TDEE vs BMR
Updated June 3, 2026
BMR and TDEE are related, but they answer different questions. BMR estimates resting energy use. TDEE estimates daily calorie burn after activity is included.
BMR is the resting estimate
BMR stands for basal metabolic rate. It estimates the calories your body uses at rest for basic functions. TDEE Lab uses Mifflin-St Jeor for BMR because it is common, transparent, and easy to explain.
TDEE adds the day around it
TDEE starts with BMR, then adds normal movement and exercise through an activity multiplier. This is why TDEE is the number people usually use for maintenance calories.
Example
If BMR is 1,700 calories and the selected activity multiplier is 1.55, estimated TDEE is about 2,635 calories. That does not mean the person should eat 1,700 calories; BMR is not the daily target.
Use the BMR calculator to inspect the resting estimate, then use the TDEE calculator to add activity.