What your TDEE tells you
Your TDEE is your “maintenance” number. It is how many calories you can eat each day and keep your weight steady. Eat less than this and you will slowly lose weight. Eat more and you will slowly gain.
Knowing this number takes the guesswork out of eating. Instead of cutting calories as low as you can, you can pick a small, steady change that is easier to stick with.
How we calculate it
First, we estimate your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. It uses your weight, height, age, and sex. A 2005 review of common equations found it was the most likely to land within 10% of measured values in healthy adults.
Then we multiply your BMR by an activity factor. The factors go from 1.2 for people who sit most of the day to 1.9 for people who train hard every day or have a physical job. The table in the results shows your number at every level, so you can see how much activity matters.
Calorie targets for your goal
- Lose fat: about 20% below maintenance. This is a steady pace for most people.
- Maintain: eat close to your TDEE.
- Build muscle: about 10% above maintenance, along with strength training.
We never suggest fewer than 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men. Going lower makes it hard to get enough protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Make your calories count
When you eat less, protein matters more. It helps you keep muscle and feel full. Use our protein calculator to find your daily target, or the macro calculator to split your calories into protein, carbs, and fat. Eating out? Our restaurant guides show high-protein orders and their calories.
Remember that this is a starting point. Weigh yourself a few times a week at the same time of day. If your weight isn’t moving the way you expect after 2 to 3 weeks, adjust your calories by 100 to 200 a day.