Find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure — your maintenance calories, fat loss target and muscle gain target based on your stats and activity level.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns each day, including exercise and daily activity. It is calculated by multiplying your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) by an activity multiplier. BMR is the calories your body needs at complete rest — for a typical adult this is 1,400–1,800 calories/day. Multiply by activity level: sedentary (desk job, no exercise) = BMR × 1.2, lightly active (1–3 days exercise/week) = BMR × 1.375, moderately active (3–5 days/week) = BMR × 1.55, very active (6–7 days/week) = BMR × 1.725. To lose approximately 0.5kg per week, eat 500 calories below your TDEE. To gain lean muscle, eat 250–300 calories above your TDEE. Individual variation means actual TDEE can differ by ±10–20% from calculated estimates.
TDEE is the most useful number in nutrition — it tells you exactly how much energy your body uses so you can set the right calorie target for your goal. Here's how the calculation works and how to use the result.
TDEE is calculated in two steps. First, BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) — the calories burned at complete rest. Then, BMR is multiplied by an activity factor to account for movement throughout the day.
TDEE is an estimate — individual variation of ±10–20% is normal. Treat it as a starting point and adjust based on real-world results after 2–3 weeks of tracking.
Once you know your TDEE, setting calorie targets is straightforward. The key is choosing a deficit or surplus that you can sustain over weeks and months.
Fat loss: a 500 calorie daily deficit is the most common starting point — it creates a 3,500 calorie weekly deficit, roughly equating to 0.5kg of fat per week. This is sustainable for most people. Going to 750+ creates faster loss but increases hunger, muscle loss risk, and the likelihood of abandoning the approach.
Muscle building: a 200–300 calorie surplus (lean bulk) maximises muscle gain while minimising fat gain. Larger surpluses build muscle faster but add significantly more fat. Protein intake of 1.6–2.2g per kg of bodyweight per day is essential — without adequate protein, surplus calories are stored as fat rather than used for muscle growth.