Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure to determine how many calories you burn each day based on your activity level.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is an estimate of how many calories you burn per day when exercise is taken into account. It's calculated by first figuring out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), then multiplying that value by an activity multiplier.
For a 30-year-old male, 170 cm tall, weighing 70 kg, with moderate activity:
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) = 1,655 calories
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier = 1,655 × 1.55 = 2,565 calories
To maintain weight, consume approximately 2,565 calories daily.
Your TDEE is composed of several components:
| Activity Level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Little or no exercise, desk job | 1.2 |
| Lightly Active | Light exercise 1-3 days/week | 1.375 |
| Moderately Active | Moderate exercise 3-5 days/week | 1.55 |
| Very Active | Hard exercise 6-7 days/week | 1.725 |
| Extra Active | Very hard exercise, physical job | 1.9 |
Understanding your TDEE is crucial for weight management. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your TDEE, and to gain weight, you need to consume more.
The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation is used to calculate BMR:
TDEE is calculated as:
For weight loss:
• Mild weight loss: TDEE - 250 calories (0.5 lb/week)
• Weight loss: TDEE - 500 calories (1 lb/week)
• Extreme weight loss: TDEE - 1000 calories (2 lb/week)
For weight gain:
• Mild weight gain: TDEE + 250 calories (0.5 lb/week)
• Weight gain: TDEE + 500 calories (1 lb/week)
For a balanced diet:
• Protein: 20% of total calories (4 calories/gram)
• Carbohydrates: 50% of total calories (4 calories/gram)
• Fat: 30% of total calories (9 calories/gram)