See exactly how your Total Daily Energy Expenditure is calculated. Enter your daily steps from your fitness tracker, and watch every formula and calculation unfold step by step.
If provided, we'll use the Katch-McArdle formula instead of Mifflin-St Jeor
Enter your average daily steps to see how they contribute to your calorie burn
You understand how your TDEE works. Now hit your daily targets with BiteKit - just speak or type what you ate and AI handles the rest.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculation involves multiple steps. Understanding each step helps you make better decisions about your nutrition and know exactly where your calorie target comes from.
Before calculating TDEE, we first need your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). There are two primary formulas:
The most widely used and accurate formula for the general population. Uses weight, height, age, and gender.
Men: BMR = (10 × weightkg) + (6.25 × heightcm) - (5 × age) + 5
Women: BMR = (10 × weightkg) + (6.25 × heightcm) - (5 × age) - 161
More accurate when body fat percentage is known. Ideal for athletes or those with above/below average muscle mass.
Step 1: Lean Body Mass = Weight × (1 - Body Fat %)
Step 2: BMR = 370 + (21.6 × Lean Body Masskg)
After calculating BMR, we multiply by an activity factor to get TDEE. Here's what each multiplier represents and how to choose:
| Activity Level | Multiplier | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | × 1.2 | Desk job, minimal walking, no exercise. You sit most of the day. |
| Lightly Active | × 1.375 | Light exercise 1-3 days per week. Casual walking, yoga, light housework. |
| Moderately Active | × 1.55 | Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week. Regular gym sessions, jogging, cycling. |
| Very Active | × 1.725 | Hard exercise 6-7 days per week. Daily intense workouts, sports training. |
| Extremely Active | × 1.9 | Very hard exercise plus physical job. Professional athletes, construction workers who train. |
Pro tip: Most people overestimate their activity level. When in doubt, choose one level lower than you think. You can always adjust based on real-world results.
If you use a fitness tracker, you can add your daily step count to get a more accurate TDEE. Walking burns calories based on your body weight - heavier people burn more calories per step.
We use a weight-adjusted formula for accurate calorie estimation:
Calories from Steps = Steps × Weight (kg) × 0.0005
This accounts for the fact that moving a heavier body requires more energy.
| Daily Steps | 60 kg (132 lbs) | 70 kg (154 lbs) | 80 kg (176 lbs) | 90 kg (198 lbs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,000 steps | 150 cal | 175 cal | 200 cal | 225 cal |
| 8,000 steps | 240 cal | 280 cal | 320 cal | 360 cal |
| 10,000 steps | 300 cal | 350 cal | 400 cal | 450 cal |
| 15,000 steps | 450 cal | 525 cal | 600 cal | 675 cal |
Note: If you already selected a higher activity level that accounts for walking, adding steps might double-count some activity. Use daily steps primarily if you selected "Sedentary" or "Lightly Active" and want to track walking separately.
Let's walk through a complete example for a 30-year-old male, 180 lbs (81.6 kg), 5'10" (177.8 cm), moderately active:
Step 1: Convert to Metric
Weight: 180 lbs × 0.453592 = 81.6 kg
Height: 70 inches × 2.54 = 177.8 cm
Step 2: Calculate BMR (Mifflin-St Jeor, Male)
BMR = (10 × 81.6) + (6.25 × 177.8) - (5 × 30) + 5
BMR = 816 + 1111.25 - 150 + 5
BMR = 1,782 calories/day
Step 3: Apply Activity Multiplier (Moderately Active)
TDEE = 1,782 × 1.55
TDEE = 2,762 calories/day
Result
This person burns approximately 2,762 calories per day. To lose weight, they would eat around 2,262 calories (-500 deficit). To gain muscle, around 3,262 calories (+500 surplus).
By seeing each step, you can verify the calculation is correct and catch any input errors.
See exactly how each factor (age, weight, activity) affects your calorie needs.
If results don't match reality, you'll know which factor to adjust (usually activity level).
Understanding the formulas helps you become more knowledgeable about nutrition science.
Your TDEE changes over time. Recalculate when:
TDEE is calculated in steps: First, convert your measurements to metric if needed. Second, calculate your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula (or Katch-McArdle if body fat is known). Third, multiply your BMR by an activity factor. The result is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure.
For men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age) + 5. For women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age) - 161. Then TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier.
Sedentary = 1.2, Lightly Active = 1.375, Moderately Active = 1.55, Very Active = 1.725, Extremely Active = 1.9. These multipliers account for the additional calories burned through daily activities and exercise.
Seeing the calculation steps helps you understand how your calorie needs are determined, verify the math, and learn how different factors affect your TDEE. This knowledge helps you make better nutrition decisions.
Use Katch-McArdle when you know your body fat percentage. It's more accurate for athletes, very muscular individuals, or those with unusual body compositions since it accounts for lean body mass rather than just total weight.
For a balanced diet, allocate 30% to protein, 40% to carbs, and 30% to fat. Divide protein and carb calories by 4 (calories per gram) and fat calories by 9. Our calculator shows this step with your specific numbers.
Daily steps burn approximately 0.04-0.05 calories per step, depending on your weight. Our calculator uses the formula: Steps × Weight (kg) × 0.0005. For example, a 70kg person walking 10,000 steps burns about 350 additional calories. Enter your step count to see the exact calculation.
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