TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It’s the total number of calories your body burns in a day. Every successful diet, whether the person knows it or not, works by creating a relationship between calories eaten and TDEE.

The Components

Your TDEE is made up of four parts:

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): ~60-70% of total. This is what your body burns just existing. Breathing, circulating blood, maintaining body temperature. Even in a coma, you’d burn this much.

TEF (Thermic Effect of Food): ~10%. The energy cost of digesting food. Protein costs more to digest (~25%) than carbs (~8%) or fat (~3%).

EAT (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): ~5-10%. Intentional exercise. The gym, running, sports.

NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): ~15-20%. Everything else. Walking to the kitchen, fidgeting, standing, typing. This is the most variable and underrated component.

Calculating BMR

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the most accurate for most people:

Men: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age - 5

Women: BMR = 10 x weight(kg) + 6.25 x height(cm) - 5 x age - 161

Example: 30-year-old male, 75 kg, 175 cm BMR = 750 + 1094 - 150 + 5 = 1,699 calories

From BMR to TDEE

Multiply BMR by an activity factor:

Activity Level Multiplier
Sedentary (desk job, no exercise) 1.2
Lightly active (1-3 days exercise/week) 1.375
Moderately active (3-5 days/week) 1.55
Very active (6-7 days/week) 1.725
Extremely active (physical job + training) 1.9

Our example person, moderately active: 1,699 x 1.55 = 2,633 calories/day

Using TDEE for Goals

Weight loss

Eat below TDEE. A deficit of 500 calories/day produces roughly 0.5 kg of fat loss per week (since 1 kg of fat = ~7,700 calories).

For our example: 2,633 - 500 = 2,133 calories/day for steady fat loss.

Weight gain

Eat above TDEE. A surplus of 300-500 calories supports muscle growth without excessive fat gain.

Target: 2,633 + 400 = 3,033 calories/day with strength training.

Maintenance

Eat at TDEE. Weight stays stable.

Common Mistakes

1. Overestimating activity level

Most people with desk jobs who exercise 3 times a week are “lightly active,” not “moderately active.” When in doubt, pick the lower multiplier.

2. Ignoring NEAT

NEAT can vary by 500-2,000 calories between individuals. Someone who walks 12,000 steps daily and fidgets constantly burns dramatically more than someone who sits still all day. Increasing NEAT (walking more, standing desk, taking stairs) is often easier than adding gym sessions.

3. Not adjusting over time

As you lose weight, your BMR drops. A person who lost 10 kg needs to recalculate. This is why weight loss plateaus happen.

4. Treating the number as exact

TDEE calculations are estimates with a margin of error around 10-15%. Use the number as a starting point, track your weight for 2-3 weeks, and adjust based on actual results.

The Practical Approach

  1. Calculate your TDEE
  2. Set a calorie target based on your goal
  3. Track food intake for 2 weeks
  4. Compare actual weight change to expected
  5. Adjust calories up or down by 200-300 if needed
  6. Recalculate every 5 kg of weight change