How the TDEE calculator works
The calculator estimates your resting burn, then scales it up by how much you actually move.
- 1Estimate your BMR
Age, weight, and height give a base rate for calories burned at rest.
- 2Scale for activity
Your activity level turns that base rate into a full-day energy total.
- 3Set a target
Adjust up or down from maintenance depending on whether you want to lose, gain, or hold steady.
How it works
TDEE is your true daily number.
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the number of calories your body burns in a day, including rest, digestion, and movement. It's the single most useful number for setting a calorie target.
Inside Burnplate
Your TDEE should live where your meals do.
A standalone number helps. A number connected to logged meals, food scans, and workout burn helps you use it every day.
Track calories, meals, workouts & progress
Burnplate connects everything so you can see what moves the needle.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns in a day, combining your resting metabolism, digestion, and all physical activity.
What is maintenance calories?
Maintenance calories are simply another name for your TDEE: the daily calorie intake that keeps your weight roughly stable over time.
What is BMR and how is it different from TDEE?
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the energy your body burns at complete rest. TDEE takes BMR and multiplies it by an activity factor to account for movement and exercise, giving a more complete daily total.
How do activity multipliers work?
Each activity level applies a multiplier to your BMR: sedentary uses about 1.2x, lightly active about 1.375x, moderately active about 1.55x, very active about 1.725x, and extra active about 1.9x.
How accurate is this calculator?
It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, one of the most reliable formulas available, but any calculator is an estimate. Real-world results vary by body composition, genetics, and how honestly you rate your activity level. Adjust based on how your actual weight trends over 2-3 weeks.
Should I eat at my TDEE every day?
Not necessarily. Eating at your TDEE maintains your current weight. Eating below it creates a deficit for fat loss, and eating above it creates a surplus for muscle gain — use the calorie targets below to pick the range that matches your goal.
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