TDEE Calculator: Estimate Maintenance Calories and Use the Result

BiteCal editorial · Updated 28 October 2026 · 阅读约 2 分钟

TDEE is your estimated total daily energy expenditure. It includes resting energy, digestion and movement. A TDEE calculator estimates maintenance calories; it does not measure them. Start with the calculator linked below, then review several weeks of consistent food records and weight trends before adjusting the estimate.

BMR, TDEE and a calorie goal: three different numbers

Number	What it describes	What to do with it
BMR estimate	Resting energy only	Do not mistake it for a full-day food budget
TDEE estimate	Resting energy plus daily activity and digestion	Use as a starting maintenance estimate
Weight-loss intake goal	A planned intake below maintenance	Choose an appropriate individual goal, not an arbitrary low number

How do you calculate TDEE?

A common starting method estimates resting energy with the Mifflin–St Jeor equation and multiplies it by an activity factor. With weight in kilograms, height in centimeters and age in years, the equations are 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age + 5 for men, or the same calculation − 161 for women. These are adult population estimates, not individual measurements.

Activity factors are rough categories. A desk job plus three short workouts can have a very different energy cost from a physically demanding job. Choose the category that describes your whole week, not your busiest hour.

A worked example, not a personal target

For a 30-year-old man weighing 70 kg at 175 cm, estimated resting energy is 1,648.75 kcal/day. Multiplying by a light-activity factor of 1.375 gives about 2,267 kcal/day. Rounding to the nearest calorie does not make the estimate that precise.

If you already use an activity-adjusted TDEE estimate, do not automatically add every watch workout calorie again. That can count the same movement twice.

Example: 70 kg, 175 cm, age 30, male equation

Step	Calculation	Estimated result
Resting energy	700 + 1,093.75 − 150 + 5	1,648.75 kcal/day
Light activity	1,648.75 × 1.375	2,267 kcal/day
Interpretation	Compare with actual routine and trends	Starting estimate, not a prescription

How do you find maintenance calories in practice?

Keep portions, cooking oils, drinks and weekend meals in your food record. Compare weekly average body weight under similar weighing conditions rather than reacting to one salty meal or one low weigh-in. Stable weight over time can help you assess whether your average intake is near maintenance; changing activity, water retention and incomplete records complicate the comparison.

For an easier meal record, try BiteCal. Paid AI scanning lets you start with a photo, review the suggested food and portion, and save calories and macros to your daily overview. The friendly white bear makes returning to the routine more enjoyable. Free features are also available.

Reference check date

Sources and calculations checked October 27, 2026.

常见问题

Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?

TDEE describes energy used; maintenance intake is the amount eaten that keeps weight broadly stable over time. They are closely related, but a calculator estimates the former and your real pattern helps assess the latter.

Should I eat my BMR to lose weight?

BMR is resting energy, not a weight-loss prescription. A suitable intake depends on total needs, health and circumstances. The NIDDK Body Weight Planner can help adults explore how intake and activity relate to a goal.