What TDEE means, and where the multipliers come from.
Total daily energy expenditure explained: resting energy times a physical activity level, with the FAO/WHO/UNU examples the page uses.
By Suraj Kumar2 min read
TDEE is the energy you use in a whole day. It is worked out as resting energy times a number for how active you are.
The activity number.
The physical activity level, PAL, is a day's energy divided by resting energy. The FAO/WHO/UNU report puts sedentary or light lifestyles at 1.40 to 1.69, active ones at 1.70 to 1.99 and vigorous ones at 2.00 to 2.40, with 1.53, 1.76 and 2.25 as its examples.
Your own number.
If you know your level from a tracker or a dietitian, set it exactly under More options; the answer is said in kilocalories and kilojoules.
An estimate.
Two people with the same numbers can differ by a few hundred calories a day. Treat the answer as a place to start and watch what happens over weeks.
Further reading
Topics: tdee calculator · what is tdee · total daily energy expenditure · activity multiplier · physical activity level
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