Calorie & TDEE Calculator

Introduction

Use our free Calorie & TDEE Calculator to discover exactly how many calories your body burns every day. By calculating your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), you can easily find your maintenance calories and set safe, science-backed daily targets for weight loss, muscle gain, or weight maintenance.

Calorie & TDEE Calculator

Discover how many calories you burn and set your daily goals.

💡 Pro Tip for Athletes

A safe and sustainable weight loss or muscle gain target is generally around 500 calories above or below your maintenance (TDEE). Consistency is more important than extreme restriction!

Maintenance Calories (TDEE)

0
Calories per day to maintain your current weight

Your Daily Calorie Goals

  • Weight Loss 0.5 kg / 1 lb per week (-500 cal)
    —
  • Extreme Weight Loss 1 kg / 2 lbs per week (-1,000 cal)
    —
  • Muscle Gain / Bulking Steady Growth (+500 cal)
    —

What Is TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. While your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) only measures the energy needed to keep your body alive at rest, your TDEE accounts for everything you do—from walking to your car and typing on your computer, to lifting weights or running a marathon.

In simple terms: TDEE = BMR + Daily Physical Activity + Digestion (Thermic Effect of Food).

How to Use This Calorie Calculator

Using our tool is incredibly simple:

  1. Choose Your System: Select Metric (kg/cm) or US Units (lbs/inches).
  2. Enter Your Stats: Input your gender, age, height, and weight.
  3. Select Your Activity Level: Be honest about how much you move daily. (Choosing an activity level that is too high is the most common mistake people make).
  4. Calculate: Click the "Calculate" button.
  5. View Your Goals: Instantly see your Maintenance Calories, alongside calculated daily targets for steady weight loss, extreme weight loss, and muscle gain.

Understanding Your Calorie Goals

Once you know your TDEE, achieving your fitness goals becomes a simple math equation:

  • Maintenance (TDEE): The exact number of calories you need to eat to stay at your current weight.
  • Weight Loss (Caloric Deficit): To lose weight safely, you need to eat fewer calories than your TDEE. A standard rule is to subtract 500 calories from your TDEE to lose about 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week.
  • Muscle Gain (Caloric Surplus): To build muscle effectively (bulking), your body needs extra energy. Adding 300 to 500 calories above your TDEE provides the fuel needed for muscle growth without gaining excessive fat.

The "Too Low!" Warning (Safety First)

Our calculator includes a safety mechanism. Health professionals strongly advise against consuming fewer than 1,200 calories a day for women and 1,500 calories for men without medical supervision. If your weight loss goal drops your calories into a dangerous zone, the tool will warn you that it is "Too Low!" to protect your metabolism and overall health.

Factors That Affect Your TDEE

  • Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The largest component of TDEE (about 60-75% of total calories burned).
  • Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): Energy burned through daily movements like fidgeting, walking around the house, or doing chores.
  • Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): Your body burns calories just breaking down and digesting food (protein requires the most energy to digest).
  • Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT): The calories burned during deliberate, structured workouts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the difference between BMR and TDEE? A: BMR is the number of calories you burn at complete rest. TDEE is your BMR plus the calories you burn through daily activities and exercise. You should base your diet on your TDEE, not your BMR.

Q: Why am I not losing weight if I eat below my TDEE? A: There are a few possibilities: You might be overestimating your activity level, underestimating the calories in the food you eat (hidden calories in oils or sauces), or your metabolism has adapted to a long-term calorie deficit.

Q: Should I recalculate my TDEE as I lose weight? A: Yes! As your body weight decreases, it requires less energy to move and function. Recalculate your TDEE for every 2-3 kg (5 lbs) of weight lost to keep your progress moving.

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References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Losing Weight Safely

Mifflin, M. D., St Jeor, S. T., et al. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 51(2), 241-247.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Calculating Total Daily Energy Expenditure

World Health Organization (WHO) – Healthy Diet Guidelines