What Is TDEE?
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories your body burns in 24 hours. TDEE consists of four components:
🛌 BMR (60–75%)
Basal metabolic rate — calories needed to maintain vital functions at rest.
🍽️ TEF (10%)
Thermic effect of food — calories burned digesting, absorbing, and metabolizing food.
🏃 EAT (5–10%)
Exercise Activity Thermogenesis — calories burned during physical activity (training).
🚶 NEAT (5–15%)
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis — all other movement: walking, standing, housework. Can vary by up to 2000 kcal between people!
🧮 How to Calculate TDEE?
TDEE = BMR × Activity multiplier. First calculate BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula, then multiply by the appropriate multiplier:
| Activity level | Description | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | Little or no exercise, sedentary job | 1,2 |
| Lightweight | Light exercise / sport 1–3 days per week | 1,375 |
| Intermediate | Moderate-intensity sport 3–5 days per week | 1,55 |
| Active | Intense exercise 6–7 days per week | 1,725 |
| Very active | Intense exercise + physical work (construction workers, athletes) | 1,9 |
Example: 80 kg man, BMR = 1780 kcal, exercises 4x/week → TDEE = 1780 × 1,55 = 2 759 kcal. This is the calorie amount for weight maintenance.
🎯 Applying TDEE to Achieve Goals
📉 Weight Loss
Subtract 300–500 kcal from TDEE. E.g., TDEE 2759 → deficit 500 = 2259 kcal per day. Result: ~0,5 kg per week.
⚖️ Weight Maintenance
Eat exactly according to TDEE. Monitor weight for 2 weeks and adjust ±100 kcal based on the trend.
📈 Weight / Muscle Gain
Add 200–400 kcal to your TDEE. An excessive surplus (>500 kcal) promotes fat gain rather than muscle gain.
🔄 Adjusting TDEE Over Time
TDEE is not a constant number — it changes:
- During weight loss: Each kilogram lost reduces TDEE by ~20–30 kcal. Recalculate TDEE every 4–5 kg of weight lost.
- Adaptive thermogenesis: After 8–12 weeks of deficit, the body may reduce TDEE more than formulas predict (metabolic adaptation).
- Age-related changes: After age 30, TDEE decreases by ~1–2% per decade.
- Changes in muscle mass: With muscle gain, TDEE increases; with loss, it decreases.
💡 Practical Everyday Tips
📋 Track Progress
Use a diary or app. Weekly trends are more important than daily fluctuations. Regularly measure not only weight but also circumferences.
💧 Drink Enough Water
2–3 liters per day. Water aids digestion and metabolism and reduces false hunger.
😴 Sleep 7–9 Hours
Quality sleep is essential for hormonal balance, muscle recovery, and appetite control.
🏃 Move Every Day
Even 30 minutes of walking per day can significantly improve metabolism and mood.