TDEE Calculator

Within 10-15% for most people. The formula assumes average body composition — it overestimates for high-body-fat individuals and underestimates for very lean or muscular people. Track your actual intake vs weight for 2-3 weeks to calibrate.

Most people overestimate their activity level. Try one tier lower (e.g., Moderately Active → Lightly Active) and track food intake for 2 weeks. If you are gaining weight at the calculated TDEE, your true maintenance is lower.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the calories your body burns at complete rest — just to keep organs functioning. TDEE multiplies BMR by an activity factor (1.2 for sedentary up to 1.9 for twice-daily training) to estimate total daily burn including movement.

Create a 300-500 calorie daily deficit from your TDEE. This yields roughly 0.5-1 lb per week of loss. Deficits larger than 25% of TDEE accelerate muscle loss and metabolic adaptation — slower is more sustainable.

Either approach works. Eating at TDEE daily (with the correct activity multiplier) is simpler. Carb cycling (more on training days, less on rest days) can improve performance but adds complexity without proven fat-loss advantage for most people.

Recalculate every 4-6 weeks or after any 5 lb change in body weight. TDEE drops as you lose weight — a 10 lb loss typically reduces TDEE by 50-100 calories. This is why calorie targets must decrease during a cut.