What's the difference vs. the calorie calculator?

The TDEE calculator gives you maintenance only — the neutral baseline. The calorie calculator takes that baseline and adds your target deficit or surplus. If you want a deliberate fat-loss or gain plan, use the calorie calculator.

How accurate is my TDEE really?

Mifflin lands within ±10 % for most healthy adults. Most people overstate their activity factor. The final truth is the scale across 2–3 weeks.

Why show all five activity levels?

So you grasp the range. Between 'sedentary' and 'extremely active' lies 700–1,000 kcal/day for most people. Honesty about activity saves frustration later.

Isn't TEF double-counted?

No. Activity multipliers already include TEF approximately. We show it separately so you understand what TDEE is made of.

My TDEE looks too low — what should I do?

Be stricter with the activity factor. An office job plus 3× lifting is 'moderate' — not 'very active'. If the scale disagrees, adjust in 100 kcal steps.

Calculator · Performance Lab

TDEE Calculator

Calculate your total daily energy expenditure (maintenance calories), with a breakdown and the full range across all activity levels.

Ergebnis

Basal metabolic rate (BMR): 1,790kcal/day
Maintenance calories (TDEE): 2,775kcal/day
Activity share: 985kcal/day
TEF (~10 %): 277kcal/day
TDEE range by activity
Sedentary (×1.2): 2,148kcal/day
Lightly active (×1.375): 2,461kcal/day
Moderately active (×1.55): 2,775kcal/day
Very active (×1.725): 3,088kcal/day
Extremely active (×1.9): 3,401kcal/day

Explained

What this calculator does for you

Your TDEE — Total Daily Energy Expenditure — is your maintenance baseline: the intake at which your weight stays stable over weeks. It is the sum of your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the energy used for movement (exercise + NEAT) and the thermic effect of food (TEF, ~10 %).

This calculator deliberately shows only maintenance — no target deficit or surplus. It's the clean starting measurement. As soon as you want a deliberate fat-loss or muscle-gain plan, the calorie calculator takes this baseline and applies the right delta.

You also see a table of your TDEE across all five activity levels. That gives you a realistic feel for how much movement actually shifts requirements — and how easy it is to overstate.

Science

Scientific background

We compute BMR via Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) — today's most accurate standard for healthy adults, typically within ±10 %.

Activity multipliers (1.2 to 1.9) are a long-established convention. They include exercise AND NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis: daily movement, standing, fidgeting), and approximately the TEF.

TDEE is an average — not a daily exact figure. Real daily burn fluctuates by several hundred kcal. Over a week, the estimate fits most people well.

Examples

Practical examples

28, male, 80 kg, 180 cm, moderately active

BMR ≈ 1,780 kcal, TDEE ≈ 2,760 kcal/day. Range: sedentary ~2,140 — extremely active ~3,380 kcal. Maintenance is the middle ground.

32, female, 65 kg, 168 cm, lightly active

BMR ≈ 1,430 kcal, TDEE ≈ 1,965 kcal/day. A consistent step-count bump (NEAT) realistically pushes her into the 'moderate' bracket.

Avoid these

Common mistakes

01Overstating activity. Training 3×/week and sitting otherwise is 'light' to 'moderate' — not 'very' or 'extremely' active.
02Treating TDEE as an exact daily number. It's a weekly estimate, not a daily reading.
03Confusing TDEE with target calories. TDEE = maintenance. Add the deficit or surplus separately — see the calorie calculator.
04Ignoring NEAT. Standing, walking, stairs — the unsexy lever with the biggest day-to-day impact.

Recommendations

Further recommendations

01Pick your activity factor honestly. When in doubt, drop one level.
02Track 2–3 weeks consistently (calories in, 7-day scale average out) and adjust the estimate against reality.
03Raise NEAT (steps, standing, short walks) before stacking cardio.
04For a goal-based recommendation (cut, lean bulk), go straight to the calorie calculator.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference vs. the calorie calculator?: The TDEE calculator gives you maintenance only — the neutral baseline. The calorie calculator takes that baseline and adds your target deficit or surplus. If you want a deliberate fat-loss or gain plan, use the calorie calculator.
How accurate is my TDEE really?: Mifflin lands within ±10 % for most healthy adults. Most people overstate their activity factor. The final truth is the scale across 2–3 weeks.
Why show all five activity levels?: So you grasp the range. Between 'sedentary' and 'extremely active' lies 700–1,000 kcal/day for most people. Honesty about activity saves frustration later.
Isn't TEF double-counted?: No. Activity multipliers already include TEF approximately. We show it separately so you understand what TDEE is made of.
My TDEE looks too low — what should I do?: Be stricter with the activity factor. An office job plus 3× lifting is 'moderate' — not 'very active'. If the scale disagrees, adjust in 100 kcal steps.

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Controlled muscle-building surplus — grow without unnecessary fat.

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