TDEE · Total daily energy expenditure
How many calories does your body actually burn?
Eat below your TDEE to lose weight, at it to maintain, above to gain. Run the calculator below to get your number — then check against your goal.
BMR · resting
1,758kcal
TDEE · maintenance
2,417kcal
Daily targets
- Maintain weight2,417kcal
- Lose ~0.5 lb / week−250 kcal2,167kcal
- Lose ~1 lb / week−500 kcal1,917kcal
- Lose ~1.5 lb / week−750 kcal · aggressive1,667kcal
- Gain ~0.5 lb / week+250 kcal2,667kcal
Uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the clinical standard for estimating resting metabolism. Aggressive cuts below 1,200 kcal/day (women) or 1,500 kcal/day (men) should be supervised by a provider.
Background
BMR vs. TDEE
BMR is the calories your body burns at complete rest — just keeping organs running and maintaining body temperature. For most adults it lands between 1,200 and 2,000 kcal/day. TDEE adds everything else: digestion (about 10% of total), exercise, and non-exercise movement (fidgeting, walking, standing). A desk worker's TDEE is typically 1.2× BMR; a construction worker's closer to 1.9× BMR.
Using TDEE for weight loss
- A 500 kcal/day deficit → ~1 lb/week loss (sustainable for most people).
- A 250 kcal/day deficit → ~0.5 lb/week loss (slower, very sustainable).
- Avoid going below 1,200 kcal/day (women) or 1,500 kcal/day (men) without medical supervision.
- Recalculate every 10–15 lbs lost — your TDEE drops as your body mass drops.
- Eat 0.7–1 g of protein per pound of target weight to preserve muscle during a deficit.
Why calorie math alone often fails
The math is correct, but adherence is hard — especially if you're fighting hunger signals the whole time. Most people don't fail because the numbers are wrong; they fail because willpower decays. GLP-1 medications work by addressing the willpower side: they reduce appetite so a calorie deficit becomes much easier to sustain. See the projection calculator to see what that looks like over 12 months.
FAQ
Common TDEE questions
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period, including resting metabolism, digestion, and physical activity. Eat at TDEE to maintain weight, below it to lose, above it to gain.
First, we calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the clinical standard since 2005. BMR is then multiplied by an activity factor: 1.2 (sedentary), 1.375 (light), 1.55 (moderate), 1.725 (active), or 1.9 (very active).
Mifflin-St Jeor is the most accurate predictive equation validated in clinical research, typically within ±10% of measured metabolism for most adults. It's more accurate than the older Harris-Benedict formula. Individual variation exists — metabolism can be 15% higher or lower than predicted based on muscle mass, genetics, and prior dieting history.
Eat below your TDEE to lose weight. A 500 kcal/day deficit produces roughly 1 lb/week of loss; 250 kcal/day produces 0.5 lb/week. Sustainable long-term loss typically comes from moderate deficits (250–500 kcal) paired with adequate protein and resistance training to preserve muscle.
Metabolism adapts during weight loss — TDEE declines as body mass decreases (smaller body = fewer calories needed) and through a process called adaptive thermogenesis. Recalculate your TDEE every 10–15 lbs of loss and adjust your intake accordingly.
GLP-1 medications don't change your TDEE directly, but they reduce appetite and alter food preferences — making the calorie deficit much easier to sustain. Your body still burns the same calories; you just eat fewer without feeling deprived.