A reference page to understand the calculation method, interpret your results, and adjust your nutritional strategy over time.
Haven't calculated your needs yet?
Get your personalized calories and macros in under a minute.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total amount of calories your body burns in a day. It accounts for your basal metabolic rate (BMR) as well as all energy expenditure from physical activity, digestion, and spontaneous movement.
It's the fundamental starting point of any nutritional strategy. Knowing your TDEE allows you to know exactly how much to eat to lose weight, gain weight, or stay stable.
BMR
Basal Metabolic Rate
Calories burned at complete rest (vital functions only)
TEF
Thermic Effect of Food
Energy spent digesting and metabolizing food (~10% of TDEE)
NEAT + EAT
Physical Activity
Daily movements + structured exercise (the most variable part)
We use the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, considered the most accurate:
Male
BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) + 5
Female
BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × age) − 161
The BMR is then multiplied by an activity coefficient:
| Activity level | Multiplier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | × 1.2 | Little or no exercise |
| Lightly active | × 1.375 | 1-3 workouts/week |
| Moderately active | × 1.55 | 3-5 workouts/week |
| Very active | × 1.725 | 6-7 workouts/week |
| Extremely active | × 1.9 | Sports + intense physical work |
No formula can calculate your metabolism with absolute precision. There are individual variations related to genetics, body composition, adaptive thermogenesis, thyroid hormones, and the gut microbiome.
Mathematical formulas give a result that can deviate by ±10-15% from your biological reality. That's why we recommend treating this result as a starting point to refine, not an absolute truth.
Key takeaway: Treat these calories as a starting hypothesis, and let your actual physical results guide you to refine. The most reliable measure remains your weight evolution over several weeks.
After 2-3 weeks of consistency, here's how to interpret results:
You're gaining weight (cutting goal)
Reduce by 100-150 kcal
You're losing weight (bulking goal)
Increase by 100-150 kcal
Your weight is stable (maintenance goal)
No adjustment needed
You're losing too fast (>1 kg/week cutting)
Increase by 100 kcal to preserve muscle
You're not losing (cutting goal)
Reduce by 100-200 kcal or increase activity
Overestimating activity level
Overestimates TDEE → skewed results from the start
Not weighing food
Eyeballing has a 20-50% margin of error
Counting training calories twice
The activity coefficient already includes them in TDEE
Changing strategy every week
It takes 2-3 weeks to properly evaluate a result
Ignoring weekends
A 500 kcal/day surplus on weekends cancels 3 days of deficit
Never recalculating after weight loss
BMR decreases with weight loss — needs change
Cutting
300-500 kcal/day deficit for 0.3-0.5 kg/week loss
Prioritize protein (2-2.5 g/kg) to preserve muscle
Don't go below 1,500 kcal without professional supervision
Maintain resistance training to limit muscle loss
Stay hydrated — water retention often masks fat loss
Maintenance
Maintain protein intake of at least 1.6 g/kg
Monitor weight trends over 4 weeks, not day-to-day
Ideal for consolidating results after a cut or bulk
Use this period to gain strength at calorie maintenance
Bulking
150-300 kcal/day surplus for a lean bulk (muscle with minimal fat)
Aim for 0.25-0.5 kg weight gain per week
Prioritize progressive resistance training
Excessive surplus doesn't build muscle faster, only more fat
Recalculate needs every 4-6 kg of weight gain
Ready to apply all of this?
Calculate your needs or create an account to track your progress.
