Fuel & Forge / Free tools / TDEE Calculator
TDEE Calculator
Your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is how many calories you burn in a day, including exercise. Eat below it to lose fat, around it to maintain, or a little above it to build muscle.
Fill in the fields to see your result.
How it's calculated
First your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is worked out with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, the most accurate of the common formulas for most people:
BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5 for men, and − 161 instead of + 5 for women.
That is multiplied by an activity factor, from 1.2 if you mostly sit to 1.9 if you have a physical job and train every day. The fat loss target takes off 500 calories a day, roughly 0.5 kg a week. The lean bulk target adds 300, enough to support muscle gain without much fat.
Questions
What is a good calorie deficit to lose fat?
Around 300 to 500 calories below your TDEE suits most people. It loses roughly 0.25 to 0.5 kg a week while keeping energy and training performance reasonable. Bigger deficits work faster but are harder to stick to and cost more muscle.
Why does my weight not match the calculator?
Every formula is an estimate, and people of the same size can differ by a few hundred calories. Day-to-day weight also swings with water, salt and food in your gut. Track your weekly average weight for 2 to 3 weeks: if it is flat, you are eating at your real TDEE.
Should I eat back the calories from exercise?
Your activity level already includes your training, so do not add workout calories on top. Fitness trackers also tend to overestimate calories burned.
How often should I recalculate my TDEE?
Whenever your weight changes by a few kilos, or your activity changes. Fuel & Forge does this for you each week from your check-ins.
Let a coach do this every week
A calculator gives you a starting point. Fuel & Forge sets your calories, macros and training, then adjusts them every week from your check-ins, so you never have to recalculate.
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