TDEE Calculator to Lose Weight

Use the TDEE Calculator to Lose Weight

How to Use TDEE Calculator to Lose Weight

1. Step 1: Enter your details

   Add age, sex, height, and weight in Metric or US units.

2. Step 2: Pick activity and formula

   Choose your weekly activity and optionally use Katch‑McArdle with body fat %.

3. Step 3: Set a deficit style

   Select weekly loss (e.g., 0.5–1 lb) or choose a % of TDEE (10%–25%).

4. Step 4: Review calories and macros

   Read maintenance (TDEE), daily target, estimated weekly loss, and macro split.

5. Step 5: Optional: add a goal weight

   Enter a target weight to estimate how long your plan may take.

Key Features

• TDEE and safe deficit presets
• Weekly loss or % deficit modes
• Macro targets with per‑meal split
• Metric and US units

Understanding Results

Formula

Your daily calorie needs start with a resting baseline (Basal Metabolic Rate, or BMR) estimated from your age, sex, height, and weight. By default the tool uses the Mifflin‑St Jeor equation. If you know your body fat percentage, you can switch to the Katch‑McArdle method, which estimates BMR from lean body mass. We then multiply BMR by an activity factor that reflects how much you move during a typical week. The result is Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — your maintenance calories.

To plan weight loss, we apply a calorie deficit to TDEE. You can choose a fixed percentage (for example 10%–20%) or target a weekly rate of loss. As a rule of thumb, about 3,500 kcal approximates 1 lb (≈7,700 kcal ≈ 1 kg) of body fat. A daily deficit of ~500 kcal often equates to ≈1 lb/week for many adults, though individual responses vary.

Reference ranges & interpretation

There is no single “normal” TDEE. Energy needs shift with body size, muscle mass, daily movement, and training. For weight loss, a modest reduction — commonly 10%–20% below TDEE — balances progress with adherence. Faster loss may be possible short‑term, but tends to be harder to maintain and can impact performance and mood.

Judge progress by weekly averages rather than single days. Body weight fluctuates with hydration and glycogen. Reassess after two to four weeks and adjust your target by 100–200 kcal if your trend is off. For general movement guidance, see the CDC activity basics. Treat the numbers as estimates you refine with your own data.

Assumptions & limitations

Equations provide estimates, not diagnoses. Metabolism, non‑exercise activity, sleep, and stress all influence energy needs. This tool is for generally healthy adults and does not replace medical care. If you are pregnant, managing a medical condition, or under clinical guidance, speak with a clinician or registered dietitian before using a calorie deficit.

Complete Guide: TDEE Calculator to Lose Weight

Use the TDEE calculator to lose weight with a safe calorie deficit. Estimate weekly fat loss, set macro targets, and get a simple daily plan. Free and private.

You do not need a perfect number to make progress. You need a good starting point, a plan you can follow on busy days, and a simple way to adjust based on your results. That is exactly what this page gives you. The calculator estimates maintenance calories (TDEE), applies a moderate deficit, and suggests macro targets you can split across meals without complicated math.

Why TDEE matters for weight loss

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is your daily burn averaged over time. If you consistently eat near that number, your weight tends to hold steady. If you consistently eat below it, your weight trends down. The TDEE calculator on our site shows this relationship clearly: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) × activity factor = TDEE. Your weight loss plan is simply TDEE minus a sensible deficit you can live with.

Because humans do not move the exact same way every day, your exact TDEE changes. That is fine. You are not trying to hit a bull’s‑eye every single day. You are trying to keep a weekly average that supports your goal while still feeling human. If your trend is slower than expected after two to four weeks, nudge your target down by 100–200 calories and reassess. If you are losing faster than planned, raise calories a little or choose a smaller deficit.

How to use a tdee calculator to lose weight

Start by entering age, sex, height, and weight. Choose an activity level that reflects your average week, not your best day. The calculator estimates your BMR with Mifflin‑St Jeor by default, or Katch‑McArdle if you know body fat percentage. It then multiplies BMR by an activity factor to get your TDEE. From there, pick a deficit: either a weekly loss target or a percent of TDEE. The app shows your daily calorie goal, an estimated weekly weight change, and an optional time‑to‑goal if you add a target weight.

Want to compare methods or plan a maintenance phase? Try our maintenance calorie calculator for a straight read on TDEE without a deficit. If your focus is on the size of the shortfall itself, the calorie deficit calculator lets you work directly with percentages and daily differences.

How to pick a safe calorie deficit

For most adults, a modest deficit works best. Common starting points land around 10% to 20% below TDEE. In absolute terms, that is often 300–500 kcal per day for typical intakes. These ranges exist for a reason: they are far easier to maintain, allow you to train and recover, and reduce the urge to rebound. More aggressive approaches can produce faster scale changes in the short term, but they also increase hunger and fatigue and can interfere with sleep and resistance training quality.

A practical rule of thumb is to make the smallest change that moves the needle. If you have a big social week ahead, choose the lower end of the range. If life is calmer and you enjoy structure, you can experiment near the higher end. The calculator supports both by offering quick presets and an exact percent option. If you prefer to plan in grams and meals, the macro calculator for weight loss is a helpful companion.

Weekly loss vs. % of TDEE

Both methods arrive at the same idea: create an energy gap. Picking a weekly loss target translates that goal into calories using the energy cost of body fat (≈3,500 kcal per pound; ≈7,700 kcal per kilogram). Choosing a percent of TDEE sets the shortfall relative to your daily needs. If you like clear timelines, weekly is simple. If you like neat percentages and quick math, the percent approach is tidy. You can switch between modes at any time to see the equivalent numbers.

If you are earlier in your journey, stay conservative. Real life varies, and your weight can drift up or down a little day to day due to water and glycogen. A steady 10%–15% reduction is far easier to live with than a severe cut. You can always tighten later. When in doubt, compare against your trend every two to four weeks and adjust in small steps.

Choosing the right activity level

Your activity factor is a multiplier on BMR. If you sit most of the day and rarely exercise, start with “Sedentary.” If you train 3–5 days per week and walk a bit, “Moderately active” is often right. Very active jobs or near‑daily training may justify a higher factor. When unsure, pick the lowest honest label. It is better to notice the trend and adjust up than to overestimate and chase a stall. For broad movement guidance, the CDC’s Physical Activity Basics offer practical ranges for adults.

Remember that steps and informal movement add up. On weeks with more walking or sport, your appetite may feel higher — which is normal. The calculator cannot observe your steps, but your weekly average weight will reflect your reality. That is why you recalibrate using trends rather than single days.

BMR formulas (Mifflin vs Katch)

The calculator supports two well‑known resting energy equations. Mifflin‑St Jeor uses age, sex, height, and weight and performs well across a wide range of adults. Katch‑McArdle estimates BMR from lean body mass, which can be helpful when you know body fat percentage. If you are not sure of your body fat, stick with Mifflin first; it is robust and simple. Curious about your lean mass? Our body fat percentage calculator can give you a ballpark starting point.

If you want to double‑check your resting estimate or compare methods directly, you can explore the dedicated BMR calculator. For most people, the exact formula matters less than picking an honest activity level and making small, sustainable changes that you can repeat day after day.

Protein, fat, and carbs while dieting

Protein helps you stay full and maintain muscle while in a deficit. A practical target is about 1.6–2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight each day (≈0.7–1.0 g/lb). Set fats near 20%–35% of calories to support hormones and absorption of fat‑soluble vitamins. Fill the remaining calories with carbohydrates, which fuel training and day‑to‑day activity. The calculator can set protein from your body weight, allocate a fat percentage, and then calculate carbs from what is left. If you prefer working from ratios and meals up front, try the macro calculator for weight loss.

Once you have daily macro targets, divide them by the number of meals you normally eat. That way, your lunch does not have to guess what dinner will be. Keep things flexible: if one meal is a little higher in carbs, you can balance later in the day. Planning beats perfection. If you just want a protein anchor without changing everything else, the protein calculator for weight loss gives a single, clear number.

Adjusting your plan if progress stalls

Weight loss is not perfectly linear. Travel, stress, sleep, menstrual cycles, and daily steps all affect your scale weight. If your weekly average has not moved after two to four weeks, make one small change: reduce calories by 100–200, add a little extra walking, or improve sleep timing. Do not change everything at once. Reassess after another two weeks. If you are consistently hungrier than expected, consider a smaller deficit and prioritize lean protein and fiber.

Make sure your targets are realistic for your schedule. If your intake is far below your BMR or under common minimums (often cited around 1,200 kcal for many women and 1,500 kcal for many men), it is usually worth pulling back. Faster is not always better. If you are unsure, consider discussing your plan with a registered dietitian. For maintenance planning or diet breaks, switch over to our maintenance calorie calculator and hold steady for a few weeks.

Example plans and quick templates

Example A: You weigh 80 kg, are moderately active, and pick a 15% deficit. The calculator estimates TDEE at 2,600 kcal, so your target is about 2,210 kcal. Protein at 1.8 g/kg is 144 g (≈576 kcal). If fats are 30% (≈663 kcal), carbs take the rest (≈971 kcal → ≈243 g). Split across three meals: P 48 g, F 24 g, C 81 g each. If your weekly average weight drops faster than 0.5 kg, nudge calories up by ~100 and reassess.

Example B (weekly method): You prefer targets in pounds. You set 1.0 lb per week. That translates to ≈500 kcal per day. If your TDEE is 2,350 kcal, your goal is ≈1,850 kcal. You choose protein at 0.9 g/lb, fats at 25%, and let carbs float. After two weeks, you notice strength is fine but hunger is high in the evening. You increase meal count from three to four using the per‑meal display. The change smooths your day and helps you stick to the plan.

Example C (goal weight): You weigh 95 kg and want to reach 82 kg. You set a 12% deficit and enter 82 kg as your goal. The calculator estimates about 26–30 weeks at your current rate. That timeline feels long, so you plan phases: eight weeks of deficit, two weeks near maintenance, repeat. You bookmark your plan and copy the macro targets. During maintenance phases, use the TDEE calculator to check that your weight stabilizes.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overestimating activity: choose the lowest label that fits your usual week. It is easier to adjust up than down.
• Going too hard too fast: severe deficits are harder to maintain and can hurt training quality and sleep.
• Ignoring protein: a steady protein target helps with fullness and muscle retention.
• Changing everything at once: adjust one variable at a time and watch the trend.
• Comparing single days: use weekly averages for weight and calories; day‑to‑day swings are normal.

If you like building plans from food first, try our macro calculator and the calorie calculator as flexible companions. Each tool uses trailing‑slash URLs, so you can quickly return to saved bookmarks later.

References

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity Basics. CDC
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Health Tips for Adults: Healthy Weight. NIDDK — Weight Management

None of the above is medical advice. These tools are for planning and education only. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or take medication that affects appetite or water balance, talk with your clinician or a registered dietitian about individualized targets.

Frequently Asked Questions