When it comes to fitness, nutrition, and physique goals, knowing your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is vital. It will set you up for success whether you’re trying to build muscle or lose fat.
This TDEE calculator calculates your calorie needs based on your age, height, weight, activity level, and body fat percentage. It also offers customized calorie and macronutrient recommendations for your goals.
1. Basal Metabolic Rate
BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories required to perform basic functions like breathing, digestion and regulating hormone levels. It accounts for about 60%-70% of total calories burned each day.
A person’s BMR can vary based on age, sex, weight, height and other factors. It’s also affected by your genetic makeup and your lifestyle.
It is important to understand your BMR, so you can make changes that will help you reach your fitness goals. For example, if you want to lose body fat, knowing your BMR might give you a good idea of what kind of diet will work for you.
Once you know your TDEE, you can start making changes to your eating plan and activity level that will help you burn more calories each day. For example, if your calculated TDEE is 2,000 calories, you can decrease your daily calorie intake by 250 and assess your progress. As you do this, make sure to keep logging your food to stay on track and maintain a healthy, consistent diet.
2. Activity Multipliers
There are multiple factors that influence the TDEE calculation, including physical activity, dietary-induced thermogenesis and the climate you spend your days in. However, it is very difficult to measure your TDEE accurately and it can vary day-to-day.
One of the best ways to estimate your TDEE is to use a tdee calculator. This calculator takes into account your sex, height, weight and activity levels to provide an accurate estimation of your daily energy needs.
The tdee calculator also includes an activity multiplier which takes your BMR into consideration when calculating your calorie requirements. If you are a fitness guru who wakes up every morning to run marathons, your activity multiplier will be higher than someone who spends all their time at work with little or no physical activity.
It is important to be honest when selecting your activity level as the tdee calculator formula will take this into account. You could be extremely active in the gym or you could just be walking a few miles per day.
3. Thermic Effect of Food
The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) is the number of calories your body burns while breaking down, absorbing, and storing food energy. This is usually 10% of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), but it can vary from person to person.
Proteins have the highest TEF at over 30%, followed by complex carbohydrates and fiber. While fats have the lowest TEF at 3%.
Your age, weight, sex, and overall body composition all affect the amount of TEF you lose when digesting your food. Also, your level of physical activity can impact your TEF.
A high-protein diet can increase the thermic effect of food, which helps boost your metabolism and burn more calories than if you ate a low-protein or higher-carb meal. This also induces satiety hormones and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.
4. Lean Body Mass
Lean Body Mass is the weight of everything in your body that is not fat, including skeletal muscle, bones, organs, and limbs. This is a vital part of understanding your body composition, which is important for overall health and fitness.
There are several ways to determine your LBM, one of which is a DEXA scan. However, this is expensive and is often not available to many people.
Another way to estimate your lean body mass is through a body fat scale. These scales use bioelectrical impedance technology to measure your body fat.
Alternatively, you can try hydrostatic weighing to calculate your body fat percentage. This method is more accurate than standard weighing and can be done at home or in a gym.