Are you struggling to lose weight or maintain your current weight? One important factor to consider is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). By calculating this, you can determine how many calories you need to consume to reach your weight goals. In this article, we'll explain how to use the TDEE Calculator to reach your health and fitness goals.
Understanding TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the amount of calories burnt by your body in the span of a day, including physical activity. This determines the amount of calories you need to consume to maintain, gain or lose weight.
How to calculate TDEE
Calculating TDEE using the formula TDEE = BMR x Activity Factor involves two steps:
Step 1: Calculate your BMR using the following formula.
BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (years) + 5
For example, let's say you are a 30-year-old female who weighs 65 kg and is 165 cm tall. To calculate your BMR, you would plug in the numbers like this:
BMR = 10 x 65 + 6.25 x 165 - 5 x 30 + 5
BMR = 650 + 1031.25 - 150 + 5
BMR = 1536.25
So your BMR is 1536.25 calories per day.
Step 2: Multiply your BMR by your activity factor to calculate your TDEE.
Your activity factor depends on how active you are. Here are the different activity factors and their corresponding activity levels:
Sedentary: 1.2
Lightly active: 1.375
Moderately active: 1.55
Very active: 1.725
Super active: 1.9
Let's say you are lightly active, so your activity factor is 1.375. To calculate your TDEE, you would plug in your BMR and activity factor like this:
TDEE = BMR x Activity Factor
TDEE = 1536.25 x 1.375
TDEE = 2111.33
What is the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) Calculator?
TDEE Calculator is a tool that estimates the calories burnt by your body in a day based on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level. By calculating your TDEE, you can determine the amount of calories you need to consume to stick to your current weight, gain weight, or lose weight.
Level of Activity
Activity level plays a significant role in determining how many calories your body burns on a daily basis. Essentially, the more active you are, the more energy your body needs to sustain itself. This is because physical activity not only burns calories directly but also increases your metabolic rate, causing your body to burn more calories even at rest.
Sedentary individuals who engage in little to no exercise typically have a lower total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) compared to those who lead more active lifestyles. Lightly active individuals who exercise one to three days a week experience a slight increase in calorie expenditure. Moderately active individuals, who exercise three to five days a week, burn even more calories, followed by active individuals who exercise six to seven days a week.
At the highest end of the spectrum, active individuals engage in hard exercise six to seven days a week, resulting in the highest TDEE among the activity levels. It's important to consider your activity level accurately when determining your caloric needs, as underestimating or overestimating can impact your weight management goals and overall health. Finding the right balance between exercise and calorie intake is key to achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The four main components of Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) are:
1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): This is the amount of energy your body needs to maintain basic physiological functions while at rest. It includes processes like breathing, circulation, cell production, and maintaining body temperature. BMR typically accounts for the largest portion of TDEE, around 60-75% for most individuals.
2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): When you eat, your body needs energy to digest, absorb, and metabolise the nutrients from the food. This energy expenditure is known as the thermic effect of food. Different macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) require different amounts of energy for digestion, with proteins typically requiring the most energy, followed by carbohydrates and fats.
3. Physical Activity Level (PAL): PAL represents the energy expended through various forms of physical activity, including structured exercise, occupational activities, and daily tasks such as household chores or walking to work. PAL can vary greatly depending on an individual's lifestyle, occupation, and exercise habits. Those with more active lifestyles will have higher PALs and, therefore, higher TDEEs.
4. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT): NEAT refers to the energy expended through non-exercise movements, such as walking, standing, fidgeting, and maintaining posture. While NEAT doesn't involve structured exercise, it can significantly contribute to TDEE, especially for individuals with sedentary lifestyles. Increasing NEAT activities like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or standing while working can help boost overall energy expenditure.
TDEE calculators can be used primarily for weight management goals like losing fat, gaining muscle, or maintaining their physique. The process involves adjusting calorie intake based on three principles:
Consuming more than TDEE leads to weight gain, with a recommended surplus of 5-10% for muscle gain.
Eating below TDEE facilitates fat loss, with a suggested deficit of 20-25%, especially effective when combined with sufficient protein intake and strength training.
Matching caloric intake to TDEE supports weight maintenance, ideal for individuals satisfied with their physique and no longer pursuing bulking or cutting phases.
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How does the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) Calculator work?
The TDEE Calculator works by using a formula that considers your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and your physical activity level. By combining these two factors, the TDEE Calculator provides an estimate of your daily calorie burn.
How to use the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) Calculator
To use the TDEE Calculator, you will need to input the following information:
Your age
Your sex
Your height
Your weight
Your physical activity level
Why TDEE is important for weight management
Knowing your TDEE is important for weight management because it helps you to know how many calories you need to consume to maintain, gain or lose weight.
If you consume more calories than your TDEE, you will gain weight.
If you consume fewer calories than your TDEE, you will lose weight.
It is important to note that weight management is not just about calories in versus calories out. The quality of the calories you consume is also important. Consuming a diet that is high in processed foods and sugar can lead to weight gain and other health problems.
How to use your TDEE to reach your weight goals
Once you are familiar with your TDEE, you can use it to know how many calories you need to consume to reach your weight goals.
To lose weight, you will need to create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your TDEE.
To gain weight, you will need to consume more calories than your TDEE.
To maintain your weight, you will need to consume the same number of calories as your TDEE.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. Please consult a doctor before making any health-related decisions.
