CAlories In vs. Calories out
Ultimately, gaining, losing, or maintaining your weight is all about calories in versus calories out. Here we are talking about balance again. This is the cornerstone of weight loss. If you want to lose weight, you must be in a caloric deficit. You must consume less than you use. If you want to build muscle, you must consume more than you use so your body has the necessary energy for muscle growth.
However, all calories are not created equal. This is where counting macros comes in. The body processes and stores the three macronutrients differently and thus proper ratios of protein, fat, and carbohydrates should be applied to ensure that we are not only staying within our caloric guidelines but also nourishing our body for exercise and recovery. For example, to build muscle, adequate protein needs to be consumed, not just additional calories.
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
This is where we Start. Total Daily Energy Expenditure is the amount of calories your body needs every day to exist. This is your maintenance number. This is your baseline. This number is made up of 3 main components.
First, is your basal metabolic rate, or BMR. This is the rate at which the body uses energy while at rest to keep vital functions going. This includes breathing and temperature regulation. Up to 75% of our total daily energy expenditure comes from BMR.
Secondly, we have the thermic effect of activity. This is all non-exercise activity that we do throughout the day. Examples include walking to your car, or fidgeting. This makes up 15-30% of our total daily energy expenditure.
The third and final component is the thermic effect of food. This is the amount of calories (or energy) expended to digest and metabolize the food we eat. This number is approximately 10% of our TDEE.
