Discover your body’s exact daily calorie needs with our free TDEE Calculator. Get a personalized estimate of your maintenance calories, BMR, and tailored targets for weight loss or muscle gain in seconds.
About the TDEE Calculator
Understanding your body's energy needs is the first and most critical step toward achieving any weight or fitness goal. The Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) Calculator from TechnoCodex is a powerful tool designed to give you an accurate, science-based estimate of the total calories you burn each day. Whether your goal is to lose fat, build muscle, or simply maintain your current weight, knowing your TDEE is the foundation upon which any successful nutrition plan is built.
This calculator goes beyond simple calorie estimates by incorporating multiple key factors. It starts by determining your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)—the energy your body uses for its most basic, life-sustaining functions while at rest. It then intelligently multiplies your BMR by an activity factor based on your daily lifestyle, from a sedentary desk job to an intensely active routine. The result is your TDEE, often called your "maintenance calories." This is the precise number of calories you should consume daily to stay at your current weight.
How to Use the TDEE Calculator
Our tool is designed for simplicity and accuracy. Follow these easy steps to get your personalized results:
- Select Your Units: Choose between Metric (kg, cm) or Imperial (lbs, ft, in) systems.
- Enter Your Details: Input your gender, age, current weight, and height.
- Choose Your Activity Level: This is a crucial step. Be honest and choose the option that best reflects your typical week:
- Sedentary: Minimal movement, desk job, and little to no formal exercise.
- Lightly Active: Light exercise or sports 1-3 days per week.
- Moderately Active: Moderate exercise or sports 3-5 days per week.
- Very Active: Hard exercise or sports 6-7 days per week.
- Super Active: Strenuous daily exercise and/or a physically demanding job.
- Calculate and Interpret: Click "Calculate TDEE" to see your results. The tool will display your main TDEE and BMR, along with goal-oriented calorie targets.
Applying Your TDEE: Common Use Cases
Your TDEE is an actionable number. Here’s how to use it:
- For Weight Loss (Cutting): To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you burn, creating a caloric deficit. The calculator provides a safe starting point, typically your TDEE minus 500 calories, which promotes a sustainable loss of approximately 0.5 kg (1 lb) per week.
- For Weight Maintenance: If you are happy with your current weight, consuming your TDEE calorie number will provide your body with the energy it needs to maintain its current state without gaining or losing fat.
- For Weight Gain (Bulking): To build muscle mass, you need to consume more calories than you burn, creating a caloric surplus. The tool provides a target of your TDEE plus 500 calories to support muscle growth, especially when combined with a consistent resistance training program.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period, including all activities like sleeping, working, exercising, and digesting food. Knowing your TDEE is crucial for managing your weight.
What is BMR?
BMR, or Basal Metabolic Rate, is the number of calories your body needs to perform its most basic life-sustaining functions, such as breathing, circulation, and cell production, while at rest. Our TDEE calculator uses your BMR as a baseline to calculate your total calorie needs.
Is this TDEE calculation 100% accurate?
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, which is considered highly accurate for most people. However, it is still an estimation. Individual factors like body composition, genetics, and hormones can affect your exact TDEE. It's best used as a strong starting point and adjusted based on your real-world progress over a few weeks.