December 9, 2025
This guide walks you through calculating your TDEE, choosing the right calorie deficit, and turning the numbers into practical eating targets so you can lose fat consistently without crashing your metabolism or your energy.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) estimates how many calories you burn per day, including activity.
Use a proven formula to estimate BMR, then multiply by an honest activity factor to get TDEE.
A smart deficit for most people is 15–25% below TDEE, balancing fat loss speed and sustainability.
Convert your calorie target into protein, carbs, and fats to keep muscle and control hunger.
Recalculate TDEE and adjust your deficit every 4–6 weeks as your weight, activity, or goals change.
This article uses evidence-based equations (Mifflin–St Jeor for BMR and standard activity multipliers) plus widely accepted clinical guidelines for safe weight loss (0.5–1% of body weight per week). The step-by-step list moves from calculating your TDEE, to setting a calorie deficit, to breaking that deficit into macros, and finally to adjusting over time based on real progress.
Most fat-loss frustration comes from guessing calories or using extremes. Knowing your TDEE and how to set a realistic deficit turns weight loss from guesswork into a predictable process. You’ll understand exactly why the numbers work, how hard you can safely push, and how to adapt when your body changes.
Before doing any calculations, gather the key data points: age, sex, height, current weight, and an honest picture of your weekly activity (structured exercise plus general movement). These inputs are required for any TDEE equation. Also decide your goal: moderate, steady fat loss vs. aggressive short phase. Knowing your timeline and tolerance for hunger, social flexibility, and training performance will help you choose the right deficit later.
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BMR is the calories your body burns at rest. A commonly used, reasonably accurate equation for most people is the Mifflin–St Jeor formula. For men: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) – 5 × age (years) + 5. For women: BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) – 5 × age (years) – 161. Convert pounds to kilograms (divide by 2.2) and inches to centimeters (multiply by 2.54) if needed. This gives a baseline before activity, and you’ll multiply it by an activity factor next.
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TDEE calculations are only a starting estimate; the real power comes from combining the math with consistent tracking and small, data-driven adjustments over time.
Moderate, sustainable deficits paired with adequate protein and resistance training preserve more muscle mass and improve long-term adherence compared to aggressive, crash-style approaches.
Most fat-loss plateaus are explained not by a “broken metabolism” but by reduced body weight lowering true TDEE and small, untracked increases in food or decreases in movement.
Converting abstract calorie targets into practical macros and familiar meals removes decision fatigue and makes it much easier to stay consistent day after day.
Frequently Asked Questions
TDEE is always an estimate, but a well-calculated TDEE puts you very close to your real maintenance for most people. You don’t need perfect accuracy; you just need to be close enough to start, then refine using your weight trends over 2–4 weeks. Calculating TDEE gives your deficit a clear, logical base instead of guessing or copying someone else’s calories.
For most adults, routinely eating below 1200 calories (women) or 1500 calories (men) is not recommended unless under medical supervision. Very low intakes increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, and binge–restrict cycles. It’s usually more effective to use a moderate deficit, prioritize protein and strength training, and give yourself enough calories to move, recover, and think clearly.
Your true TDEE does change day to day, but you don’t have to adjust calories daily unless you prefer it. Many people use a single weekly average calorie target for simplicity. Others like slightly higher calories on training days and slightly lower on rest days while keeping the weekly average deficit the same. Both approaches work as long as the weekly average matches your planned deficit.
Calories are the primary driver of fat loss, but macros shape body composition and how you feel. You can lose fat by only tracking calories, but getting enough protein (and a reasonable balance of carbs and fats) helps preserve muscle, control hunger, and support training. At a minimum, track calories and protein; adjust carbs and fats around your preferences and energy needs.
Recalculate or at least review your TDEE and deficit every 4–6 weeks or after losing about 3–5% of your starting body weight. As you get lighter, your TDEE decreases slightly. If progress stalls for 2–3 weeks and adherence has been solid, update your weight in the equation, estimate a new TDEE, and implement a small calorie change of 150–250 calories per day.
Calculating your TDEE and setting a smart calorie deficit turns fat loss into a clear, testable plan instead of a gamble. Start with a solid TDEE estimate, choose a moderate deficit, set protein-focused macros, and then adjust every few weeks based on your real-world results. With that simple system, you can reliably move toward your goal while keeping your energy, muscle, and sanity intact.
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TDEE is BMR plus all activity. Multiply your BMR by an activity multiplier that best matches your week: 1.2 (sedentary, mainly sitting, little exercise), 1.375 (lightly active, light exercise 1–3 days/week), 1.55 (moderately active, moderate exercise 3–5 days/week), 1.725 (very active, hard exercise 6–7 days/week or physically demanding job), 1.9 (extra active, athlete-level training or heavy manual labor + extra exercise). Choose the lowest factor that still feels accurate; most people overestimate activity, which leads to stalled fat loss.
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Multiply your BMR by your chosen activity factor to get your TDEE: TDEE = BMR × activity factor. This is your estimated maintenance calories—the amount likely to keep your weight stable over a couple of weeks. Think of it as a starting hypothesis, not a perfect truth. You’ll validate it in real life by tracking weight and measurements. If you have data from a fitness tracker or a food log with stable weight, compare that to your calculated TDEE; if they’re close, you can be more confident in the number.
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A sensible fat-loss target for most is 0.5–1% of body weight per week. For many, this corresponds to a 15–25% calorie deficit below TDEE. Smaller people or those lean already should lean toward 10–20%; those with more weight to lose can tolerate 20–25%. Aggressive deficits (>25%) increase muscle loss, hunger, and rebound risk. Example: TDEE of 2400 calories. A 20% deficit is 480 calories. 2400 – 480 ≈ 1900 calories per day. Choose the mildest deficit that still feels motivating given your timeline.
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Once you know your daily calories, set macros to protect muscle and manage hunger. Common starting points: protein 1.6–2.2 g/kg of body weight (0.7–1.0 g/lb), fats 0.6–0.8 g/kg (0.25–0.35 g/lb), and the remaining calories from carbs. Example: 80 kg person, 1900 calories. Protein at 2 g/kg = 160 g (640 calories). Fat at 0.7 g/kg = 56 g (504 calories). Remaining calories: 1900 – 640 – 504 = 756 calories from carbs ≈ 189 g. Adjust carbs and fats around training preference and satiety, but keep protein high.
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Example: 35-year-old woman, 5'5" (165 cm), 75 kg, moderately active (exercise 3–4 times/week). Step 1: BMR using Mifflin–St Jeor: 10×75 + 6.25×165 – 5×35 – 161 = 750 + 1031.25 – 175 – 161 ≈ 1445 calories. Step 2: TDEE = 1445 × 1.55 ≈ 2240 calories. Step 3: Choose 20% deficit: 2240 × 0.8 ≈ 1790 calories. Step 4: Macros: protein 2 g/kg = 150 g (600 cals), fat 0.7 g/kg = 52 g (468 cals), carbs = 1790 – 600 – 468 = 722 cals ≈ 180 g carbs. This becomes her daily starting plan.
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Numbers are only useful if they reach your plate. Divide daily protein, carbs, and fats into 2–4 main meals and optional snacks. Example for 150 g protein: 4 meals with ~35–40 g each (chicken breast, Greek yogurt, tofu, eggs). Put most carbs around training and earlier in the day if it improves energy. Use high-volume, lower-calorie foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein) to stay full. Pre-plan 1–2 go-to breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that roughly match your targets to minimize daily decision fatigue.
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Your TDEE and deficit plan is a hypothesis. Test it with data over 2–4 weeks. Track: body weight (ideally 3–7 times per week, same conditions), weekly average weight, waist and hip measurements every 1–2 weeks, progress photos monthly, plus subjective markers like energy, hunger, and training performance. Expect normal fluctuations from water, sodium, and hormones. What matters is the trend. If your weekly weight average is dropping about 0.5–1% of body weight per week and you feel okay, you’re on target.
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Revisit your TDEE and deficit every 4–6 weeks or once you’ve lost ~3–5% of your body weight. If you’re not losing at least 0.5% per week on average, you’re likely at or near maintenance: reduce calories by 150–250 per day, usually from carbs and/or fats. If you’re losing faster than 1–1.2% per week and feel exhausted or weak, increase calories by 100–200 per day. As you lose weight, your true TDEE drops slightly; modest adjustments keep fat loss moving without resorting to drastic changes.
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If you’ve been in a deficit for 8–12+ weeks, hunger, cravings, and fatigue often rise. A planned diet break—1–2 weeks at estimated maintenance calories, with protein still high—can help restore energy and adherence without erasing progress. Short single-day refeeds mainly help psychologically, not physiologically. Keep structure: similar foods and macros, just more carbs and overall calories. When returning to your deficit, use your latest maintenance estimate (based on recent weight trends), not your original TDEE.
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