEE
- BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) — ~60–70% of TDEE. The energy to keep you alive at rest: organs, breathing, body temperature. Learn more in what is BMR.
- TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) — ~10%. The energy used to digest and process what you eat (protein costs the most to digest).
- EAT (Exercise Activity) — varies. Deliberate workouts.
- NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity) — highly variable. Walking, fidgeting, standing, daily chores — often the biggest swing factor between two similar people.
How to calculate it
Start with BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (the most accurate for the general population), then multiply by your activity factor:
Step 1 — BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor)
TDEE = 1,780 × 1.55 = 2,759 kcal/day
Choosing the right activity level
This is where most people go wrong — they overestimate. "Moderately active" means genuine exercise 3–5 days a week, not an intention to start. When unsure, pick the level below what feels right; it's easier to add calories after seeing real results than to undo overeating. Our TDEE Calculator spells out each level so you can pick honestly.
How to use your TDEE
| Goal | Adjustment | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Lose fat | TDEE − 300 to 500 kcal | ~0.3–0.5 kg/week loss |
| Maintain | Eat at TDEE | Weight stays stable |
| Build muscle | TDEE + 200 to 350 kcal | Lean gain, minimal fat |
Remember it's an estimate (±10–15%). Use it as a starting point, eat at the target for 2–3 weeks, and adjust based on your actual weight trend. For the weight-loss side specifically, see how many calories to eat to lose weight.
Put your TDEE to work
NutriBalance calculates your TDEE on setup, sets your daily target, and counts down your remaining calories and macros as you log. Streaks and daily missions keep you consistent past week three. 14-day free trial, no card required.
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TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total calories your body burns in a day, including BMR, digestion, and all movement. Eating at your TDEE maintains weight; below it loses; above it gains. Find yours with the free TDEE Calculator.
Calculate BMR with Mifflin-St Jeor, then multiply by an activity factor: 1.2 sedentary, 1.375 light, 1.55 moderate, 1.725 very active, 1.9 extra active. TDEE = BMR × activity factor.
TDEE formulas are accurate to within about 10–15%, so 2,000 kcal could realistically be 1,800–2,200. Treat it as a starting estimate, eat at the target for 2–3 weeks, then adjust by 100–200 kcal based on your weight trend.
BMR is the calories you'd burn at complete rest. TDEE is BMR plus everything else — digestion, daily activity, and exercise. TDEE is always higher than BMR, and it's the number you base your eating on. See what is BMR for more.