Definition
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn in a full day. It's your maintenance level — eat this much and your weight stays the same. Eat less and you lose weight; eat more and you gain.
The four components of TDEE
- BMR (~60–70%): calories burned at rest. See what is BMR.
- NEAT (~15–30%): non-exercise activity — walking, fidgeting, chores, standing.
- TEF (~10%): the thermic effect of food, the energy used to digest meals.
- EAT (~5–15%): exercise activity — your deliberate workouts.
How TDEE is calculated
TDEE is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor:
| Activity level | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.2 |
| Lightly active | 1.375 |
| Moderately active | 1.55 |
| Very active | 1.725 |
| Extra active | 1.9 |
The TDEE calculator applies this automatically.
How to use your TDEE
Once you know your TDEE, weight management becomes straightforward arithmetic. Subtract calories for a deficit to lose fat, or add calories for a surplus to build muscle. The main calorie calculator combines this with goal-based targets and macros.
A note on accuracy
The activity multiplier is the biggest source of variation, since it's self-reported. Start with the estimate, track your weight for 2–3 weeks, and adjust your intake based on what actually happens.