Home Back

TDEE Calculator - Total Daily Energy Expenditure

TDEE Calculator

years
%
kcal/day
kcal/day

1. What is a TDEE Calculator?

Definition: This calculator computes your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using five different methods and then calculates your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) by multiplying BMR by a Physical Activity Level (PAL) factor, estimating the total calories you burn daily.

Purpose: It helps determine your daily calorie needs for maintaining, gaining, or losing weight, considering your activity level and choice of BMR calculation method.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator takes sex, age, height, weight, optionally body fat percentage, and physical activity level with selectable units, computes BMR using the chosen method, and then calculates TDEE:

  • Mifflin-St Jeor:
    • Men: \( \text{BMR} = 10 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 6.25 \times \text{height (cm)} - 5 \times \text{age} + 5 \).
    • Women: \( \text{BMR} = 10 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 6.25 \times \text{height (cm)} - 5 \times \text{age} - 161 \).
  • Harris-Benedict (Original):
    • Men: \( \text{BMR} = 66.5 + 13.75 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 5.003 \times \text{height (cm)} - 6.755 \times \text{age} \).
    • Women: \( \text{BMR} = 655.1 + 9.563 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 1.850 \times \text{height (cm)} - 4.676 \times \text{age} \).
  • Revised Harris-Benedict:
    • Men: \( \text{BMR} = 88.362 + 13.397 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 4.799 \times \text{height (cm)} - 5.677 \times \text{age} \).
    • Women: \( \text{BMR} = 447.593 + 9.247 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 3.098 \times \text{height (cm)} - 4.330 \times \text{age} \).
  • Katch-McArdle:
    • LBM (if body fat provided): \( \text{LBM} = (\text{weight (kg)} \times (1 - \text{Body Fat \%})) / 100 \).
    • LBM (Boer formula, men): \( \text{LBM} = 0.407 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 0.267 \times \text{height (cm)} - 19.2 \).
    • LBM (Boer formula, women): \( \text{LBM} = 0.252 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 0.473 \times \text{height (cm)} - 48.3 \).
    • BMR: \( \text{BMR} = 370 + (21.6 \times \text{LBM (kg)}) \).
  • Schofield:
    • Men (≤30 years): \( \text{BMR} = 15.057 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 692.2 \).
    • Men (>30 years): \( \text{BMR} = 11.472 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 873.1 \).
    • Women (≤30 years): \( \text{BMR} = 14.818 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 486.6 \).
    • Women (>30 years): \( \text{BMR} = 8.126 \times \text{weight (kg)} + 845.6 \).
  • TDEE:
    • \( \text{TDEE} = \text{BMR} \times \text{PAL} \)
    • PAL values: Sedentary (1.2), Light (1.375), Moderate (1.55), Hard (1.725), Physical Job (1.9), Athlete (2.4)

Unit Conversions:

  • Height: cm, m, in, ft (e.g., 1 m = 100 cm = 39.3701 in).
  • Weight: kg, lb, oz (e.g., 1 kg = 2.20462 lb).

Steps:

  • Select your sex.
  • Input your age, height, and weight with chosen units.
  • Choose a BMR calculation method.
  • For Katch-McArdle, choose to input body fat percentage or estimate LBM.
  • Select your physical activity level (PAL).
  • Compute your BMR and TDEE.

3. Importance of TDEE Calculations

Calculating TDEE is useful for:

  • Nutritional Planning: Determines the total daily calories needed, adjusted for activity level, to plan diets.
  • Weight Management: Helps set calorie goals for maintaining, gaining, or losing weight by estimating total energy expenditure.
  • Personalized Health: Offers flexibility with multiple BMR methods and activity levels for a tailored estimate.

4. Using the Calculator

Examples:

  • Male, Age 30, Moderate Activity, Mifflin-St Jeor: Height = 180 cm, Weight = 70 kg, PAL = 1.55
    BMR: \( 10 \times 70 + 6.25 \times 180 - 5 \times 30 + 5 \approx 1480.00 \, \text{kcal/day} \).
    TDEE: \( 1480.00 \times 1.55 \approx 2294.00 \, \text{kcal/day} \).
  • Female, Age 25, Hard Activity, Katch-McArdle: Height = 165.1 cm, Weight = 60 kg, Body Fat = 25%, PAL = 1.725
    LBM: \( 60 \times (1 - 0.25) = 45.00 \, \text{kg} \).
    BMR: \( 370 + 21.6 \times 45.00 \approx 1342.00 \, \text{kcal/day} \).
    TDEE: \( 1342.00 \times 1.725 \approx 2314.95 \, \text{kcal/day} \).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What does TDEE represent?
A: TDEE represents the total number of calories you burn daily, including basic bodily functions (BMR) and physical activity, measured in kcal/day.

Q: How does TDEE differ from EER?
A: TDEE and EER both estimate daily calorie needs, but TDEE uses PAL to scale BMR, while EER (Institute of Medicine) incorporates activity directly into its formula.

Q: Which BMR method should I choose?
A: Mifflin-St Jeor is often recommended for general use, Katch-McArdle is best if you know your body fat percentage, and Schofield simplifies the calculation for broader populations. Choose based on your needs and available data.

TDEE Calculator© - All Rights Reserved 2025