TDEE Explained: Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Learn what TDEE is, how it's calculated, and how to use it for weight management, muscle gain, and cutting.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. Unlike BMR, which only measures resting metabolism, TDEE accounts for everything — exercise, walking, fidgeting, and even digesting food.
Our TDEE Calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation multiplied by an activity factor to give you an accurate daily calorie target.
Why TDEE Matters More Than BMR
Your BMR tells you how many calories you would burn if you stayed in bed all day. That is useful for understanding your baseline, but nobody actually stays in bed all day. TDEE adds the real-world activity component, making it the number you should actually use for meal planning.
Using TDEE for Your Goals
For fat loss, eat 15-25% below your TDEE. For muscle gain, eat 10-20% above. For maintenance, eat at your TDEE. Once you have your TDEE number, use our Macro Calculator to split it into protein, carbs, and fat.
Want to verify your calorie burn from specific workouts? The Calories Burned Calculator uses MET values for 20+ activities. For heart rate-based training, check your zones with the Target Heart Rate Calculator.
Track your body composition progress with our BMI Calculator and Body Fat Calculator to ensure your calorie targets are producing the results you want.
Try the Calculator
Put these concepts into practice with our free TDEE Calculator. No signup required — just enter your numbers and get instant results.