Written by Dn. Aruba Rashid, certified dietitian (BS Human Nutrition and Dietetics). Updated October 2026.

What Is TDEE?

TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure. It is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, and it is the number you need to plan your diet. Eat about your TDEE and your weight stays the same. Eat less and you lose weight; eat more and you gain.

Your TDEE is made up of four parts:

• BMR (basal metabolic rate): the energy your body uses at complete rest to breathe, pump blood and keep you alive. It is 60 to 70% of your TDEE.
• Food digestion: about 10% of your calories are used to digest food. Protein uses the most.
• Daily movement: walking, cooking, cleaning, climbing stairs and fidgeting. This is the part that changes most from person to person.
• Exercise: walks, gym and sports. For most people this is a smaller part than they think.

How the TDEE Calculator Works

First the calculator finds your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which research has found to be the most accurate everyday formula:

• Men: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5
• Women: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161

If you enter your body fat percentage, it uses the Katch-McArdle formula instead, which is based on your lean body mass. Then it multiplies your BMR by your activity level:

Activity level	Example	Multiply BMR by
Sedentary	Desk job, little walking	1.2
Light	Walks or exercise 1 to 3 days a week	1.375
Moderate	Exercise 3 to 5 days a week	1.55
Very active	Hard exercise 6 to 7 days a week	1.725
Extra active	Physical job plus training	1.9

Most office workers, students and housewives who do not exercise regularly should choose sedentary or light. Choosing a higher level than your real routine is the most common reason people do not lose weight.

How to Use Your TDEE to Lose Weight

To lose about half a kilo a week, eat about 500 calories less than your TDEE. This is the calorie deficit that most dietitians recommend, because it is fast enough to see results and slow enough to keep muscle and avoid feeling weak.

For example, a 30 year old woman who weighs 70 kg, is 5 feet 4 inches tall and walks a few days a week has a TDEE of about 1,930 calories. To lose weight she would aim for about 1,430 calories a day.

Do not go below 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men without medical supervision. Our calorie deficit diet plan shows a full 1,500 calorie Pakistani meal plan.

How to Use Your TDEE to Gain Weight

To gain weight, eat 250 to 500 calories more than your TDEE every day, and add strength exercise so the extra weight becomes muscle, not just fat. A healthy pace is about 1 to 2 kg a month. Our weight gain diet plan and list of high calorie Pakistani foods make it easier.

TDEE vs BMR vs Calorie Calculator

These three tools are related:

• BMR is only the calories you burn at rest. Never eat less than your BMR for long. Find it with our BMR calculator.
• TDEE is your BMR plus all your daily activity. It is your maintenance calories.
• Our calorie calculator takes your TDEE and gives you a daily target for your goal.

Tips to Increase Your TDEE

• Walk more: 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day can burn 300 to 400 extra calories.
• Build muscle with strength exercise 2 to 3 times a week. Muscle burns more energy than fat, even at rest.
• Eat enough protein, about 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg of body weight. Check yours with our protein intake calculator.
• Do not crash diet. Eating far too little lowers your energy and daily movement, so you burn less.
• Sleep 7 to 8 hours. Poor sleep increases hunger and makes you move less.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is a TDEE calculator?

It is a good estimate for most people, usually within about 10%. Use it as a starting point, then weigh yourself once a week for 2 to 3 weeks. If your weight does not change as expected, adjust your calories by 100 to 200.

Should I eat my TDEE to lose weight?

No. Eating your TDEE keeps your weight the same. To lose weight, eat about 500 calories less than your TDEE.

Does TDEE change as I lose weight?

Yes. A smaller body burns fewer calories, so recalculate your TDEE after every 4 to 5 kg you lose.

What is a normal TDEE for a woman in Pakistan?

Most adult women have a TDEE between about 1,600 and 2,200 calories, depending on age, weight, height and activity. Most men are between about 2,000 and 2,800.

Is TDEE the same as maintenance calories?

Yes. Your TDEE is the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight.

Get a Meal Plan Built on Your TDEE

Knowing your number is the first step. Dn. Aruba Rashid, a certified dietitian, turns it into a personal Pakistani meal plan for weight loss, weight gain, PCOS or diabetes, with roti, rice and the food your family already cooks. She consults online across Pakistan on WhatsApp, and sees women in person in Multan.