How to Calculate Your TDEE (Maintenance Calories)
Updated June 2026
Daily calories + macro split.
Your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is how many calories you burn in a day. Knowing it is the starting point for losing fat, maintaining, or building muscle.
Step 1 — your BMR
First find your Basal Metabolic Rate (calories burned at rest) with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula:
Men: BMR = 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age + 5
Women: BMR = 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age − 161
Step 2 — multiply by activity
Then multiply BMR by an activity factor:
| Activity | Factor |
|---|---|
| Sedentary (desk job) | × 1.2 |
| Light (1–3 days/week) | × 1.375 |
| Moderate (3–5 days/week) | × 1.55 |
| Active (6–7 days/week) | × 1.725 |
| Very active (physical job) | × 1.9 |
Worked example
A 30-year-old man, 175cm, 75kg, moderately active: BMR = 10×75 + 6.25×175 − 5×30 + 5 = 1,699. TDEE = 1,699 × 1.55 ≈ 2,633 calories/day to maintain.
Setting your goal
- Lose fat: eat ~10–20% below TDEE.
- Maintain: eat around TDEE.
- Gain muscle: eat ~10–15% above TDEE.
It's an estimate — track your weight for 2–3 weeks and adjust. The calculator below also gives a macro split.
Daily calories + macro split.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between BMR and TDEE?
BMR is what you burn at complete rest. TDEE is BMR plus everything else you do — walking, exercise, daily activity.
How many calories to lose a pound a week?
Roughly a 500-calorie daily deficit below your TDEE, since about 3,500 calories equals a pound.