Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total amount of energy or calories your body burns in a 24-hour period. It encompasses all the energy your body uses for various functions and activities throughout the day.
TDEE is composed of several components:
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
BMR represents the energy your body needs to maintain essential life-sustaining functions like breathing, circulation, and brain function while at rest. It typically accounts for 60-75% of your TDEE.
Physical Activity
This includes both intentional exercise (Exercise Activity Thermogenesis or EAT) and non-exercise activity (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis or NEAT). NEAT covers activities like walking, cleaning, and even fidgeting.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
TEF is the energy required to digest, absorb, and metabolize the food you eat. It typically accounts for about 10% of your TDEE.
Adaptive Thermogenesis (AT)
AT refers to changes in energy expenditure in response to changes in energy balance, such as during periods of calorie restriction or overfeeding.
Your TDEE can vary based on factors such as:
Age
Sex
Height and weight
Body composition (particularly muscle mass)
Activity level
Genetics
Understanding your TDEE is crucial for weight management. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your TDEE. To gain weight, you need to consume more calories than your TDEE.
TDEE can be estimated using various formulas that take into account your BMR and activity level. However, these estimates may not be accurate for everyone, especially those with certain medical conditions or the elderly.
