How accurate are TDEE calculators?

Within 10% for most people. Real-world variation comes from differences in NEAT (non-exercise activity), thermogenesis, and recovery costs from training.

Why is my TDEE not matching my scale?

TDEE is an estimate. If you're not losing on a 500 kcal deficit after 4 weeks, drop another 200. If you're gaining on a "maintenance" target, bump activity multiplier down a tier.

Should I use BMR or TDEE for weight loss?

Use TDEE — eating only at BMR is far below your true expenditure and almost always too aggressive. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests deficits of 500–750 kcal/day below TDEE for sustainable loss of 0.5–1 kg per week.

Does TDEE change as I lose weight?

Yes — both BMR and the activity multiplier scale down as weight drops. Recompute every 4–6 kg of weight change, or whenever a 4-week trend stalls at the same deficit.

Calorie Calculator (TDEE) — embedded

Result

TDEE (maintain weight)

2,633 kcal/day

BMR (rest only)calories burned doing nothing1,699 kcal/day
Activity multiplier× 1.55
Mild weight loss (−250 kcal/day)~0.5 lb / week2,383 kcal/day
Weight loss (−500 kcal/day)~1 lb / week2,133 kcal/day
Lean bulk (+250 kcal/day)~0.5 lb / week2,883 kcal/day
Bulk (+500 kcal/day)~1 lb / week3,133 kcal/day

BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor)

rest-only baseline

1,699 kcal/day

TDEE (your activity)

maintenance

2,633 kcal/day

Cut: −500 kcal/day

~1 lb / week loss

2,133 kcal/day

Aggressive cut: −750 kcal/day

~1.5 lb / week (only if obese)

1,883 kcal/day

Lean bulk: +250 kcal/day

~0.5 lb / week gain

2,883 kcal/day

Sedentary multiplier ×1.2

desk job baseline

2,039 kcal/day

Very active multiplier ×1.725

6-7 days hard exercise

2,930 kcal/day

Source: Mifflin-St Jeor BMR equation (Mifflin et al., Am J Clin Nutr 1990)

Not medical advice — TDEE is a population estimate (±10%). Real burn varies with NEAT, thermogenesis, and recovery costs. Treat the number as a 7-day average target and adjust based on actual scale change after 2-4 weeks.

How to use this calculator

Enter your sex, age, weight, and height.
Pick activity level honestly — most people overestimate (use Sedentary if you sit at a desk, even with daily walks).
Use the maintain figure as your daily target, then adjust up or down for your goal.

About this tool

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is what you burn in 24 hours including activity — the calorie target for maintaining your current weight. Calculated by multiplying your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR — calories burned at complete rest) by an activity factor. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation (used here) is the most accurate of the common BMR formulas for most adults. Real-world calorie burn varies day to day; treat the number as a 7-day average target, not a daily ceiling. To lose weight: eat 250–500 kcal/day below TDEE. To gain: 250–500 above.

How it works — the formula

Mifflin-St Jeor BMR:
  Men:   10·weight(kg) + 6.25·height(cm) − 5·age + 5
  Women: 10·weight(kg) + 6.25·height(cm) − 5·age − 161
TDEE = BMR × activity factor (1.2 sedentary → 1.9 very active)

Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) replaced the older Harris-Benedict equation as the most accurate BMR estimate for healthy non-obese adults; it tracks indirect-calorimetry measurements within ~5%. The activity factor scales BMR up to total daily expenditure, including non-exercise thermogenesis (NEAT), digestion (TEF), and exercise. Multipliers come from the FAO/WHO/UNU Human Energy Requirements report.

Sources: Mifflin MD et al. — A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals (Am J Clin Nutr 51(2) 1990) · FAO/WHO/UNU — Human Energy Requirements (Rome, 2004) · Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — Position: Interventions for the Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults (J Acad Nutr Diet 2016)

Worked examples

Example 1

30-year-old male, moderate activity

Inputs:: sex = male, age = 30, weight = 75 kg, height = 178 cm, activity = moderate (×1.55)
Output:: BMR ≈ 1,718 kcal/day; TDEE ≈ 2,663 kcal/day

Example 2

40-year-old woman, sedentary desk job

Inputs:: sex = female, age = 40, weight = 65 kg, height = 165 cm, activity = sedentary (×1.2)
Output:: BMR ≈ 1,320 kcal/day; TDEE ≈ 1,584 kcal/day

Example 3

Weight-loss target

Inputs:: TDEE = 2,500 kcal/day, deficit = 500
Output:: Cut target ≈ 2,000 kcal/day → ~0.45 kg / 1 lb loss per week

Limitations

BMR equations are calibrated on healthy adults aged 19–78; pregnancy, lactation, hyperthyroidism, and sarcopenia all shift the answer.
Activity multipliers assume honest self-assessment — most people overestimate by one tier.
TDEE drops as you lose weight; the same multiplier applied to a smaller body burns fewer calories.
NEAT can vary day to day by 300–800 kcal in the same individual — never treat the daily target as exact.

Calorie targets are starting points, not prescriptions. Adjust based on 2–4 weeks of actual weight trend. This calculator does not provide medical or dietetic advice — consult a registered dietitian or physician for clinical needs.

Frequently asked

BMR is just rest. Walking, fidgeting, digestion (TEF), and exercise all add to it. The activity multiplier captures that — without it, you'd under-eat by 30–80%.