To use this TDEE calculator, plug-in your age, sex, weight, and height to help generate your resting metabolic rate and subsequent resting energy expenditure. Then, select the correct activity factor (see the Quiz at bottom for more details), as this will be the multiplier used to calculate your TDEE. You can use this as an estimate for your current Calorie needs to maintain your weight.
It is possible this estimated Calorie total may be higher or lower than you predicted, but this should be in the right ballpark. Energy balance is struck over weeks and months, where long-term weight trajectory follows.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total amount of Calories used (“burned”) per day. The three components of TDEE are; 1) resting energy expenditure (REE), 2) diet-induced energy expenditure (DEE), and 3) activity-induced energy expenditure (AEE), modeled by the equation:
TDEE = REE + DEE + AEE
For reference, the relative contributions to total daily energy expenditure from each of these components are approximately 60% for REE, 10% for DEE, and 30% for AEE.
How many steps per day do you average:
<5000 (1 point)
5000 to 8000 (2 points)
8000+ (3 points)
How many days per week do you exercise (lift weights, do cardio, play sports) for more than 30-minutes?
< 3 days (1 point)
3 to 5 days (2 points)
>5 days (3 points)
At work or school, how active are you?
Mostly sedentary. Not very active (1 point)
Moderately active (2 points)
Very active (3 points)
4 points or less= light
5-7 points= medium
8+ points= high
Low – Light exercise or sports on less than 3 days per week
Medium – Moderate to hard exercise or sports 3 to 5 days per week
High – Hard exercise or sports on 6+ days per week otherwise
*Please note that high levels of recreational and/or occupational activity (or lack thereof) should be considered as exercise for this calculator.