BMR vs. TDEE: What's the Difference?
Confused by fitness acronyms? Learn the difference between Basal Metabolic Rate and Total Daily Energy Expenditure.
If you're trying to lose weight or build muscle, you've probably encountered the terms BMR and TDEE. While they both relate to how many calories you burn, they measure very different things.
What is BMR?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body burns at rest. Think of it as the energy required just to keep you alive—breathing, circulating blood, and cell production.
- Accounts for: ~60-70% of daily calorie burn.
- Influenced by: Age, gender, height, weight, and genetics.
Calculate Yours: Use our BMR Calculator to find your baseline.
What is TDEE?
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn in a day, including activity. It takes your BMR and adds the calories burned through exercise and daily movement.
$$ TDEE = BMR \times Activity \ Multiplier $$
- Sedentary: BMR x 1.2
- Lightly Active: BMR x 1.375
- Moderately Active: BMR x 1.55
- Very Active: BMR x 1.725
Find Your Total: Our TDEE Calculator does the math for you based on your lifestyle.
Which One Matters for Weight Loss?
TDEE is the most important number for weight management.
- To Lose Weight: Eat below your TDEE (Caloric Deficit).
- To Gain Weight: Eat above your TDEE (Caloric Surplus).
- To Maintain: Eat at your TDEE.
Conclusion
Knowing your BMR is a good start, but your TDEE gives you the actionable number you need to reach your fitness goals.