What is TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a day — resting metabolism, digestion, daily movement and exercise combined. It's the single most useful number for managing weight: eat below it to lose, above it to gain, at it to maintain.
The three formulas compared
- Mifflin-St Jeor (recommended): 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age (+5 men / −161 women). The most accurate for the general population — used by dietitians.
- Revised Harris-Benedict: the 1984 revision of the classic 1919 formula. Slightly higher estimates for many people.
- Katch-McArdle: 370 + 21.6 × lean mass (kg). The most accurate if you know your body fat %, because muscle — not total weight — drives metabolism.
TDEE chart by weight and activity
Maintenance calories (TDEE) for a 30-year-old at average height — 175 cm for men, 162 cm for women — using Mifflin-St Jeor. Each extra decade of age lowers these by roughly 60–100 calories, and each centimetre of height adds about 7–12. Enter your own details above for an exact figure.
| Men · 175 cm · age 30 | Sedentary ×1.2 | Light ×1.375 | Moderate ×1.55 | Active ×1.725 | Very active ×1.9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 1,739 | 1,992 | 2,246 | 2,499 | 2,753 |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 1,859 | 2,130 | 2,401 | 2,672 | 2,943 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 1,979 | 2,267 | 2,556 | 2,844 | 3,133 |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 2,099 | 2,405 | 2,711 | 3,017 | 3,323 |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 2,219 | 2,542 | 2,866 | 3,189 | 3,513 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 2,339 | 2,680 | 3,021 | 3,362 | 3,703 |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 2,459 | 2,817 | 3,176 | 3,534 | 3,893 |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 2,579 | 2,955 | 3,331 | 3,707 | 4,083 |
| Women · 162 cm · age 30 | Sedentary ×1.2 | Light ×1.375 | Moderate ×1.55 | Active ×1.725 | Very active ×1.9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg (110 lb) | 1,442 | 1,652 | 1,862 | 2,073 | 2,283 |
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 1,562 | 1,790 | 2,017 | 2,245 | 2,473 |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 1,682 | 1,927 | 2,172 | 2,418 | 2,663 |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 1,802 | 2,065 | 2,327 | 2,590 | 2,853 |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 1,922 | 2,202 | 2,482 | 2,763 | 3,043 |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 2,042 | 2,340 | 2,637 | 2,935 | 3,233 |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | 2,162 | 2,477 | 2,792 | 3,108 | 3,423 |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 2,282 | 2,615 | 2,947 | 3,280 | 3,613 |
How many calories should I eat to maintain my weight?
Your TDEE. For a moderately active 80 kg, 175 cm, 30-year-old man that's about 2,711 calories a day; for a lightly active 65 kg, 162 cm, 30-year-old woman, about 1,858.
Which activity level should I pick?
Count structured exercise only, and be conservative — most people overestimate. A desk job plus 3–4 gym sessions a week is Light to Moderate, not Active. If your weight drifts up at your "maintenance" number, drop one level.
How to use your TDEE
- Lose fat: eat 10–20% below TDEE (see the goal table above)
- Build muscle: eat 5–15% above TDEE while strength training
- Maintain: eat at TDEE, watch the scale for 2–3 weeks, adjust ±100–150
What are macros?
"Macros" are the three macronutrients that make up your calories: protein (4 cal/g), carbs (4 cal/g) and fat (9 cal/g). Enough protein — roughly 1.6–2.2 g per kg of body weight — is the key to keeping muscle while losing fat.
Which formula should I trust?
Mifflin-St Jeor unless you know your body fat % — then Katch-McArdle. All formulas are starting estimates; real-world weight change over 2–3 weeks is the truth.
Why do the formulas disagree?
They were built on different study populations. The spread between them (usually 50–150 calories) is a good reminder that every number here is an estimate to refine, not a law.
Does TDEE change as I lose weight?
Yes — a lighter body burns fewer calories. Recalculate every 4–5 kg to keep your plan accurate.