What is TDEE?
Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period — everything from keeping your heart beating to running a 10k. It is the single most important number for understanding your energy balance and managing body composition.
Most people focus on calories burned during exercise, but this typically accounts for only 15–30% of your total daily burn. The majority comes from your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) — the energy your body needs just to stay alive at rest — plus the Thermic Effect of Food and Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT).
How is TDEE calculated?
Women: BMR = (10 × weight kg) + (6.25 × height cm) − (5 × age) − 161
TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier (1.2 to 1.9)
| Level | Multiplier | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | × 1.2 | Desk job, no exercise |
| Lightly active | × 1.375 | Exercise 1–3 days/week |
| Moderately active | × 1.55 | Exercise 3–5 days/week |
| Very active | × 1.725 | Hard exercise 6–7 days/week |
| Extra active | × 1.9 | Physical job + daily training |
TDEE for weight loss
To lose weight, create a calorie deficit by eating below your TDEE. A deficit of 500 kcal/day produces approximately 0.5kg of fat loss per week. Avoid deficits above 1,000 kcal/day — they significantly increase the risk of muscle loss, fatigue, and metabolic adaptation.
Does TDEE change as you lose weight?
Yes. As your body weight decreases, your body burns fewer calories. This is why weight loss slows over time without any change to your diet. Recalculate your TDEE every 4–6 weeks to keep your targets accurate.
Frequently asked questions
Further reading
To understand how your TDEE changes over time, read our article on average TDEE by age across your 30s, 40s, and 50s. If you are trying to interpret your result, what counts as a good TDEE for your height and weight gives context. And once you have your TDEE, the how many calories to lose weight article walks through exactly how to turn it into a deficit target.