What is the formula for calculating TDEE?

The formula is `TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier`, where BMR is calculated via Mifflin-St Jeor and multiplied by an activity factor between 1.2 and 1.9.

What is NEAT and how does it contribute to TDEE?

NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) is the energy expended for everything other than sleeping, eating, or sports (e.g., walking, fidgeting, household chores). NEAT often accounts for 15%–30% of total daily burn.

What is the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)?

TEF is the energy required to digest and absorb nutrients, consuming about 10% of total daily caloric intake. Protein has the highest thermic effect (20%–30% of its calories are burned during digestion).

Which activity multiplier should I choose if I lift weights 4 days a week?

Lifting weights 3–5 days per week with a desk job typically falls into the 'Moderate Activity' (BMR × 1.55) category.

How do I verify if my calculated TDEE is accurate?

Track your daily calorie intake and weigh yourself daily for 2 to 3 weeks. If your average weight remains constant, your intake equals your true empirical TDEE.

Which physical activity multiplier should I select in the TDEE calculator?

Select Sedentary (1.2) for desk jobs with little exercise, Lightly Active (1.375) for 1–3 gym sessions/week, Moderately Active (1.55) for 3–5 workouts/week, and Very Active (1.725) for intense daily training.

Health & Fitness Cluster

TDEE Calculator (Total Daily Energy Expenditure & Maintenance)

Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) to determine daily calorie needs.

TL;DR: TDEE Calculator calculates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure by multiplying your Basal Metabolic Rate by an activity multiplier (1.2 to 1.9).

Biological Sex

Age (years)

Weight (kg)

Height (cm)

Weekly Activity Level

Fitness / Weight Goal

Body Fat % (Optional — enables Katch-McArdle formula for lean mass)

2,149 kcal

Daily Target

2,649 kcal

Maintenance TDEE

1,709 kcal

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

15,043 kcal

Weekly Target

Mifflin-St Jeor

Formula Used

Recommended Macronutrient Splits

Balanced Distribution (30/40/30)

🥩 Protein (30%):161 g

🍚 Carbohydrates (40%):215 g

🥑 Fats (30%):72 g

Ideal for general fitness, athletic balance, and steady energy levels.

High Protein / Fat Loss (40/35/25)

🥩 Protein (40%):215 g

🍚 Carbohydrates (35%):188 g

🥑 Fats (25%):60 g

Optimized for fat loss, muscle retention, and maximum satiety in a deficit.

Lower Carb / Higher Fat (30/20/50)

🥩 Protein (30%):161 g

🍚 Carbohydrates (20%):107 g

🥑 Fats (50%):119 g

Suitable for carbohydrate-sensitive individuals or endurance metabolic adaptation.

What Is TDEE and What Are the Physical Activity Multipliers?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn each day through BMR, exercise, non-exercise activity (NEAT), and digestion (TEF). Activity multipliers are: Sedentary (BMR × 1.2), Light Exercise (BMR × 1.375), Moderate Exercise (BMR × 1.55), Heavy Exercise (BMR × 1.725), and Athlete/Laborer (BMR × 1.9).

How to Use the TDEE Calculator

Our TDEE Calculator performs high-precision mathematical operations directly in your browser with zero latency and complete client-side privacy.

Enter your Gender, Age, Height, and Current Weight.
Select your Activity Level based on workouts per week and daily job movement.
Click 'Calculate TDEE' to compute your baseline maintenance calories.
Review your cutting calories (TDEE - 500) and bulking calories (TDEE + 300).
Inspect macro allocations tailored to your daily energy expenditure.

Mathematical Formula & Equations

Calculates Total Daily Energy Expenditure by scaling BMR across activity factors: Sedentary (1.2), Light (1.375), Moderate (1.55), Very Active (1.725), Athlete (1.9).

\[ \text{TDEE} = \text{BMR} \times \text{Physical Activity Multiplier} \]

Calculation Example

For BMR of 1,780 kcal with moderate exercise 4x/week: $$\text{TDEE} = 1780 \times 1.55 = 2,759 \text{ kcal/day}$$

100% Client-Side Privacy & Data Security

All calculations, amortization schedules, variables, and sensitive numerical datasets execute 100% locally in your web browser memory. Your financial, medical, and personal values are never transmitted, logged, or uploaded to any external server.

Frequently Asked Questions

: The formula is `TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier`, where BMR is calculated via Mifflin-St Jeor and multiplied by an activity factor between 1.2 and 1.9.
: NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) is the energy expended for everything other than sleeping, eating, or sports (e.g., walking, fidgeting, household chores). NEAT often accounts for 15%–30% of total daily burn.
: TEF is the energy required to digest and absorb nutrients, consuming about 10% of total daily caloric intake. Protein has the highest thermic effect (20%–30% of its calories are burned during digestion).
: Lifting weights 3–5 days per week with a desk job typically falls into the 'Moderate Activity' (BMR × 1.55) category.
: Track your daily calorie intake and weigh yourself daily for 2 to 3 weeks. If your average weight remains constant, your intake equals your true empirical TDEE.
: Select Sedentary (1.2) for desk jobs with little exercise, Lightly Active (1.375) for 1–3 gym sessions/week, Moderately Active (1.55) for 3–5 workouts/week, and Very Active (1.725) for intense daily training.

Cite This Calculator

Need to reference this online calculator in a financial proposal, academic paper, blog post, or classroom curriculum? Copy a citation below.

NexLove.org. (2026). TDEE Calculator [Online Calculation Tool]. https://nexlove.org/tools/tdee-calculator

“TDEE Calculator.” NexLove.org, 2026, nexlove.org/tools/tdee-calculator.

NexLove.org (2026) TDEE Calculator. Available at: https://nexlove.org/tools/tdee-calculator (Accessed: 2026).

@misc{nexlove_tdee_calculator,
  title = {TDEE Calculator},
  author = {{NexLove.org}},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://nexlove.org/tools/tdee-calculator}
}

Embed This Tool

Add the live TDEE Calculator to your own website with this snippet — it loads the real, working calculator in an iframe.

<iframe src="https://nexlove.org/embed/tdee-calculator.html" width="100%" height="600" style="border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:12px" title="TDEE Calculator — NexLove.org" loading="lazy"></iframe>

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