BMR
Basal metabolic rate is what your body burns at complete rest just to stay alive — breathing, heart, brain. It's usually 60–70% of your daily burn.
TDEE
Total daily energy expenditure adds everything else: daily movement and steps, exercise, and digesting food. It's your 'maintenance' calories.
Using the number
- Lose fat: eat ~10–25% below TDEE
- Maintain: eat at TDEE
- Gain muscle: eat ~5–15% above TDEE
It's an estimate
Calculators can be off by 10% or more. Use the number for 2–3 weeks, watch your weekly average weight, then adjust by 100–200 calories.