How TDEE is estimated
TDEE is your basal metabolic rate multiplied by an activity factor. The factors in One Fitness Hub's calculator are 1.2 for sedentary, 1.375 for light, 1.465 for moderate, 1.55 for active, 1.725 for very active and 1.9 for extra active. These levels already include exercise, so do not add your workouts on top of them.
A worked example
A resting energy of 1,483 kcal a day with a moderate activity factor of 1.465 gives an estimated TDEE of about 2,173 kcal a day. This is the labelled example in the TDEE & macro calculator.
Using the number
TDEE is often called maintenance calories: an estimate of the intake at which weight stays roughly steady. Scenarios a little below or above it are arithmetic, not a prescription or a promise of how fast weight will change. The app converts a pound of body weight at 3,500 kcal, which is the usual rule of thumb.
Limits
TDEE comes from a population equation and a rough activity level, so it is an estimate. Compare it with your food log and your weight trend over several weeks. These are fitness estimates for adults 18 and over, not medical or dietary advice.
Adjusting it over time
Treat the first estimate as a starting point. After a few weeks of logging food and weigh-ins, compare what happened with what the estimate predicted. If your weight moved more or less than expected, adjust the intake or the activity level and look again, since the estimate improves with your own data.
In One Fitness Hub
- The TDEE & macro calculator shows maintenance, a scenario 10% below or above it, and a protein, carbohydrate and fat split.
- The calorie calculator shows daily calories for different weekly weight-change paces.
- In Nutrition setup you choose how exercise is counted: inside your activity level, added from the workouts you log, or not at all.
Common questions
Is TDEE the same as BMR?
No. BMR estimates the energy used at rest. TDEE estimates a whole day, including activity.
How accurate is TDEE?
It is an estimate. Check it against your own food log and weight trend over time.
Should I add my workouts to my TDEE?
Not when you use an activity level that already includes exercise. In the app's Nutrition setup you choose how exercise is counted, so it is only counted once.
Related terms
- BMR: BMR, or basal metabolic rate, is an estimate of the energy your body uses at rest, before any daily activity.
- Macros: Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three nutrients that provide calories: protein, carbohydrate and fat.
- Fasting window: A fasting window is the stretch of time, usually a set number of hours, during which you choose not to eat, followed by an eating window.
Keep reading
General education and fitness estimates, not medical or dietary advice. Figures from the app are informational and are not reviewed by a certified personal trainer.