TDEE Calculator

Your Total Daily Energy Needs: The TDEE Calculator

Total Daily Energy Expenditure, or TDEE, is an estimation of the total number of calories your body burns throughout a 24-hour period. It's a comprehensive measure that accounts for not only your resting metabolism but also all the energy you expend through physical activity, from walking and talking to intense exercise. Understanding your TDEE is arguably the most important first step in any effective nutrition plan. It provides you with your 'maintenance calorie' number—the amount of energy you need to consume to stay at your current weight. Once you know this baseline, you can make informed decisions to achieve your goals: eat less than your TDEE to lose weight, eat more than your TDEE to gain weight, or eat at your TDEE to maintain.

This calculator determines your TDEE by first estimating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—the calories you burn at complete rest—using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. It then multiplies this BMR by an 'activity multiplier' that corresponds to your lifestyle and exercise habits. This two-step process provides a personalized and scientifically-grounded estimate of your daily energy needs, empowering you to take control of your diet and move closer to your health and fitness objectives.

The Components of TDEE

Your TDEE is made up of four main components:

• Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The largest component, accounting for 60-75% of your TDEE. This is the energy used for basic life-sustaining functions.
• Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The energy used to digest, absorb, and metabolize the food you eat. It typically accounts for about 10% of your daily calorie expenditure.
• Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): The energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating, or sports-like exercise. This includes walking to your car, typing, fidgeting, and doing chores. It's a highly variable component.
• Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT): The calories burned during planned, structured exercise.

The activity multipliers used in this calculator are a way to estimate the combined effect of TEF, NEAT, and EAT on top of your BMR.