What TDEE means

What is TDEE?

TDEE stands for total daily energy expenditure. It is an estimate of how many calories your body burns in a full day, including basic body functions, everyday movement, exercise, and digestion.

Think of TDEE as your maintenance level: if you eat roughly this many calories over time, your weight is expected to stay about the same.

How nærwert uses TDEE

During onboarding, nærwert estimates your TDEE from your profile details:

• Age
• Sex
• Height
• Current weight
• Activity level

nærwert then adjusts from that maintenance estimate based on your selected goal:

• Lose weight: a calorie deficit below TDEE
• Maintain weight: calories near TDEE
• Gain weight: a calorie surplus above TDEE
• Build muscle: a smaller, leaner surplus with a higher protein target

For the gain and build-muscle goals, nærwert also scales your protein to your body weight. See How nærwert sets your protein and bulking rate for the details and the research behind it.

You can review and change the suggested target before finishing onboarding.

Why it is only an estimate

TDEE is a starting point, not a perfect measurement. Real calorie needs vary with training, daily movement, sleep, stress, hormones, water retention, and food tracking accuracy.

Use the first few weeks as feedback. If your trend is not moving as expected, adjust your calorie target gradually instead of making a large sudden change.

A safe approach

Avoid aggressive calorie cuts or rapid weight changes. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, are recovering from an eating disorder, or are unsure what target is appropriate, speak with a qualified healthcare professional.