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You know that. You know that as long as they fit within your calorie limits. However, your problem is that you don’t know how many calories you need to maintain your weight. You want to know the best way to estimate your maintenance calorie needs, so you can use that information to,. That’s what you’re about to learn.
Let’s start by looking at the different ways your body burns calories. The 5 Factors that Determine Your Maintenance Calories 1. Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) This is roughly the number of calories you burn lying in bed, on an empty stomach, at a comfortable room temperature. Your BMR can change based on a number of factors, but it’s generally correlated with your lean body mass and to a lesser degree, your total body mass. 1,2 The larger your total body mass, the higher your BMR.
If a larger percentage of your body mass is muscle and other lean tissue, then you’ll burn even more calories. Most moderately active people burn about 60-75% of their calories from their basal/resting metabolic rate. 3-5 Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is your BMR plus the number of calories you burn digesting food, the number of extra calories you burn after exercise, and other small bodily functions. We’ll use basal metabolic rate in this article, because we’ll be discussing the other components separately. Your Activity Levels & Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption The biggest variable in your energy expenditure is how active you are — or your “thermic effect of activity” (TEA). The more you move, and the more intense your movements, the more calories you burn. The problem is that the number of calories someone burns through formal exercise.
If you’re moderately active, meaning you exercise around 30-60 minutes per day at a moderate to high intensity, the number of calories you burn through exercise will be around 15-30% above your resting metabolic rate. 3 You’ll learn how to estimate the calorie needs of people with higher energy expenditures in a moment. Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), aka “the after burn effect,” is the number of calories you burn after a workout that is due to the exercise. In most cases this isn’t significant, 6 and you can think of EPOC as a bonus for pushing yourself a little harder rather than something you need to count. The Thermic Effect of Your Food (TEF) This is the number of calories you burn digesting food. In most cases if you eat a well-balanced mixed diet.
7,8 If you eat 2,000 calories per day, you’ll burn about 200 calories digesting your food. In most cases, the TEF of your diet is small enough that it’s not worth counting. It’s also hard to estimate your TEF since it changes based on what and how much you eat. For example, if you eat 500 calories less per day, you’re already burning 50 fewer calories through TEF. It’s easier to ignore TEF when calculating your maintenance calories.
Your Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) & Non-Exercise Physical Activity (NEPA) Levels “NEAT” represents the number of calories you burn through subconscious movement throughout the day. 9 “NEPA” is the number of calories you burn though non-formal, yet intentional movement. The former would be like fidgeting; the latter is like carrying groceries. There are in people’s NEAT and NEPA levels, which makes them almost impossible to predict. 10 However, a good ballpark estimate is around 200-400 calories per day for NEAT and NEPA. If you’re extremely hyperactive, have an active job, and/or have awesome genetics, you might burn closer to 600-800 calories per day through NEAT and NEPA. The Adaptive Component This represents when you over- or under-eat.
In general, eating more increases your energy expenditure and eating less makes you burn fewer calories. 12-14 This change is caused by subtle shifts in your resting metabolic rate, activity levels, and NEAT and NEPA levels.
The adaptive component isn’t something you can easily measure, and it’s not worth trying to calculate when estimating your calorie needs. You should still keep this in mind, however, as you probably will need to adjust your calorie intake as you diet to account for these changes. Now let’s look at some of the common formulas for estimating your basal metabolic rate — the first aspect of your energy expenditure. How to Estimate Your Basal Metabolic Rate Researchers have developed several formulas for estimating your basal and resting metabolic rates. These algorithms use indirect respirometry data as their standard. 15 This means that researchers measure a bunch of people’s energy needs by analyzing the combination of gases expired in their breath, and then make formulas that account for different variables like gender, body mass, and body composition to help you estimate your calorie needs. Let’s look at the most accurate equations for predicting your basal and resting metabolic rate.
Then we’ll decide which one to use (if any). Here are the formulas we’ll examine:. The Katch-McArdle Equation. The Cunningham Formula. The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation. The Revised Harris-Benedict Equation.
The Owen Equation. The WHO/FAO/UNU Equation. The Aragon RMR Equation A 2005 review found that the Mifflin-St Jeor equation was more accurate than the Harris-Benedict, Owen, and WHO/FAO/UNU equations. 15 However, the Katch-McArdle is probably more accurate since it uses lean body mass instead of total body mass. Let’s start with that. The Katch-McArdle Formula BMR = 370 + (21.6 x Lean Body Mass (kg)) This is a newer formula that accounts for your lean body mass, which generally gives you a more accurate estimate of your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
16 Since most of the difference between a man’s and woman’s BMR is due to their amounts of lean mass, 1 this calculator works for both men and women. The downside is that you need to have a somewhat accurate estimate of your body composition.
You can use to perform the Katch-McArdle formula for you. The Cunningham Formula RMR = 500 + (22 x Lean Body Mass LBM in kg) This is basically the same as the Katch-McArdle Formula, except it’s designed to predict your resting metabolic rate rather than your basal metabolic rate. This means it will usually be a little higher. As you’ll see, however, the difference is minor. The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation Men: (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) – (4.92 x age) + 5 Women: (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) – (4.92 x age) – 161 The is one of the newest and more accurate formulas. 17 It tends to be about 10-20% more accurate than the other equations. It still has problems, however.
It doesn’t account for body composition, which means it might not be as accurate for athletes. It also tends to underestimate the energy needs of obese people, although even then it’s fairly accurate. 15 You can use to do this formula for you. The Revised Harris-Benedict Equation Men: BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 x weight in kg) + (4.799 x height in cm) – (5.677 x age in years) Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 x weight in kg) + (3.098 x height in cm) – (4.330 x age in years) This method uses the your total body weight to calculate your RMR. It assumes you have a fairly average body composition, which means it can underestimate the energy needs of very muscular people and overestimate the needs of obese people.
This formula was revised in 1984, but both equations will give you almost the same result. 18 I included the new one because I like to be complete. There was also a study in 1999 by De Lorenzo et al.
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That developed a new formula for predicting the resting metabolic rate of male athletes. 19 It was found to be more accurate than all of the other formulas tested: RMR (kcal/d) = -857 + 9.0 (weight in kg) + 11.7 (height in cm) Since this formula hasn’t been widely validated, and is still very similar to the others, you can forget about it for now. If you’d like to use the Harris-Benedict Formula to estimate your resting metabolic rate, Leigh Peele has as well. The Owen Equation Men: 879 + (10.2 x weight in kg) Women: 795 + (7.2 x weight in kg) This is an older equation that is generally not as accurate as the others. It’s not worth using at this point. The WHO/FAO/UNU Equation Men: 18-30 year old RMR = (15.4 x weight in kg) – (27 x height in meters) + 717 31-60 year old RMR = (11.3 x weight in kg) + (16 x height in meters) + 901 60 year old RMR = (8.8 x weight in kg) + (1128 x height in meters) – 1071 Women: 18-30 year old RMR = (13.3 x weight in kg) + (334 x height in meters) + 35 31-60 year old RMR = (8.7 x weight in kg) – (25 x height in meters) + 865 60 year old RMR = (9.2 x weight in kg) + (637 x height in meters) – 302 This equation generally overestimates people’s BMR and is becoming less popular.
20 There are two forms of this equation, one that only uses weight and one that uses your weight and height. I’ve only included the latter since you probably know how tall you are. The Aragon BMR Equation For Men and Women: 25.3 x lean body mass in kg 11.5 x lean body mass in pounds I first saw this simple formula in. It’s generally within about 5% of others and is much faster to use. Since there’s a margin of error with all of these equations, it makes sense to use the simplest one possible.
Comparing the Equations Let’s see how these formulas compare to one another. We’ll use “Don” as an example. Don is.
70 kilograms (154 pounds). 10% body fat. 175 cm tall (5’9).
25 years old. Here are his BMR/RMR maintenance calorie estimates using these different formulas: Katch-McArdle: 1731 Cunningham: 1886 Mifflin-St Jeor: 1676 Revised Harris-Benedict: 1760 Owen: 1593 WHO/FAO/UNU: 1748 Aragon: 1594 As you can see, all of these formulas are within 300 calories of each other. Since this is just an estimate, it makes the most sense to use Alan’s formula and save yourself a few minutes. At this point you know how to estimate your basal metabolic rate. Now you need to calculate how many calories you burn through formal exercise and daily movement. How to Estimate Your Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) After you’ve estimated your RMR, you can apply one of these physical activity factors to estimate your total energy needs.
Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job). BMR x 1.2 Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 3-5 days/week). BMR x 1.3-1.4 Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week). BMR x 1.5-1.6 Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days per week).
BMR x 1.7-1.8 Extremely Active (very hard daily exercise/sports and physical job or 2/day training). BMR x 1.9-2.0 In most cases these formulas are already high enough to account for the thermic effect of food, and TEF is generally small enough that you don’t need to worry about it any more. However, if you’re a completist then here’s how to calculate that as well: BMR x Activity Score X 1.1 = Total Energy Expenditure The Alan Aragon TEE Equation Alan Aragon has also developed an equation that you can use to predict your total energy needs that takes into account your activity levels. The same formula works for both men and women.
Here’s the equation in pounds. Total Energy Expenditure = Target bodyweight in pounds x (8-10 or 9-11 + average total weekly training hours). Here’s the equation in kilograms. Total Energy Expenditure = Target bodyweight in kilograms x ((8-10 or 9-11 + average total weekly training hours).
2.2) You can also adjust this formula to take into account your gender and differences in daily activity levels. If you’re a woman or someone with a sedentary lifestyle, use the “8-10” range. If you’re a man or someone with a more active lifestyle, then use the “9-11” range. This formula also accounts for the intensity of your exercise, including daily movement.
Woman or less active person: 8 = low intensity training. 9 = moderate intensity training. 10 = high intensity training. Man or more active person: 9 = low intensity training.
10 = moderate intensity training. 11 = high intensity training. Alan says this model tends to underestimate the calorie needs of sedentary people. If you don’t exercise much or at all, use the upper range of each multiplier. I’ve also found that even using the highest multipliers, this formula can still underestimate the energy needs of people doing a ton of training at higher intensities, like cyclists.
This formula is usually used for fat loss, but you can also use it to estimate how many calories you need to maintain or gain weight. Just plug in your target bodyweight, whether you want it to drop, stay the same, or increase, and you’re done. The OCD Method For the sake of completeness, here is how you could systematically calculate your energy expenditure based on each component. Estimate your BMR using The Aragon Equation. 25.3 x lean body mass in kg.
11.5 x lean body mass in lb. Estimate your NEAT and NEPA levels. These numbers can be almost zero for one person and almost 1,000 calories for day for another, so these are only rough guidelines. Keep in mind this is only for calculating daily NEAT and NEPA, not formal exercise. Sedentary: BMR x 1.1 Lightly Active: BMR x 1.15 Moderately Active: BMR x 1.2 Very Active: BMR x 1.25 Extremely Active: BMR x 1.3 3.
Calculate your activity energy expenditure with MET values. Use to find the “Metabolic Equivalent of Task, or “MET,” of your training. Convert how many hours you train into a decimal. One hour of exercise is a “1” so half an hour of exercise is “0.5.” Your Exercise Energy Expenditure = Weight in kilograms x MET value of exercise x duration of exercise in hours. Add this value to your total energy needs. Calculate your thermic effect of food (TEF). Multiply your total energy needs by 1.1.
Technically TEF drops and rises with your calorie intake, and it can also vary based on your food choices from about 5-15%. I don’t recommend using this method on an ongoing basis unless you have a spreadsheet set up to do the math for you.
Even then it’s a little nuts. Here’s a simpler way to estimate your calorie needs.
The Simplest Way to Estimate Your Calorie Needs 1. Estimate your calorie needs using Alan Aragon’s TEE Equation. Imperial: Target Calorie Intake = Target bodyweight in pounds x (8-10 or 9-11 + average total weekly training hours). Metric: Target Calorie Intake = Target bodyweight in kilograms x ((8-10 or 9-11 + average total weekly training hours).
2.2) Woman or less active person: 8 = low intensity training. 9 = moderate intensity training. 10 = high intensity training. Man or more active person: 9 = low intensity training. 10 = moderate intensity training. 11 = high intensity training. Track your food intake with a digital scale for 1-2 weeks.
Compare your recorded energy intake to your predicted calorie needs. If they’re significantly different, you may be under- or overestimating your calorie intake or the formula could have been inaccurate for you.
In either case, now you have a baseline from which to move forward. You don’t need to keep tracking your food intake with a scale forever, but doing so at first. Adjust based on your rate of weight loss or weight gain. Reassess your calorie needs after tracking your food intake for 1-2 weeks. Aren’t losing fat? Aren’t gaining muscle? Not maintaining?
Adjust up or down based on whether you lost or gained weight. Adjust your total energy intake up or down by about 10%. Then reassess after another 1-2 weeks. Why Athletes and Bodybuilders May Want to Use a Different Method If your energy expenditure changes significantly on a day-to-day basis, generally by more than about one thousand calories per day, finding your maintenance calorie intake can be a littler trickier. Most of the previous formulas tend to underestimate the energy needs of people burning thousands of calories per day, like endurance athletes and many bodybuilders. In some cases athletes might burn 5,000 calories one day and zero the next through formal exercise.
If they ate the same amount every day, they might end up being in a severe deficit on some days and overeating on others. This often doesn’t cause any problems since athletes are generally good at eating enough to cover their energy needs by the end of the week. 21,22 However, it’s often hard to know how much you should eat on a daily basis to recover from workouts and lose fat. This method is also useful if you’re using a more structured non-linear form of calorie cycling or are just more OCD.
I’ve also found it to be more accurate with extremely hyper-active people who also exercise a lot. Estimate your non-exercise related energy needs.
This takes into account your BMR, TEF, NEAT, and NEPA. Multiply your lean body mass by 31-35 in kilograms, or 14-16 calories per pound of lean body mass. To adjust for NEAT and NEPA, I like to use the following multipliers. Values are in kilograms, pounds are in parenthesis. 31 (14) = sedentary/lethargic.
32 (14.5) = lightly active. 33 (15) = moderately active/somewhat fidgety. 34 (15.5) = very active/have trouble keeping still. 35 (16) = moves a lot/bouncing off the walls/people think you’re on meth. Women should adjust down 1-2 levels since they generally burn fewer calories. Estimate the number of calories you burn through formal exercise. Use to find the “Metabolic Equivalent of Task” of your training.
Convert how many hours you train into a decimal. One hour of exercise is a “1” so half an hour of exercise is “0.5.” Your Exercise Energy Expenditure = Weight in kilograms x MET value of exercise x duration of exercise in hours. If you’re a cyclist who owns a power meter, you can also convert the kilojoules you produce during your workouts to calories. Most cyclists are around 19-23% efficient, depending on what data you’re using. 23-26 Use this formula to convert the number of kilojoules you produced into how many calories you burned: (Kilojoules / 4.184) / 0.19-0.23 = Calories burned during your bike ride. Add this value to your non-exercise related energy needs.
Adjust your calorie intake using the same method described above. If you’re gaining weight, you’re eating above maintenance. If you’re losing weight, you’re eating below maintenance. Here’s an example of how “Don” would use this formula to calculate his maintenance calorie intake. Don is 70 kilograms at 10% body fat, which means his lean body mass is 63 kilograms. He’s moderately active throughout the day and tends to be a little hyperactive. To find his non-exercise related energy needs, we would multiply his lean body mass by 33: 63 x 33 = 2079 Don lifts weights at a moderate to high intensity three times per week for about an hour per workout.
These kinds of workouts have a MET value of around 6. 70 kilograms x 1 hour x 6 MET = 420 calories. Don would then add his non-exercise and exercise related energy needs together: 2,079 + 420 = 2,499 calories per day.
Don’s estimated maintenance calorie intake: Non-Training Days: 2,079 Training Days: 2,499 Average: 2,289 Don would then adjust his maintenance calories based on his food intake and bodyweight. You Will Never Know Exactly How Many Calories You Burn — And You Don’t Need To All of these equations are rough estimates. None of these formulas are going to tell you exactly how many calories you burn on a daily basis, 15,20,27,28 and that’s fine. All you need is a starting place from which to make adjustments. It’s not worth getting fancy metabolic testing or obsessing over the “perfect” formula for calculating your energy needs. Metabolic rate formulas, and the advanced lab tests they’re based on, are both imperfect.
As Leigh Peele says in her book we are basically “using a guess to test a guess.” 29 No matter how inaccurate these formulas are, however, they’re still better than having no idea how much you need to eat. How Many Calories do You Need Per Day? It depends, and it will change over time.
It’s generally a good idea to recalculate your energy needs at least every 4-8 weeks based on how much weight you’ve gained or lost and any changes in your activity levels. If you accurately track your food intake, you can also use your food logs to estimate your energy needs based on whether or not you gain or lose weight relative to how much you’ve been eating. If you’re an athlete who has large changes in energy expenditure on a daily basis, you might want to be more fastidious about calculating your energy needs more often. After you’ve determined your maintenance calorie needs, you can adjust your food intake to lose fat, gain muscle, or set macronutrient targets so you can be more flexible about your food choices.
References 1. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients).
National Academy of Sciences. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board.; 2005. Available at: 2. Ravussin E, Lillioja S, Anderson TE, Christin L, Bogardus C.
Determinants of 24-hour energy expenditure in man. Methods and results using a respiratory chamber. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 3. Genton L, Melzer K, Pichard C. Energy and macronutrient requirements for physical fitness in exercising subjects. Energy requirements of adults.
Public Health Nutr. 5. Ferro-Luzzi A. The conceptual framework for estimating food energy requirement. Public Health Nutr. 6. LaForgia J, Withers RT, Gore CJ.
Effects of exercise intensity and duration on the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. J Sports Sci. 7. Westerterp KR.
Diet induced thermogenesis. Nutr Metab (Lond).
8. Buchholz AC, Schoeller DA. Is a calorie a calorie? Am J Clin Nutr. Available at: 9. Levine JA, Schleusner SJ, Jensen MD. Energy expenditure of nonexercise activity.
Am J Clin Nutr. 10. Levine JA, Lanningham-Foster LM, McCrady SK, et al.
Interindividual variation in posture allocation: possible role in human obesity. 11. Levine JA, Eberhardt NL, Jensen MD. Role of nonexercise activity thermogenesis in resistance to fat gain in humans. Available at: 12. Dulloo AG, Jacquet J, Montani J-P, Schutz Y. Adaptive thermogenesis in human body weight regulation: more of a concept than a measurable entity? 2012;13 Suppl 2:105–121. 13. Joosen AMCP, Westerterp KR.
Energy expenditure during overfeeding. Nutr Metab (Lond). 14. Muller MJ, Bosy-Westphal A. Adaptive thermogenesis with weight loss in humans.
Obesity (Silver Spring). 15. Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review.
J Am Diet Assoc. 16. McArdle WD, Katch FI, Katch VL.
Exercise Physiology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009. Available at: 17. Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr.
Available at: 18. Roza AM, Shizgal HM. The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated: resting energy requirements and the body cell mass. Am J Clin Nutr.
Available at: 19. De Lorenzo A, Bertini I, Candeloro N, Piccinelli R, Innocente I, Brancati A. A new predictive equation to calculate resting metabolic rate in athletes. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 20. Henry CJK. Basal metabolic rate studies in humans: measurement and development of new equations. Public Health Nutr. Available at: 21. Bray GA, Flatt J-P, Volaufova J, DeLany JP, Champagne CM.
Corrective responses in human food intake identified from an analysis of 7-d food-intake records. Am J Clin Nutr. 22. Saris WH, van Erp-Baart MA, Brouns F, Westerterp KR, Hoor ten F.
Study on food intake and energy expenditure during extreme sustained exercise: the Tour de France. Int J Sports Med.
1989;10 Suppl 1:S26–31. 23. Moseley L, Achten J, Martin JC, Jeukendrup AE. No differences in cycling efficiency between world-class and recreational cyclists. Int J Sports Med. 24. Moseley L, Jeukendrup AE. The reliability of cycling efficiency.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. Available at: 25. Sidossis LS, Horowitz JF, Coyle EF. Load and velocity of contraction influence gross and delta mechanical efficiency. Int J Sports Med. 26. Hopker J, Jobson S, Carter H, Passfield L.
Cycling efficiency in trained male and female competitive cyclists. JOURNAL OF SPORTS SCIENCE & MEDICINE. Available at: 27. Garrel DR, Jobin N, de Jonge LH. Should we still use the Harris and Benedict equations?
Nutr Clin Pract. 28. Hasson RE, Howe CA, Jones BL, Freedson PS. Accuracy of four resting metabolic rate prediction equations: effects of sex, body mass index, age, and race/ethnicity.
J Sci Med Sport. “Starve Mode.” 2013. Available at: https://www.starvemode.com/.
Whether you go hard on the gym floor, sweat it out in the studio or pound the pavement, there’s no doubt exercise is a good thing. “But it’s no good powering through an early morning workout if all you’re going to do is sit on your butt for the rest of the day,” says Bryce Hastings, Les Mills Head of Research. “We know that even the most well-intentioned exercisers run the risk of negating their efforts by being less physically active than normal for the rest of the day. Or, in some cases, they eat more and consequently overcompensate for the calorie burn.” It’s no surprise you can easily undo the positive effects of exercise. What’s remarkable is how easily you can amplify the benefits of exercise when you’re not working out.
It all comes down the science of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, otherwise known as NEAT. NEAT is the energy expenditure that we don’t typically take into account. It might be energy expended as we work, stand, walk, talk, tidy the house, or even just fidget.
These somewhat trivial-sounding physical activities can actually have a remarkable impact on our metabolic rate and, as a result, stimulate greater energy expenditure over time. The scale of this effect depends on the amount and type of physical activity you engage in and, most importantly, its thermogenic cost – which means how much the activity drives energy expenditure above your resting metabolic rate. Do we all benefit from NEAT in the same way? Not all NEAT is equal.
Our individual biological factors – such as weight, gender and body composition – can create significant variances. Essentially the larger your body is the more energy it takes to move it – although overweight people often don’t see the benefits due to a tendency to sit more than lean people. Show that lean men and women stand, walk and fidget significantly more during the day, which results in an additional 350 calories expended above their obese counterparts. Environmental factors – such as culture, wealth and work setting – can also have a big impact. Those engaged in manual labor tend to have a high NEAT, while levels of wealth and industrialization appears to decrease NEAT.
According to researcher Dr James Levine of the Mayo Clinic, who has, it can vary between two people of similar size by up to 2000 calories a day. A typically healthy individual can burn around 330 calories a day, but it is possible for NEAT to burn between 700-1000 calories per day. Is NEAT something you should measure? In the past, obtaining a good gauge on NEAT relied on the development of sensitive physical activity monitoring devices (called inclinometers and triaxial accelerometers) that were attached to the hips and legs.
Combined with other energy expenditure measurements, these provided data on body position across all plane of movement 120 times a minute to calculate NEAT. These days, modern fitness trackers provide useful data on the effects of intentional and non-intentional exercise.
Using these personal devices to monitor your activity levels can be interesting, but as Hastings points out, you’re better off simply focusing on making your lifestyle as active as possible. “For some, tracking your steps and monitoring periods of inactivity can be great motivation, but it’s important that you don’t overcomplicate things – after all you don’t want to be sitting on your butt checking your activity stats when simply getting up and going for a walk on a regular basis is all it takes.” How to maximize the power of NEAT. Sustain good lipoprotein lipase (LPL) levels. LPL is a key enzyme when it comes to converting fat into energy.
LPL levels will drop when you are sedentary, but by moving regularly throughout your day you can keep LPL levels stable – and support your body to burn fat. Be cleaner and tidier. Switch monotonous, lethargic tidying for a more enthusiastic approach to everyday chores and you’ll send your NEAT through the roof.
Embrace opportunities to sweep and vacuum, reorganize cupboards or simply get out and weed your garden – not only is it great for your body, it’s good for your mental health too. Make your workday work. Take the stairs, stand when you’re at your desk, have standing (or better yet, walking) meetings, and instead of emailing a colleague, get up and go see them. Track your steps. Start using a and fuel your NEAT by doing at least 10,000 steps a day – this is the number the U.S.
Department of Health recommends as an achievable goal for daily physical activity. Become an active relaxer. Be more mindful about how you relax – consider walking, restorative yoga, or chatting with a friend over simply sitting on the couch.
And if you are relaxing on the couch make the most of an that monitors periods of inactivity and sends alerts to get you moving. If you want more tried, tested and true news from the leading edge of health and fitness sign up to get insights and advice straight to your inbox. Most Popular Articles. KNOWLEDGE BY TOPIC. Follow Les Mills.
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Why TDEE Is the Key to Calculating Maintenance Calories To calculate your, it’s essential to know your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). This number includes three main components:.
BMR (basal metabolic rate). NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). Exercise Ultimately, your TDEE factors in your size, your age, your body’s basic energy needs, and your typical activity level to determine how many calories you need to do it all. How to Calculate Your BMR If you’ve never calculated calories before, it’s easy to assume that most of your daily energy burn happens as a result of your workouts and gym sessions. In reality, your BMR accounts for the majority of your daily energy expenditure. Your BMR includes all of the calories that your body burns as it performs basic functions like digestion, breathing, and cardiovascular activity.
To determine your BMR, multiply your weight in pounds by 10, use a, or try one of the following equations, all of which produce similar results:. Harris-Benedict Equation: 655.1 + (4.35 x your weight in pounds) + (4.7 x your height in pounds) – (4.7 x your age in years). Mifflin St.
Jeor Equation: (10 x your weight in kilograms) + (6.25 × your height in centimeters) – (5 x your age in years) – 161. Katch-McArdle Formula: 370 + (21.6 x (((100-body fat) x your weight in kilograms) / 100) How to Factor in Your Activity Level Your natural activity level, or NEAT, also affects how many calories you need to get through the day. If you walk a mile or two to work each day, pace while you talk on the phone, or rarely sit down and relax for more than an hour at a time, is probably much higher than someone who’s naturally less active. Of course, your typical exercise level also affects how many maintenance calories you need. If you work out at least five days a week and go for a long bike ride on weekends, you’ll need more energy per day than someone who lives a more sedentary lifestyle. To factor in your activity level, determine where you fall in the chart below, and multiply your BMR by one of the following:. No Activity: 1.2.
Light Activity: 1.35. Moderate Activity: 1.5.
Intense Activity: 1.6. Extreme Activity: 1.75 The result equals your maintenance calories, or the amount of energy you need to maintain your current weight. You’ll want to decrease your daily calorie intake by as much as 20 percent to lose weight or increase it by up to 500 calories to build muscle. Ultimately, calculating your maintenance calories isn’t rocket science. Once you’ve determined your TDEE, you can always try increasing or decreasing your daily calorie count slightly to see what works best for you. If you want to keep the math to a minimum, use a calorie tracker app that does the calculations for you to ensure that you’re effectively balancing calorie intake with energy output.
In a previous, we explained that weight regain largely occurs because of a reduction in spontaneous physical activity referred to as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Moreover, NEAT appears to play a critical role in overweight and obese individuals as these populations consistency demonstrate reduced standing and walking time 2.
Because NEAT encompasses such a wide variety of activity, it is considered the most variable component of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) ranging from 15% in sedentary people to 50% or more of TDEE in highly active individuals 3. What is Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)? NEAT refers to all forms of physical activity that are non-volitional or spontaneous in nature 1. For example, NEAT includes energy expended from occupation, sitting, standing, walking, and toe-tapping 2. It does not include purposeful or structured physical activity (i.e.
Resistance exercise, cycling, running). How is NEAT Measured? There are two primary methods to measure NEAT 3:. Estimate NEAT direct by calculating total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), then subtracting basal metabolic rate (BMR) and thermic effect of food (TEF) 2. A factoral approach that uses a diary log of physical activity over a given period (e.g.
In the research, TDEE is typically measured using a room calorimeter whereby gas exchange and heat loss are measured in a confined chamber 3. An alternative method, with a high degree of accuracy, involves using double labelled water to estimate carbon dioxide production and energy expenditure 3. For the purpose of this article, a more practical approach to each method is provided below: 1) Estimating NEAT i.
Calculating Total Daily Energy Expenditure Alan Aragon offers the following equation to estimate TDEE, which accounts for gender and differences in general activity levels 5: TDEE = Target bodyweight in kilograms x ((8-10 or 9-11 + average total weekly training hours). 2.2) A woman or individual with a more sedentary lifestyle would use the 8-10 range, whereas a man or someone with a more active lifestyle would use the 9-11 range. Intensity of daily exercise and movement is described by the following 5: For example, a female with a target bodyweight of 65kg that formally exercises for 2 hours/week at moderate intensity would have a TDEE of 1,573 daily calories (TDEE = 65 x ((9 + 2). 2.2) = 1,573 daily). Calculating Basal Metabolic Rate For both men and women, the following formula offered by Aragon can be used to calculate BMR 5: 25.3 x Lean Body Mass in Kg iii.
Calculating Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) TEF represents approximately 10% of TDEE, therefore numerically, this figure is small and often disregarded 1. However, the formula below can be used to provide an estimate of TEF 1: TEF = TDEE x 0.10 2) Factoral Approach A factoral approach to calculating NEAT tracks physical activity over a given period then identifies the energy equivalent of each activity 3. To provide an estimate of NEAT, the energy equivalent of each activity is then multiplied by the time spent performing each activity 3. Instrumentation like pedometers (e.g.
Fitbit) or accelerometers, are more practical, everyday methods for quantifying human activity. However, pedometers and are found to be poor predictors of NEAT and useful only for qualifying walking (e.g. Accelerometers detect body displacement and have the potential to read displacement over multiple angles 3. Although more precise than pedometers, accelerometers still do not provide a truly accurate assessment of NEAT 3. Differences in NEAT Variance in Occupation The scientific literature shows that non-exercise activity thermogenesis can vary significantly between individuals by up to 2000 calories per day 1. The greatest variance in NEAT is associated with differences in occupation 1. For example, the difference in NEAT between an office worker and labourer may be severalfold 2, 1.
Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis Varies
Data for NEAT are often expressed in terms of physical activity level (PAL), which is calculated by dividing TDEE by BMR 2. Lifestyle-Based Prediction of PAL Values 1To illustrate the difference in occupation using PAL, consider an office worker that expends 2,500 kcal/day with a BMR of 1,500 kcal/day. This individual would represent a PAL value if 1.7 (2,500 / 1,500 = 1.7). In comparison, a labourer expelling 3,500 kcal/day with the same BMR of 1,500 kcal/day would represent a PAL of 2.3 (3,500 / 1,500 = 2.3).
Therefore, the difference between these two occupations represent a difference in NEAT of 1,000 kcal/day. Variance in Leisure Activities Evidence suggests that differences in leisure activities can vary greatly, thus influencing total daily NEAT 1, 2. For example, sitting on the sofa watching television after work for 4 hours would represent an energy expenditure of approximately 8% above BMR 1. If BMR were 1500 kcal/day, this individual would expend about 20 calories for this particular activity (0.08 x 1500 (BMR) x (4 / 24) Hours = 20 kcal). Energy expenditure about resting for various activities 1In contrast, compare an individual with the same BMR, but who decides to walk after work for the same amount of time. At a walking pace of about 1 mile/hour this would equate to an increase energy expenditure of 750 calories (3 x 1500 (BMR) x 4 / 24) Hours = 750 kcal) 1.
Given the difference in selected leisure activities, NEAT can vary in this instance by 720 kcal over a 4 hour period. The difference in energy expenditure between leisure activities can be critical for those with weight loss goals. NEAT In Weight Gain and Re-Gain Given that energy expenditure directly impacts weight loss or gain, it is understandable that reduced NEAT could result in weight gain via decreased energy output. In fact, there is substantial evidence showing that overweight and obese individuals maintain lower NEAT levels compared to lean individuals 2, 7 To illustrate the impact of NEAT on weight gain, Levine and colleagues (1999) showed that changes in spontaneous activity accounted for a 10-fold difference in fat storage among subjects 4.
In their study, the authors overfed 16 non-obese subjects 1,000 calories per day above maintenance calorie level 4. Over a 8-week study period, fat gain varied substantially from 0.36kg to 4.23kg and was inversely related to increases in daily energy expenditure 4. The authors found only marginal increases in basal metabolic rate (5%) and thermic effect of food (14%) 4.
However, average daily NEAT increased by 336 kcal/day, which accounted for two-thirds of the increase in daily energy expenditure 4. Importantly, this study showed that overfed subjects that increased NEAT did not store as much fat compared to subjects with lesser degrees of NEAT 4. As an explanation, it is suggested that increasing NEAT allows excess energy to be dissipated thereby not allowing fat to store 4. Another study by Wang and colleagues (2008) looked into the effect of physical activity in weight regain in overweight women 7. In this study, 41 overweight women were randomly assigned to one of three groups:. DIET. DIET + Low Intensity Exercise.
DIET + High Intensity Exercise In this study, exercise consisted of treadmill walking 3 days/week at a target heart rate 7. For the low intensity exercise group, exercise progressed from 15-20 min at 45-50% of maximal heart rate the first week, to 55 min at the same maximal heart rate for the remaining study period 7. The high intensity exercise group performed 30 min at 70-75% of maximal heart rate 3 days/week for the same duration 7.
All groups produced a caloric deficit of 400 kcal/day, while the DIET group created their deficit purely from dietary reduction 7. At the end of the 20-week study period, resting metabolic rate marginally decreased on average by 7% (108 kcal/day) 7.
However, physical activity decreased on average by 26% (162 kcal/day) 7. Also, physical activity decreased relative to body weight demonstrating that reductions in energy expenditure were associated with a decrease in movement not simply due to losses in body weight. At 6-month follow-up, 31.5% of the weight loss during intervention was regained. At 12-month follow-up, this figure jumped to 51.4% weight regain 7. Remarkably, women that showed the greatest decreases in physical activity after the study program had the largest weight regain 7. Also, decreases in activity levels resulted outside formal exercise, indicating that decreases in NEAT were largely responsible for weight regain following the study period 7.
A NEAT Strategy for Weight Loss Given the profound impact of NEAT on energy expenditure, increasing levels of non-formal activity can help greatly to facilitate weight loss goals and prevent weight regain. As demonstrated, selecting an activity such as light walking can significantly increase the number of calories expended compared to more sedentary activities like sitting and watching television 1. Simple instruments like pedometers (i.e.
Fitbit) are useful tools that can measure daily walking (i.e. Steps, miles) to maintain elevated NEAT levels. Based on available evidence for pedometer-based activity, the following classification can be used for guidance 6:.
In a previous, we explained that weight regain largely occurs because of a reduction in spontaneous physical activity referred to as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Moreover, NEAT appears to play a critical role in overweight and obese individuals as these populations consistency demonstrate reduced standing and walking time 2. Because NEAT encompasses such a wide variety of activity, it is considered the most variable component of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) ranging from 15% in sedentary people to 50% or more of TDEE in highly active individuals 3. What is Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)? NEAT refers to all forms of physical activity that are non-volitional or spontaneous in nature 1. For example, NEAT includes energy expended from occupation, sitting, standing, walking, and toe-tapping 2.
It does not include purposeful or structured physical activity (i.e. Resistance exercise, cycling, running). How is NEAT Measured? There are two primary methods to measure NEAT 3:.
Estimate NEAT direct by calculating total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), then subtracting basal metabolic rate (BMR) and thermic effect of food (TEF) 2. A factoral approach that uses a diary log of physical activity over a given period (e.g.
In the research, TDEE is typically measured using a room calorimeter whereby gas exchange and heat loss are measured in a confined chamber 3. An alternative method, with a high degree of accuracy, involves using double labelled water to estimate carbon dioxide production and energy expenditure 3.
For the purpose of this article, a more practical approach to each method is provided below: 1) Estimating NEAT i. Calculating Total Daily Energy Expenditure Alan Aragon offers the following equation to estimate TDEE, which accounts for gender and differences in general activity levels 5: TDEE = Target bodyweight in kilograms x ((8-10 or 9-11 + average total weekly training hours). 2.2) A woman or individual with a more sedentary lifestyle would use the 8-10 range, whereas a man or someone with a more active lifestyle would use the 9-11 range. Intensity of daily exercise and movement is described by the following 5: For example, a female with a target bodyweight of 65kg that formally exercises for 2 hours/week at moderate intensity would have a TDEE of 1,573 daily calories (TDEE = 65 x ((9 + 2).
2.2) = 1,573 daily). Calculating Basal Metabolic Rate For both men and women, the following formula offered by Aragon can be used to calculate BMR 5: 25.3 x Lean Body Mass in Kg iii.
Calculating Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) TEF represents approximately 10% of TDEE, therefore numerically, this figure is small and often disregarded 1. However, the formula below can be used to provide an estimate of TEF 1: TEF = TDEE x 0.10 2) Factoral Approach A factoral approach to calculating NEAT tracks physical activity over a given period then identifies the energy equivalent of each activity 3. To provide an estimate of NEAT, the energy equivalent of each activity is then multiplied by the time spent performing each activity 3. Instrumentation like pedometers (e.g. Fitbit) or accelerometers, are more practical, everyday methods for quantifying human activity.
However, pedometers and are found to be poor predictors of NEAT and useful only for qualifying walking (e.g. Accelerometers detect body displacement and have the potential to read displacement over multiple angles 3. Although more precise than pedometers, accelerometers still do not provide a truly accurate assessment of NEAT 3. Differences in NEAT Variance in Occupation The scientific literature shows that non-exercise activity thermogenesis can vary significantly between individuals by up to 2000 calories per day 1. The greatest variance in NEAT is associated with differences in occupation 1. For example, the difference in NEAT between an office worker and labourer may be severalfold 2, 1. Data for NEAT are often expressed in terms of physical activity level (PAL), which is calculated by dividing TDEE by BMR 2.
Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis Calculator Google Docs
Lifestyle-Based Prediction of PAL Values 1To illustrate the difference in occupation using PAL, consider an office worker that expends 2,500 kcal/day with a BMR of 1,500 kcal/day. This individual would represent a PAL value if 1.7 (2,500 / 1,500 = 1.7). In comparison, a labourer expelling 3,500 kcal/day with the same BMR of 1,500 kcal/day would represent a PAL of 2.3 (3,500 / 1,500 = 2.3). Therefore, the difference between these two occupations represent a difference in NEAT of 1,000 kcal/day. Variance in Leisure Activities Evidence suggests that differences in leisure activities can vary greatly, thus influencing total daily NEAT 1, 2.
For example, sitting on the sofa watching television after work for 4 hours would represent an energy expenditure of approximately 8% above BMR 1. If BMR were 1500 kcal/day, this individual would expend about 20 calories for this particular activity (0.08 x 1500 (BMR) x (4 / 24) Hours = 20 kcal). Energy expenditure about resting for various activities 1In contrast, compare an individual with the same BMR, but who decides to walk after work for the same amount of time. At a walking pace of about 1 mile/hour this would equate to an increase energy expenditure of 750 calories (3 x 1500 (BMR) x 4 / 24) Hours = 750 kcal) 1. Given the difference in selected leisure activities, NEAT can vary in this instance by 720 kcal over a 4 hour period. The difference in energy expenditure between leisure activities can be critical for those with weight loss goals.
NEAT In Weight Gain and Re-Gain Given that energy expenditure directly impacts weight loss or gain, it is understandable that reduced NEAT could result in weight gain via decreased energy output. In fact, there is substantial evidence showing that overweight and obese individuals maintain lower NEAT levels compared to lean individuals 2, 7 To illustrate the impact of NEAT on weight gain, Levine and colleagues (1999) showed that changes in spontaneous activity accounted for a 10-fold difference in fat storage among subjects 4. In their study, the authors overfed 16 non-obese subjects 1,000 calories per day above maintenance calorie level 4. Over a 8-week study period, fat gain varied substantially from 0.36kg to 4.23kg and was inversely related to increases in daily energy expenditure 4. The authors found only marginal increases in basal metabolic rate (5%) and thermic effect of food (14%) 4. However, average daily NEAT increased by 336 kcal/day, which accounted for two-thirds of the increase in daily energy expenditure 4.
Importantly, this study showed that overfed subjects that increased NEAT did not store as much fat compared to subjects with lesser degrees of NEAT 4. As an explanation, it is suggested that increasing NEAT allows excess energy to be dissipated thereby not allowing fat to store 4. Another study by Wang and colleagues (2008) looked into the effect of physical activity in weight regain in overweight women 7. In this study, 41 overweight women were randomly assigned to one of three groups:. DIET.
DIET + Low Intensity Exercise. DIET + High Intensity Exercise In this study, exercise consisted of treadmill walking 3 days/week at a target heart rate 7. For the low intensity exercise group, exercise progressed from 15-20 min at 45-50% of maximal heart rate the first week, to 55 min at the same maximal heart rate for the remaining study period 7. The high intensity exercise group performed 30 min at 70-75% of maximal heart rate 3 days/week for the same duration 7. All groups produced a caloric deficit of 400 kcal/day, while the DIET group created their deficit purely from dietary reduction 7. At the end of the 20-week study period, resting metabolic rate marginally decreased on average by 7% (108 kcal/day) 7.
However, physical activity decreased on average by 26% (162 kcal/day) 7. Also, physical activity decreased relative to body weight demonstrating that reductions in energy expenditure were associated with a decrease in movement not simply due to losses in body weight. At 6-month follow-up, 31.5% of the weight loss during intervention was regained. At 12-month follow-up, this figure jumped to 51.4% weight regain 7. Remarkably, women that showed the greatest decreases in physical activity after the study program had the largest weight regain 7. Also, decreases in activity levels resulted outside formal exercise, indicating that decreases in NEAT were largely responsible for weight regain following the study period 7.
A NEAT Strategy for Weight Loss Given the profound impact of NEAT on energy expenditure, increasing levels of non-formal activity can help greatly to facilitate weight loss goals and prevent weight regain. As demonstrated, selecting an activity such as light walking can significantly increase the number of calories expended compared to more sedentary activities like sitting and watching television 1. Simple instruments like pedometers (i.e. Fitbit) are useful tools that can measure daily walking (i.e. Steps, miles) to maintain elevated NEAT levels.
Based on available evidence for pedometer-based activity, the following classification can be used for guidance 6:. Instructing exercises that reinforce fundamental movement patterns like rows, presses, pulls, squats and hinges are the priority when introducing clients new to resistance exercise. At the beginning stages of resistance exercise, the objective is skill acquisition and developing safe and sustainable technique with efficient biomechanics. Here we work with our client Antony and instruct basic movement patterns using a single arm row and standing cable chest press.
As Antony is recovering from lower back pain, we strongly reinforce posture and positioning within each exercise. #jcfitness #edinburgh #personaltrainer. One of the great pleasures of our work is working with people from different professions.
We had the privilege of working with actress and dancer Sophie Hirst from the musical production Cabaret on tour at the moment in Edinburgh. As a dancer in Cabaret, Sophie’s job requires dynamic and ballistic type movements and shoulder stability is essential. Here we use a variety of hybrid movements to both strengthen, activate and reinforce control of her shoulder rotator cuff muscles in addition to scapular control. To create specific adaptation we had Sophie work into higher repetition ranges moving through various exercises to build her muscle endurance as well as targeting multiple planes of movement. She was definitely up for the challenge! Check Sophie out in the production Cabaret playing at Edinburgh’s Playhouse until December 10!
? #jcfitness #edinburgh #personaltrainer. These back foot elevated split squats are an excellent choice for developing strength and lean muscle in the legs.
They work each leg independently so are great for reinforcing equal strength and development on both legs. Here are some of our coaching tips: 1️⃣ Maintain a neutral a neutral spine throughout the entire movement 2️⃣ Work to full range of movement by aiming to touch the back knee to floor 3️⃣ Focus on the front leg as the working leg 4️⃣ Breathe in through the lowering and out during the raising part of the range #jcfitness #personaltrainer #edinburgh. Unilateral exercises like these half kneeling shoulder presses are great for targeting the front part of the shoulder. If you’re someone that has an injured shoulder, using a parallel/hammer grip keeps the shoulder in neutral and can be more comfortable for overhead pressing. These also challenge the core as the dumbbell will want to pull the torso into rotation and resisting this rotation will force the obliques and quadratus lumborum (side bending back muscles) to activate. Try this one out! #jcfitness #edinburgh #personaltrainer.
An incredible day at the first annual Health & Fitness Project! With 100+ people in attendance, we want to thank everyone for making this day truly special. HFP 2017 was a big step in bringing together our health and fitness community here in Edinburgh and creating opportunity for people to connect, learn more about health and fitness, and become more actively involved in shaping the direction of our fitness community. A special thank you to this group of speakers who made this event loads of fun! #healthandfitnessproject2017 #edinburgh #jcfitness. Health & Fitness Project 2017 takes place on Sunday November 12, 2017 at Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa. This event is for anyone that enjoys health and fitness and is interested in learning more about exercise, nutrition and healthy lifestyle practice to benefit their own fitness journey.
Listen to speakers doing incredible things in the health and fitness industry, connect with like-minded people, learn more about how to improve your own fitness, and get to know local, independent vendors that represent Edinburgh. Tickets are on sale now. Be a part of this milestone event and a growing health and fitness community. ?Link in bio. #healthandfitnessproject2017 #edinburgh. We are really excited to officially announce Edinburgh's first annual health and fitness event! Health & Fitness Project 2017 is Edinburgh's first full scale health and fitness event that will be held on November 12, 2017 at the five star Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh's city centre.
This event is not a conference or exhibition but for the everyday individual that enjoys health and fitness, has a desire to learn more about areas within exercise, nutrition and healthy lifestyle practice, and wants to connect with other like-minded people. This is a full day event that includes talks and workshops from some of the most influential speakers within Edinburgh and across the U.K. In addition to talks and workshops the event will represent local, independent vendors that showcase how great Edinbugh truly is.
Tickets are limited so purchase yours by clicking on the link in our bio and be part of this incredible milestone event. #healthandfitnessproject2017 #edinburgh #jcfitness.
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended walking to work, typing, performing yard work, undertaking agricultural tasks and fidgeting. Even trivial physical activities increase metabolic rate substantially and it is the cumulative impact of a multitude of exothermic actions that culminate in an individual's daily NEAT. It is, therefore, not surprising that NEAT explains a vast majority of an individual's non-resting energy needs. Epidemiological studies highlight the importance of culture in promoting and quashing NEAT.
Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis Calculator Google Sheets
Agricultural and manual workers have high NEAT, whereas wealth and industrialization appear to decrease NEAT. Physiological studies demonstrate, intriguingly, that NEAT is modulated with changes in energy balance; NEAT increases with overfeeding and decreases with underfeeding. Thus, NEAT could be a critical component in how we maintain our body weight and/or develop obesity or lose weight. The mechanism that regulates NEAT is unknown. However, hypothalamic factors have been identified that specifically and directly increase NEAT in animals. By understanding how NEAT is regulated we may come to appreciate that spontaneous physical activity is not spontaneous at all but carefully programmed.
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