What Contributes most to your total Daily Energy Expenditure?
EAT, TEF, NEAT, BMR… what even are those things?! Let’s break down the common misconceptions about what contributes to your total daily energy expenditure!
There are a ton of misconceptions about about Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). When I start working with clients, many are under the impression that if they just work out more frequently that it will be the answer to their fat loss goals. And yes, structured time in the gym is a crucial part of any fitness regimen but your 1 hour workout is not going to burn as many calories as you think…
If you’re like most people, your understanding of Total Daily Energy Expenditure probably looks a little something like this…
When in reality, it actually looks like this…
Let’s break down the 4 factors that contribute to TDEE and some of the common misconceptions about them!
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
BMR is the largest contributing factor to how much energy we burn in a day. If you were in a coma, this is how much energy your body would require for basic functions like breathing, pumping blood, and cell production. You need calories to live, period. Most people hardly even think about BMR, when in reality it makes up ~70% of your TDEE!
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
This one will probably surprise you! Whereas most people assume that time spent in the gym is what we have the most control over when it comes to fat loss, NEAT is actually what we have the most control over when it comes to altering TDEE. NEAT is how active you are throughout the day OUTSIDE of the gym. How many steps are you taking? Do you sit all day? Take the stairs? Pace while you’re on phone calls? NEAT makes up ~15% of TDEE and is the best lever that you can pull to effect your TDEE.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
TEF is how much energy your body requires to digest and absorb the foods that you eat. Protein requires the most energy to metabolize, then carbs, then fat. This is just one reason why the composition of your diet does matter!
Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (EAT)
Finally we’ve arrived at EAT; aka how much energy you burn through exercise. It’s actually responsible for the smallest amount of energy burned each day. And that’s because for most people, exercise only makes up a few hours each week. This doesn’t mean that exercise isn’t important (that’s a whole different post), it just means that it isn’t the most important factor when considering energy expenditure
The TLDR here is that although most people assume that exercise is the make it or break it when it comes to energy expenditure and therefore fat loss, it’s just not the truth. The factor that we have the most control over is NEAT, which means if your goal is to increase TDEE, you’d be best served by getting yourself moving outside of the gym. Go for a walk, park your car further away when you run errands, take an extra lap around the grocery store, make it a walking meeting, etc. Be informed about the different ways that your body burns energy so that you can be empowered to make a change!
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