TDEE calculator: how many calories you burn per day
This page estimates your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure): the kilocalories you typically burn per day based on weight, height, age, biological sex, and activity level. We use BMR with Mifflin–St Jeor and an activity factor; it serves as a maintenance reference, not a substitute for medical assessment. If you want a daily target by goal (maintain, deficit, or surplus), also use the daily calorie calculator or the macro calculator.
Calculate your TDEE
TDEE vs BMR: which number matters for your diet
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is an estimate of how many calories your body burns in a full day: the basic functions that keep you alive, the energy you spend digesting food, and everything you move during the day.
Your BMR is just the resting layer: what you would burn lying still for 24 hours without eating. Nobody lives that way, so BMR is only the starting point. TDEE multiplies that number by your activity level to get something more realistic.
When deciding how much to eat, you almost always work with TDEE. Eat exactly that and your weight stays stable. Eat less and you lose fat. Eat more and you gain.
BMR
- Only what you burn at complete rest
- Breathing, circulation, organs, temperature
- As if you lay still for 24 h without moving
TDEE
- BMR + everything you do during the day
- Walking, working, training, digesting
- The number you use to plan your diet
Deficit and surplus explained simply
A calorie deficit happens when you consistently eat fewer calories than you burn. Your body still needs energy, so it pulls from its reserves: mainly fat, and some muscle too if the deficit is too large or you are not training.
A surplus is the opposite: you eat more than you burn. That gives your body the resources to build muscle, as long as you are stimulating it through training. Without exercise, a surplus tends to go more to fat than to muscle.
Your TDEE is the maintenance line. From there, you decide which direction to move depending on your goal.
How to use your TDEE starting today
Save your number. The TDEE above is your maintenance reference: what someone with your profile eats to neither gain nor lose.
Pick a realistic margin. For fat loss, 300-500 kcal below your TDEE is a solid starting point. You do not need more to see results, and it is much easier to stick to.
Wait at least 3-4 weeks before changing anything. Your body takes time to adapt and daily weight fluctuates from water and digestion. Measure progress through weekly averages, not day-to-day comparisons.
If you want to know how to split those calories into protein, carbs, and fat, check the macro calculator.
The Mifflin-St Jeor formula and activity multipliers
This calculator uses Mifflin-St Jeor to estimate BMR. It takes your weight in kg, height in cm, age in years, and sex, and produces your resting burn. Then it multiplies that number by a factor based on how active you are day to day:
Multiplier table
| Level | Factor |
|---|---|
| Sedentary (little or no exercise) | 1.2 |
| Light (exercise 1–3 days per week) | 1.375 |
| Moderate (exercise 3–5 days per week) | 1.55 |
| Active (exercise 6–7 days per week) | 1.725 |
| Very active (double sessions or intense physical work) | 1.9 |
How big should your deficit be?
There is no perfect deficit for everyone. It depends on how much weight you have to lose, how hard you train, and how your body responds. What is universal: the more aggressive the deficit, the harder it is to sustain and the higher the risk of losing muscle.
General reference (not a personal prescription)
| Deficit type | What it means |
|---|---|
| Light (250-350 kcal less) | Easy to sustain for weeks or months. Ideal if you are already lean or training hard. |
| Moderate (400-600 kcal less) | Good balance between speed and sustainability. Watch your energy levels. |
| Aggressive (more than 750 kcal) | Faster results but higher risk. Better with professional supervision. |
Signs you are cutting too hard
If you have been dealing with several of these symptoms consistently for weeks, your deficit is likely too aggressive:
- Fatigue that does not go away even with good sleep.
- Constant hunger that affects your focus or mood.
- Frequent dizziness or feeling cold without an obvious reason.
- Losing strength in exercises you used to handle without a problem.
If you recognize several of those signs, bump your intake up a bit and prioritize protein. A smaller deficit you can maintain for months is worth far more than a large one you quit in two weeks.
What this calculator cannot do
This tool gives estimates based on general formulas. It does not know your medical history, your medications, or whether you have a condition affecting your metabolism. If you have diabetes, a hormonal condition, are pregnant, or are a high-performance athlete, talk to a specialist before changing your diet.
To track your progress day by day, check QuéComí plans or create your free account.