TDEE: Total Daily Energy Expenditure

TDEE is the total calories an athlete burns per day, including resting metabolism, daily activity and training.

Key takeaways

TDEE = BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF
Equations are starting points, not absolutes
Adjust from real weight trends, not formulas alone
Recalculate every 6–8 weeks during a goal phase

Definition

TDEE = BMR + NEAT + EAT + TEF — Basal Metabolic Rate, Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, Exercise Activity Thermogenesis and the Thermic Effect of Food. Add them and you have the daily calorie maintenance number.

How to estimate TDEE

Mifflin–St Jeor for BMR, then multiply by an activity factor (1.2–1.9). Reasonable for population averages but inaccurate for individuals — best used as a starting point and adjusted from real-world weight trends.

A better method: track calorie intake and weight for 2 weeks. Maintenance is the intake at which weight is stable.