What is TDEE?

Bottom lineTDEE is total daily energy expenditure - all the calories you burn in a day, combining BMR (60-70%), everyday movement, digestion, and exercise; it's estimated by multiplying BMR (from the Mifflin-St Jeor formula) by an activity factor of 1.2-1.9, and eating at TDEE holds your weight steady.

TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure - the number of calories your body burns in a full day, counting everything: keeping you alive, digesting food, moving around, and exercising. It is the single most useful number in nutrition, because eating at your TDEE maintains your weight, below it loses, above it gains.

What TDEE is made of

• BMR (basal metabolic rate) - 60-70% of the total for most women. What you burn at complete rest: breathing, circulation, brain, cell repair.
• NEAT (non-exercise activity) - walking, fidgeting, housework, standing. Surprisingly large and highly variable between people.
• TEF (thermic effect of food) - digesting costs about 10% of intake; protein costs the most, which is one reason higher-protein diets help with weight management.
• Exercise - deliberate workouts. Usually a smaller share than people assume.

How it's estimated

Formulas like Mifflin-St Jeor estimate BMR from weight, height, age, and sex, then multiply by an activity factor from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active). The result is typically within about 10% of measured values - good enough to start, then adjust from real-world results over 2-3 weeks.

What moves TDEE in women

• Cycle phase: the luteal phase runs roughly 100-300 kcal/day hotter than the follicular phase
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: substantial, structured increases (+340 to +452 kcal in later pregnancy; +330 to +400 while nursing)
• Muscle mass: the main lever you control - more muscle means a higher BMR, which is why strength training matters more with age, especially through menopause

Calculate yours: calorie calculator (returns BMR, TDEE, and a goal target) · how many calories do I need