TDEE Calculator
Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the exact calories your body burns every day. Get your BMR, maintenance calories and targets for weight loss or muscle gain.
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Calorie Targets at a Glance
What is TDEE?
TDEE Calculator — Total Daily Energy Expenditure Explained
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in a 24-hour period — including your resting metabolism, all physical activity, and the energy used to digest food. It is the most important number for anyone trying to manage their weight.
Knowing your TDEE tells you exactly how many calories to eat to lose weight, maintain your current weight, or build muscle. Eat below your TDEE to lose fat. Eat at your TDEE to maintain. Eat above your TDEE to gain muscle.
This free TDEE calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation — the most accurate predictive formula for Basal Metabolic Rate, validated in a landmark 1990 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (NIH/PubMed) and recommended by most registered dietitians today. Per ICMR dietary guidelines, Indian adults should verify calorie estimates against 2–3 weeks of real-world tracking. WHO obesity guidelines recommend a 500 kcal deficit as the safe upper limit for weight loss.
How to Use This TDEE Calculator
BMR vs TDEE
BMR Calculator — How TDEE is Calculated
Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep your organs functioning (breathing, circulation, cell repair). It accounts for approximately 60–70% of your total daily calorie burn.
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier. Your activity level multiplier accounts for all the calories you burn through movement, exercise, and the thermic effect of food (the energy used to digest and process what you eat).
What Makes Up Your TDEE?
Activity Level Guide
| Level | Multiplier | Who This Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | ×1.2 | Desk job, no structured exercise, mostly sitting all day |
| Lightly Active | ×1.375 | Light exercise 1–3 days/week — walks, yoga, casual cycling |
| Moderately Active | ×1.55 | Gym or sports 3–5 days/week — most active Indians |
| Very Active | ×1.725 | Hard training 6–7 days/week or physically demanding job |
| Extremely Active | ×1.9 | Athletes, two-a-day training, construction workers |
Calorie Deficit
TDEE Calculator for Weight Loss — Calorie Deficit Calculator
To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your TDEE — creating a calorie deficit. The size of your deficit determines how fast you lose weight.
1 kg of body fat = approximately 7,700 kcal. A 500 kcal/day deficit creates a weekly deficit of 3,500 kcal, which equates to roughly 0.5 kg of fat loss per week. This is the recommended rate for sustainable fat loss that preserves muscle mass.
| Cut Type | Deficit | Loss/Week | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aggressive Cut | −500 kcal/day | ~0.5 kg | Significant weight to lose |
| Moderate Cut | −300 kcal/day | ~0.25 kg | Sustainable, muscle-preserving |
| Mini Cut | −200 kcal/day | ~0.15 kg | Athletes or near goal weight |
Important for Indians: Never eat below 1,200 kcal/day (women) or 1,500 kcal/day (men). Eating too little reduces your BMR through adaptive thermogenesis, making further weight loss harder. Prioritise protein (1.6–2.2 g/kg body weight) to preserve muscle while cutting.
How Many Calories to Lose Weight — How Many Calories Do I Need?
How many calories to lose weight? Subtract 300–500 calories from your TDEE. And how many calories do I need in total? That depends on your goal — maintenance means eating at TDEE, loss means eating below it. Use the calculator above to get your exact TDEE, then select "Lose Weight" as your goal. The calculator automatically sets your calorie target at TDEE minus 300 kcal — a proven, sustainable rate for fat loss. Pair your calorie target with high protein intake and resistance training for the best results.
Maintenance Calories
Daily Calorie Calculator — Maintenance Calories for Indians
Your maintenance calories are the number of calories you need to eat to keep your weight exactly where it is — neither gaining nor losing. This is simply your TDEE.
For most Indian adults, maintenance calories range from 1,600–2,000 kcal/day for women and 2,000–2,600 kcal/day for men, depending on body size and activity level. Your calorie allowance calculator result is essentially your TDEE — the number of calories your body is "allowed" each day to maintain weight. These numbers are often lower than Western averages due to differences in average height and activity patterns.
How to verify your maintenance calories: Eat at your calculated TDEE for 2–3 weeks while tracking your weight daily. If your weight stays stable, the number is accurate. If you gain, reduce by 100–150 kcal. If you lose, increase by 100–150 kcal. Adjust every 2 weeks based on the trend — not day-to-day fluctuations.
Your calorie requirement calculator result changes as your weight changes — recalculate your TDEE every time your weight shifts by 5 kg or more, as your BMR adjusts with changes in body mass.
India-Specific Guidance
TDEE Calculator India — Calorie Needs for Indians
Indian dietary patterns differ significantly from Western ones, which affects how you apply your TDEE in practice. A typical Indian diet is higher in carbohydrates (rice, roti, dal) and often lower in protein than recommended for active individuals.
For Indians using this daily calorie calculator, here are key adjustments to consider:
| Topic | Guidance for Indians |
|---|---|
| Protein gap | Most Indians eat 40–50 g/day. Target 100–140 g/day. Add paneer, curd, dal, eggs or whey. |
| Carb quality | Switch white rice/maida to brown rice, whole wheat roti and millets for better satiety. |
| Activity level | Desk job + 3–4 workouts = Lightly Active (×1.375), not Moderately Active. |
| Ghee & oils | 900 kcal/100g. Measure oil — 1 tbsp (14g) = 120 kcal. |
| Muscle gain | Add 300 kcal above TDEE for lean bulk — minimises fat while building muscle. |
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
A free TDEE calculator finds your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total calories your body burns each day — using your age, gender, height, weight and activity level. It uses the Mifflin-St Jeor BMR equation multiplied by your activity factor to give your maintenance calories, then provides targets for weight loss, maintenance or muscle gain.
Results are estimates. Consult a doctor before making health decisions.