TDEE Calculator

What is TDEE?

TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure, which represents the total amount of energy your body burns in a single day. It includes everything from maintaining vital organ functions to digesting food and supporting daily movement.

TDEE varies from day to day and is difficult to measure directly. Instead, it’s usually estimated based on three key components: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Activity Level, and the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF).

1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

BMR is the amount of energy your body uses at rest — when you’re not digesting food and are in a neutral environment. It represents the minimum energy needed to sustain essential bodily functions such as breathing, circulation, and cell repair.

2. Activity Level

This refers to the energy burned through all physical activity, from workouts to everyday movements like walking, cleaning, or even fidgeting. It includes both Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT) and Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT).

3. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)

TEF, also called the specific dynamic action of food, is the energy required to digest, absorb, and process the nutrients you eat. It typically makes up about 10% of total calorie intake, though it can vary depending on macronutrient composition — protein has the highest thermic effect, while fat has the lowest.

In summary: TDEE gives you a full picture of how many calories your body burns each day. Understanding it helps you set effective calorie goals — whether you’re aiming for fat loss, muscle gain, or maintenance.

How TDEE Is Calculated

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of how many calories you burn per day, including all forms of activity. It’s calculated by first determining your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the calories your body burns at rest — and then multiplying that number by an activity factor that reflects your lifestyle and exercise habits.

Because BMR only accounts for resting energy use, adjustments are made to include calories burned through physical activity and the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) — the energy required to digest and process what you eat.

On average, your TDEE consists of approximately 70% BMR, 20% Physical Activity, and 10% Thermic Effect of Food. This breakdown shows where your body’s energy is spent each day.