Module 1: Introduction to Nutrition

Lecture 3: BMR & TDEE

Total Calories burned equal TDEE

TDEE is a sum of BMR + Physical Activity + Thermic Effect of Food.

Let's discuss all these three in detail.

BMR [Basal Metabolic Rate]

A basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy expressed in calories that a person needs to keep
the body functioning at rest.

Some of those processes are breathing, blood circulation, controlling body temperature etc.

accounts for about 60 to 75% of the daily calories burned.

BMR declines [1-2]% per decade after you turn 20.

More Lean Mass= Higher BMR

More weight= High BMR

There are various formulas for estimating your RMR and total caloric expenditure. Let's look at the
two most popular ones.

The Katch-McArdle Equation

BMR = 370 + (9.79 * lean mass in pounds)

The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation

For men: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) + 5

For women: BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) – 161

I have a simple way out!

1) Simply take your body weight in pounds and multiply by 10!

2) Use Online Calculators like this one: calculator.net

Activity Multiplier:

Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)

Lightly active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)

Mod. active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)

Very active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)

Extra active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e
marathon, contest etc.)

The thermic effect of food is the caloric cost of digesting and processing different macronutrients
in your diet.

-Protein: 20-35% of calories burned through processing

-Carbohydrates: 5-15% of calories burned through processing

-Fats: 0-5% of calories burned through processing

To put this in tangible terms, if you eat 200 calories worth of protein, your body will use between
40 and 70 of them indigestion. The most common estimate for the total thermic effect of food is
around 10 percent of your total caloric intake.

Sally is 30 years old, weighs 140 pounds, has 30 percent body fat, and is 160 cm (5’ 3”) tall. She
has a sedentary job and her only activity is going to the gym a few times per week.

To calculate her lean mass: Sally’s fat mass is 0.3*140 = 42 pounds. Therefore, her lean mass is
140 – 42 = 98 pounds.

Using the formulas for calculating caloric expenditure, we can plug in Sally’s numbers to find out
how many calories she needs per day to maintain her current weight.

Using the Katch-McArdle Equation

BMR = 370 + (9.79759519 x Lean Mass in pounds) = 370 + (9.7975 * 98) = 1329.42

T.E.F= 132.9

TDEE = 1329.42 * 1.55 TEA = 2059 + 132= 2,191 calories.

Using the Mifflin-St. Jeor Equation

Female BMR = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (years) – 161 = 10 * 63.63 + 6.25*
160 — 5* 30 —161 = 1322.

T.E.F= 132

TDEE = 1322 * 1.55 TEA = 2049 + 132= 2,181 calories