Eat more to lose more
- nancy dehra
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
🧠 What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure — it’s the total number of calories your body burns in a day. It includes all the ways your body uses energy:
🔢 TDEE Formula
TDEE = BMR + TEF + EEE + NEAT
ComponentMeaningBMRBasal Metabolic Rate — energy used at rest (for breathing, organs, etc.)TEFThermic Effect of Food — calories burned during digestionEEEExercise Energy Expenditure — calories burned during workoutsNEATNon-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis — calories burned through movement outside of exercise (e.g., walking, cleaning, fidgeting)
✍️ Let’s break it down with two realistic client examples:
👩💼 Example 1: Priya – Office Job, Active Lifestyle
Age: 28
Height: 160 cm
Weight: 60 kg
Activity Level: No gym, but walks 10,000 steps/day and cooks, cleans
Food Intake: 1900 kcal
Exercise: 0 structured workouts
🔍 Her TDEE Calculation:
ComponentEstimateBMR~1350 kcal (via Mifflin-St Jeor formula)TEF~10% of 1900 = 190 kcalEEE0 kcalNEAT~350 kcal (lots of daily movement)
➡️ TDEE = 1350 + 190 + 0 + 350 = 1890 kcal
✅ Even without gym, she maintains her weight due to high NEAT!
🧑💻 Example 2: Rahul – Gym-goer but Sedentary Job
Age: 30
Height: 175 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Activity Level: 1-hour weight training, but sits at desk 10 hours/day
Food Intake: 2200 kcal
Exercise: Gym 1 hour/day, 5x a week
🔍 His TDEE Calculation:
ComponentEstimateBMR~1700 kcalTEF~10% of 2200 = 220 kcalEEE~300 kcal (gym session)NEAT~100 kcal (minimal daily movement)
➡️ TDEE = 1700 + 220 + 300 + 100 = 2320 kcal
⚠️ Despite training hard, his low NEAT reduces his overall burn.
💡 Key Takeaway for Your Clients:
You don’t need to kill yourself in the gym to burn more calories. Just move more throughout the day — walk more, stand up regularly, take stairs, do chores — this is NEAT, and it can make a huge difference in fat loss and energy balance.
📉 CALORIES MATTER MOST FOR WEIGHT LOSS: Here’s Why
When it comes to fat loss, calories are king 👑
No matter what diet you follow — keto, low carb, intermittent fasting, vegan — you will only lose weight if you’re in a calorie deficit. That means you’re eating fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.
✅ Weight loss = Calories In < Calories Out
🔢 HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR MAINTENANCE CALORIES
To find out how many calories your body needs to maintain weight, use this formula:
Maintenance Calories = BMR × Activity Factor
Where:
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) = The calories your body needs at rest
You can estimate BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation:
➤ For Women:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161
➤ For Men:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
Then multiply BMR by your Activity Factor:
Activity LevelFactorSedentary (little or no exercise)1.2Lightly active (light exercise 1-3 days/week)1.375Moderately active (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week)1.55Very active (hard exercise 6-7 days/week)1.725
🧮 EXAMPLE:
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Weight: 70 kg
Height: 165 cm
Activity level: Moderately active
Step 1: BMR= (10 × 70) + (6.25 × 165) – (5 × 30) – 161= 700 + 1031.25 – 150 – 161 = 1420.25 kcal
Step 2: Maintenance Calories= 1420.25 × 1.55 ≈ 2201 kcal/day
🔻 HOW TO CREATE A CALORIE DEFICIT FOR WEIGHT LOSS
To lose ~0.5 kg per week, you need a 500-calorie deficit per day.
So, from the example above:
Maintenance: 2200 kcal/day
Deficit: –500 kcal
Target for fat loss: 1700 kcal/day
You can create this deficit by:
Eating less
Moving more
Or a mix of both (most sustainable!)
🎁 BONUS STRATEGIES FOR FASTER + HEALTHIER FAT LOSS:
🥚 1. Increase Your Protein Intake
Protein keeps you full longer
Helps preserve muscle during weight loss
Aim for 1.2–2g protein per kg of body weight
Example: 70kg person = 84–140g protein/day
🏋️ 2. Add Resistance Training
Prevents muscle loss
Improves body composition
Boosts metabolism over time
👉 3–4 sessions/week of strength training can make a big difference.
💡 Final Thoughts
Yes, food quality matters. So do hormones, sleep, and stress. But when it comes to actual fat loss, a calorie deficit is non-negotiable.
Eat foods you love, build better habits, and stay consistent — that’s the real secret. ❤️
Comentarios