TDEE Calculator
Use this TDEE calculator to quickly find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (daily calorie needs).
Why is TDEE important?
Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) tells you exactly how much you must eat daily to maintain weight.
- Eat more than this, and you will gain weight.
- Eat less, and you will lose weight
This is called a calorie deficit – calculate it here.
Is TDEE and BMR the same?
No, they are not.
Every day your body burns a specific number of calories just by existing. This is known as your Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR.
BMR is based on weight, height, and age but does not include daily activity or exercise.
TDEE is effectively your BMR + extra exercise or activity.
TDEE and BMR are not the same, and as most people do more than lie in bed each day, TDEE is a more helpful tool.
Should I eat my TDEE to lose weight?
No. Your TDEE shows you your daily maintenance calories. If you eat your TDEE, you will stay the same weight.
How do you calculate TDEE for weight loss?
You lose weight by having a calorie deficit.
A calorie deficit means eating less than your body needs to maintain itself.
Ever had more bills than you had money? You had a financial deficit.
A calorie deficit is consuming less energy than you need to stay the same weight.
TDEE Weight Loss Example
Let’s say your BMR is 1,700 calories per day. With some physical activity, you end up with a TDEE of 2,300 calories.
To lose weight, you should consume around 1,840 calories per day.
How much should I subtract from TDEE?
After working with hundreds of successful clients, we’ve found a deficit of 20% from your TDEE is optimum.
You can also achieve a deficit by burning more calories through exercise.
Every effective diet, whether high fat, low fat, high carb, or low carb, uses a calorie deficit to achieve weight loss.
Why shouldn’t I subtract more calories?
Technically you could eat nothing all day and achieve weight loss through having a calorie deficit.
Many well-publicized crash diets put you into a severe caloric deficit. They result in short-term weight loss but will damage your metabolism.
Reducing your calories by more than 20% may lead to muscle loss. This is not desirable as muscle helps burn additional calories.
How long does it take to see results from a deficit?
There are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, so with a 20% calorie deficit, most people will lose about a pound a week.
Your body can become conditioned to repeated exercise affecting your calorie intake and TDEE.
Not sure of the best path to achieving your health and fitness goals?
So switch things up from time to time! Change exercise routines, intensity, and duration.
How to get results with TDEE and a calorie deficit
Macro counting is a great way to hit your daily calorie target. You lose weight healthily and sustainably.
Counting macros (and flexible dieting) is non-restrictive. It means you still eat your favorite foods – provided they fit within your TDEE and macro goals.
You could eat unhealthy foods and still achieve weight loss. – as demonstrated by the 27-pound weight loss of Dr. Mark Haub.
However, loading your diet with fresh veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, and lean meats is best. This way, you can feel awesome AND achieve weight loss.
TDEE FAQs
Does it matter what I eat if I count calories?
Yes and no.
You could eat nothing but snack cakes or pizza and still lose weight – if you maintain a calorie deficit.
However, for healthy body composition, a balanced diet is recommended.
Tracking macros will ensure you get enough of each macronutrient and meet micronutrient needs.
Does TDEE include exercise?
Yes, the TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure, so it must include all your movement in 24 hours.
Even non-exercisers are still doing activities around the house – eating, showering, running errands, etc.
Don’t confuse TDEE with Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) or Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). These two represent energy expenditure if you lay in bed all day and did nothing.
How do I measure my TDEE and calorie intake?
Use the calculator above. It uses the most common variables.
If you want a genuinely accurate TDEE – talk to a coach.
Totaling your calories for the day is usually done with a macro tracking app.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
It would be best if you recalculated your TDEE as you lost weight. Do this every 6-8 weeks.
Does this have anything to do with BMI?
Body Mass Index or BMI is a measure of height and weight. It’s not the same thing as TDEE.
How do I use TDEE to gain muscle?
Once you’ve calculated your TDEE in the calculator above, add 10% to the calorie amount. The new calorie amount gives you a good starting point for weight gain.
If you still aren’t gaining, move this to a 20% surplus (use the macro calculator).
I help people drop unwanted pounds without sacrificing their favorite meals or battling hunger.
Get nutrition assessment or explore 1-on-1 coaching.
Sources
- Rising, R., Harper, I. T., Fontvielle, A. M., Ferraro, R. T., Spraul, M., & Ravussin, E. (1994). Determinants of total daily energy expenditure: variability in physical activity. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 59(4), 800-804. study link
- Schulz, L. O., & Schoeller, D. A. (1994). A compilation of total daily energy expenditures and body weights in healthy adults. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 60(5), 676-681. study link
470 Comments
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Hi! I’ve wanted to try this for years, but I’m terrified to go over 1300 cal and 60 g of carbs.
I workout 6 days a week- 2 of those days twice a day. Lifting, bootcamp, and teach cycle. I’ve lost 100 lbs but can’t get the last 20/30 off for the life of me.
I have PCOS, hashimotos, and hypothyroid
Can flexible dieting help?!? The idea of eating 200 carbs a day seems SO SCARY bc people w all of my endocrine disorders “should never eat carbs” or dairy, or grains, or gluten.
But there has to be a better way….
Hi Kaisa, Yes, it can be scary to eat more when, you’ve been on a low-calorie diet for so long. Read here: https://healthyeater.com/eat-to-lose-weight
You can gradually start eating more and see how your body responds, but it will take some time to get your metabolism going again.
Thanks!
What about hypothyroid and PCOS and hashimotos???
Have you been working with your doctor to keep your hormone levels regulated? I’m not qualified to give medical advice, so you’d have to consult your doctor as to how flexible dieting would impact these conditions.
Hi. I’m a 27 year old female. 5’4″ and 200 pounds. I’m trying to lose 50 pounds. My BMR says 1698 and TDEE is 2123. Is 1700 calories a day going to get me losing weight? I’m currently not exercising more than my normal everyday functions of work and such. Should I start working out also? I enjoy working out. Should I lift weights? I’m trying for a high protein, low carb macro diet. If I do start working out and say I burn 300-400 calories during my workout, do I need to eat more or not? Little but confused. Thank you!
Hi Laura, Yes, that is a safe calorie deficit for losing weight. If you exercise, those calories must be factored in and yes, you’d be eating more because of it. Do exercise that you enjoy. I think you should do Flexible Dieting and not low carb. There just isn’t evidence that it’s more effective and it’s highly restrictive. Who needs that? Please check out my book which will be a great help for getting started. https://healthyeater.com/macro-solution
Thank you for the response! The only reason I’m trying low carb is because my doctor told me I have high sugar levels and want to take care of it before i become a diabetic.
Hi! So I’ve been eating way to low of calories for about a year now. I always thought to eat less work out more. Now that I’m getting the recommended calories/macros, I’m now gaining weight. Any advice?
Hi Ariel, often when you go from too low calories to normal calories you have to slowly add the extra calories in over the course of a few weeks to a month. Your body has been in starvation mode and your metabolism has slowed, so it needs some time to get back to normal.
Hi there,
I have a couple questions about the TDEE number and macros. I’ve been dieting for quite a while, and while I have lost some weight its definitely not the amount I feel I should have lost by now with how much working out I’m doing. I can say I for sure say believe the theory of the TDEE diet because there have been times in the past where I have ate way more than normal, to the point where it seemed like overeating for me but I would look as if I was getting slimmer and it was pretty confusing at the time but this makes it all make sense. I have quite a bit of weight to lose to get myself at a healthy weight, about 60 pounds. I’ve used 3 different TDEE calculators. They did not all come up with the same answers but they were pretty close. It kind of blew my mind because according to the calculator I’m supposed to be eating around 1,924-1,974 calories a day. those numbers just look ridiculous and unachievable to me, unless I eat pure junk. According to my fitness pal, I’m supposed to be eating 1,320 calories per day and I have an issue even meeting that goal most days. So I guess my question is could this possibly be correct? Now for my question about the marcos, Can you tell me what the macros for carbs and fats would be? according to the calculator, I am supposed to be eating 172 grams of proteins a day but that is all it tells me, it just says “NaN” for the other two and I’m not familiar with that term. Thanks!
Hi Trish, I would guess that you aren’t seeing the results expected because you aren’t eating enough to support your metabolism and all the exercise you are doing. 1900 calories seems correct if you do a lot of exercise. And you certainly can hit those numbers with whole foods. I think you’ve been in a low-calorie mindset for so long that it’s more of a mental thing than anything else? Please use our calculator to calculate your macros. https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator And, give this article a read: https://healthyeater.com/eat-to-lose-weight
Hi, so you recommend to figure your TDEE and subtract 500?? Well my TDEE is 1225 cals a day…119g carbs, 111g protein, and 34g fat. If you take away 500 from the 1225, what are my macro goals then, or,do,they stay the same?? Please help!!
Kelsey, to help you please download the myfitnesspal app, or bodycalculator app, they help immensely in planning your calorie goals and macro carb/protein/fat goals, been using myfitnesspal for the last 3months and I was able to lose 20 pounds. 1225 cals sounds very low for TDEE, please download the apps and you will see what I mean.
Thank u so much for posting this info. This strategy is clearly fool-proof! Honestly, I’ve never read or heard how to go about weightloss explained so well. This is such a simple strategy! No gimmicks! Omg, I luv that! I will definitely be purchasing the book although it sounds as though one could lose the weight without it, which is nice! Finally, hope! Thank u!
According to these two calculators, I am to be eating 865 calories a day. What???
Did you set your height as inches?
Insulin is the weight loss God. When insulin is high there is no fat burning going on. I found that out the hard way due to severe insulin resistance with chronically high insulin levels. I also gain body fat eating in a calorie deficit if I eat too much sugar. What you eat matters. Be nice to insulin aka the fat storing hormone.
You are absolutely correct. Today I met goal weight after two years which is 50 pounds down to 122. Dramatic weight loss see Dr. Fung on YouTube. He agrees with you. His book provides depths d charts to help with fasting expectations. Coming on and off.
Hello! My bmr is 1561 and tdee is around 2600. How many calories should I consume. I burn around 600-700 calories by exercising. Sedentary lifestyle. Need to lose as much as I can in 3 weeks. Pls suggest the best way.
Hi Sam, check out our calculator, which will give you your weight loss TDEE. https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator
http://mytdee.com is a good one too!
So say I’m supposed to eat 1600 calories a day, but with excersize say I burn 500 or so calories. If I want to achieve a healthy weight loss, do I just stick with 1600 call and burning that 500 off or do I add back another 500?
Hi Reagen, it depends if you already factored your exercise into the equation or not. Please see our calculator or better yet check out my new book, which explains everything and offers a lot of great tools and advice.
i’m still confused. according to IIFYM.com, my TDEE at sedentary is 1568. If I add 5 days a week of activity, it increases to about 1900 cals. So, where I get confused is that activity is already factored into TDEE. Therefore, my thought is I have to eat LESS than 1900 cals a day to lose weight. BUT someone was telling me no, i can still eat back calories burned as long as the total amount of calories is less than 1900. Does that make sense? Which is the correct use of TDEE for weight loss?
No one who is on a cut should eat more than 1800 calories per day. If you want results you have to make real sacrifices and stop cutting corners.
This isn’t true and it depends on what your personal weight loss TDEE is. After factoring in my exercise I often eat over 2200 calories and I’ve had great results. This is what makes flexible dieting different from traditional bulk/cut type diets. https://healthyeater.com/personal-experience-with-flexible-dieting
Hi Jordan, Our calculator as well as the one at IIFYM already has factored in a calorie deficit for you even at 1900. That is, of course, if you selected weight loss when doing the calculation. Establish what your maintenance TDEE is and you’ll see the difference. https://healthyeater.com/flexible-dieting-calculator
You should be true to your exercise adjusted TDEE because eating too few calories can actually mess up your metabolism.
how supposed to put my macros ratios if I endomporh body type always the carbs is tho high for my and in the end store fat in my belly, I look like skinny fat..right now I am in 130 lb 5’6 27years and do power lifting
Hi Joanne! If you feel that you are carb sensitive then you can decrease your carbs and add more grams to your protein and fat macros. Remember 1 gram of protein or carbs is 4 calories and 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. Your total calories shouldn’t exceed your weight loss TDEE.
check out http://www.reddit.com/r/rketo