TDEE Calculator.
Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure - the calories you actually burn in a day. Enter your details below and this TDEE calculator returns your maintenance number plus cut, maintain, and bulk targets, using the Mifflin-St Jeor BMR equation times your activity factor.
By Markus Evers Updated September 25, 2026 Method: Mifflin-St Jeor BMR x activity factor
Sources
- Mifflin MD et al. (1990), American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Frankenfield D et al. (2005), Journal of the American Dietetic Association
Your maintenance (TDEE)
2,693 cal/day
BMR 1,737 cal x activity 1.55
Cut
lose fat - TDEE minus 500
2,193
Maintain
hold your weight
2,693
Bulk
build muscle - TDEE plus 300
2,993
Estimates in calories per day. Track your weight for 2-3 weeks and adjust - your body is the real calculator.
the short answer
TDEE = BMR x activity factor. Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure is your resting calorie burn (BMR, from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation) multiplied by an activity multiplier - 1.2 sedentary up to 1.9 extra active. For example, a BMR of 1,737 at a moderate 1.55 gives a TDEE of about 2,693 calories per day, your maintenance target.
What TDEE is and how it is calculated.
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure - the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including everything from breathing to your hardest training session. It is the single most useful number for setting calorie targets, because every fat-loss or muscle-gain plan is built relative to it.
This calculator works in two steps. First it finds your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) - the calories you burn at complete rest - using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate of the common formulas:
Women: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age - 161
Then it multiplies that BMR by an activity factor to account for movement and exercise:
1.2 sedentary · 1.375 light · 1.55 moderate · 1.725 very active · 1.9 extra active
From maintenance, the common targets are a cut at TDEE minus 500 (roughly 1 lb of fat loss per week), maintain at your TDEE, and a lean bulk at TDEE plus 300. If you enter imperial units, this tool converts pounds and feet/inches to kilograms and centimeters internally before running the equation, so the math stays correct either way.
Turn a maintenance figure into a target and a two-week check
Paste the maintenance number the calculator shows with the client's goal and pace and the model returns the calorie and protein targets with the deficit shown and the two-week check, then a 40-word message in your voice; it is told never to change the calculator's number. The full protocol is in how to set a client's calorie target and the prompt shape in prompt engineering for fitness coaches.
Turn a maintenance figure into a target and a two-week check
When to use it: After the calculator, before the target goes to the client.
What to paste in: The maintenance figure, the inputs, the goal and pace, a client ID, one of your own messages.
This TDEE calculator says a client's maintenance is [TDEE] kcal a day (client ID [ID], no name; [SEX], [AGE], [WEIGHT] kg, [HEIGHT] cm, activity level [LEVEL]). The goal is [FAT LOSS / MAINTENANCE / MUSCLE GAIN] at [SLOW / MODERATE] pace. Give me: the daily calorie target with the deficit or surplus shown, the protein target in grams, and the two-week check (what weight change to expect and what to do if the scale does not move). Do not change the maintenance figure; do not add medical advice; if the goal or the pace is unclear, ask me first. Then write the target as a 40-word message to the client in my voice: [PASTE ONE OF YOUR OWN MESSAGES].
What are the TDEE activity factors, and where do they come from?
The five factors are 1.2 (sedentary), 1.375 (light), 1.55 (moderate), 1.725 (very active) and 1.9 (extra active), multiplied by your BMR to give TDEE. They are the conventional activity bands that accompany the Harris-Benedict and Mifflin-St Jeor equations rather than a single published study: the BMR half of the method is the validated part (Mifflin 1990; Frankenfield 2005, both in the method note above), and the multipliers are population averages that most coaches treat as a starting point and then adjust from two weeks of weight data.
| Factor | Activity level | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | Sedentary: little or no exercise | Desk job, no training |
| 1.375 | Light: exercise 1 to 3 days a week | Two or three sessions, otherwise seated |
| 1.55 | Moderate: exercise 3 to 5 days a week | Most training clients |
| 1.725 | Very active: exercise 6 to 7 days a week | Daily training or a physical job |
| 1.9 | Extra active: hard exercise plus a physical job | Two-a-days, manual work plus training |
Most people overestimate their level by one band; when in doubt, pick the lower factor and let the scale correct it. The calorie target guide on this site covers the two-week adjustment.
How coaches use TDEE.
Coaches use TDEE as the starting line for every client's nutrition plan. You calculate maintenance, set a deficit for fat loss or a surplus for muscle gain, then translate that calorie target into protein, carbs, and fat. Our full walkthrough on how to calculate TDEE and macros for clients covers that translation end to end. The number is an estimate - so the real skill is watching the client's weekly weight trend and nudging the target up or down from there, rather than trusting the formula forever, and once you have maintenance a calorie deficit calculator turns it straight into a cut target. The calculator gives the target; the log gives the truth, and the calorie tracking apps guide shows which logging methods to trust and what AI photo estimates miss.
The friction is doing this for a full client list by hand. A coaching platform stores each client's stats, recalculates targets as their weight changes, and pushes the numbers straight into their plan - so you spend your time adjusting based on real check-in data instead of re-running calculators one client at a time.
Set targets like this for every client - automatically.
Coachway lets you set calorie and macro targets for each client, build their meals from 1,100+ recipes with a meal planner, and adjust as their weekly check-ins come in - all in one client app. It is the operating system for online fitness and nutrition coaches, so you stop stitching together calculators, spreadsheets, and chat.
See how Coachway worksTDEE calculator FAQ.
What is a TDEE calculator?
A TDEE calculator estimates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure - the total calories you burn in a day, including exercise. It first calculates your BMR (resting calories) with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiplies it by an activity factor from 1.2 to 1.9 based on how active you are. The result is your maintenance calorie target.
How is TDEE calculated?
TDEE is calculated as BMR x activity factor. BMR uses Mifflin-St Jeor - for men: 10 x kg + 6.25 x cm - 5 x age + 5; for women: 10 x kg + 6.25 x cm - 5 x age - 161. That BMR is multiplied by an activity multiplier (1.2 sedentary up to 1.9 extra active) to give your total daily calorie burn.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
To lose weight, eat below your TDEE - a deficit of about 500 calories per day is a common, sustainable starting point and targets roughly 1 pound of fat loss per week. This tool shows that "Cut" number automatically as TDEE minus 500. Adjust based on real results over 2-3 weeks rather than chasing a single formula.
How many calories to gain muscle?
To build muscle, eat slightly above your TDEE in a controlled surplus. This calculator shows a "Bulk" target of TDEE plus 300 calories, which supports lean gains while limiting fat. Pair the surplus with progressive resistance training and enough protein, then track weight and adjust the surplus up or down based on your rate of gain.
Is TDEE the same as BMR?
No. BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive. TDEE is your total burn including movement, exercise, and digestion. TDEE is always higher than BMR - it is your BMR multiplied by an activity factor, so the more active you are, the larger the gap between the two numbers.
How accurate is a TDEE calculator?
A TDEE calculator gives a solid estimate, usually within about 10 percent for most people, because the Mifflin-St Jeor equation is well validated. But it cannot account for individual differences in metabolism, body composition, or NEAT. Treat the number as a starting point, track your weight for 2-3 weeks, and adjust calories based on what actually happens.
What are the TDEE activity factors 1.2, 1.375, 1.55, 1.725 and 1.9?
They are the multipliers applied to BMR for sedentary (1.2), light (1.375), moderate (1.55), very active (1.725) and extra active (1.9) lifestyles. They are the conventional bands used alongside the Harris-Benedict and Mifflin-St Jeor equations, population averages rather than one study, which is why the table above gives who each fits and why coaches confirm the result against two weeks of weight data rather than trusting the label.
Can I use ChatGPT with a TDEE calculator?
Yes, after it: paste the maintenance figure with the goal and the pace and it returns the calorie and protein targets with the deficit shown, plus the two-week check. Tell it not to change the number and not to add medical advice; the calculator's method note is the source, the model only does the next step. Client IDs, never names.
This calculator is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. Calorie needs vary by individual - if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or have a history of disordered eating, talk to a qualified professional before changing your intake.
Keep going: try the macro calculator to split your TDEE into protein, carbs, and fat, or the BMR calculator to see just your resting burn. For the bigger picture, read how to write a meal plan for a client and our guide to online nutrition coaching.
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