Reviewed by Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD
Calorie manipulation – Lose weight or gain muscle?Apparently Simple.
After all, it’s just math…right?
In a sense. But it's difficult.
Your body is a complex machine.How to know calories your The body needs to achieve its goals, so first you need to understand how your The body burns (and stores) calories.
Want to learn more about how your body uses calories? Continue reading.
What is the average calorie intake required per day?
The concept of calories is based on concrete science. One calorie is equivalent to the energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1°C.
Calorie needs vary greatly from person to person depending on a variety of factors. These factors include gender assigned at birth, age, height, and overall lifestyle.
Generally, adults need about 1,600 to 3,000 calories a day.
(Yes, this is very broad, so of course individual needs may vary.)
The food you eat and the amount of it determines how many calories you burn.
You gain weight when you take in more calories than your body burns. profitwhile consuming fewer calories than your body burns for your body weight. loss— includes fat and eventually muscle mass.
Choosing foods based on calorie counts is a common practice for people trying to lose or maintain weight. Calories come from macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and alcohol.
Your body's energy expenditure fluctuates throughout the day, so the timing and frequency of your meals also affect your energy expenditure.
What factors influence the amount of calories you need per day?
As mentioned above, several factors influence your daily calorie needs. Let's take a closer look at these elements and how they work together.
1. Age
As you age, your metabolism naturally slows down, so your body needs fewer calories.
This is why teenagers who are in active growth usually require more calories compared to middle-aged adults.
2. Height and weight
Physical dimensions (height and weight) and body composition (muscle to fat ratio) affect calorie calculations.
People with larger bodies, who are taller or have a higher percentage of muscle mass, burn more calories at rest and are likely to require more calories to maintain their daily needs. there is.
3. Gender and Hormones
Gender and hormonal differences at birth have a significant impact on caloric needs.
Men often have more muscle mass and faster metabolism, so they require more calories.
Due to the effects of hormonal fluctuations, women may experience fluctuations in appetite and energy expenditure throughout the menstrual period.
4. Activity level
Your lifestyle and activity level have a huge impact on your calorie requirements.
People who have physically demanding jobs or who engage in strenuous exercise naturally burn more calories and require higher intake to maintain energy balance.
Of course, the opposite is true for people who have sedentary jobs (such as desk jobs) and intentionally don't exercise much.
5. Medical conditions and medications
Certain medical conditions, such as thyroid disease, can affect your metabolism and change your calorie needs.
Additionally, certain medications can affect appetite, energy expenditure, and nutrient absorption, which can further impact daily caloric needs.
6. Basal metabolic rate (BMR)
Basal metabolic rate represents the energy your body uses at rest to perform important functions such as breathing, blood circulation, and maintaining body temperature.
BMR is influenced by genetics, muscle mass, and age, all of which affect your daily calorie requirements.
More about BMR and how it works in parallel with other body processes below.
7. Goal
Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain muscle, or maintain your current physique, your goals will determine your calorie needs.
Weight loss typically involves a controlled reduction in caloric intake, while muscle gain requires additional calories to support growth and repair.
What processes affect calorie expenditure?
Here are the different ways your body burns calories.
Exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT)
What is EAT? Energy expended by the body during deliberate physical activitywalking, running, weight lifting, fitness classes, or any other exercise you incorporate into your daily routine.
Contrary to common belief, EAT accounts for a relatively small percentage of total energy consumption, on average about 5-10%.
(As with everything, this percentage can vary.)
For most people, EAT is undoubtedly beneficial to overall health and well-being, but its direct effects tend to be minimal. The broader picture of overall energy consumption becomes more important.
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) includes: Calories burned by daily physical activities other than structured exercise routines.
This is the energy your body expends when engaging in activities such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, and even fidgeting that do not apply to planned exercise or sports.
Despite its low profile, NEAT has amazing potential to influence your metabolic rate and calorie burn. NEAT can contribute up to 15-30% your daily calorie consumption. It's not a substitute for intense training, but it's a notable portion of the calories you burn each day.
Environmental conditions, genetics, occupation, and lifestyle all contribute to individual differences in NEAT. Sedentary jobs and active occupations can make a noticeable difference in the amount of calories you burn each day.
Research has revealed the role of NEAT in promoting health.a study A 12-year follow-up of more than 12,000 women demonstrated that activities such as fidgeting can reduce the risks associated with prolonged sedentary behavior.
If you want to increase your NEAT, make subtle changes like choosing a standing desk instead of sitting at work.Burn more calories per hour-can help.
The impact of NEAT extends beyond calorie consumption by encouraging a lifestyle that values physical activity throughout the day. This affects your overall energy balance, but also likely your long-term quality of life.
basal metabolic rate (BMR)
BMR is often referred to as “resting metabolic rate.” Energy used by the body to maintain vital functions during complete rest.
These include vital activities such as heartbeat, breathing, cell regeneration, maintaining body temperature, and all other basic biological activities necessary to sustain life when inactive.
On average, the BMR calculator shows: BMR is approx. 60-70% your daily energy expenditure. However, to accurately calculate your BMR, you need 12 hours of fast sleep, sufficient sleep, and complete rest with no physical exertion.
Age, body composition, hormones, and body shape all affect your BMR.
▶ This rate is higher in children and adolescents due to continued growth demands, but gradually decreases in adults as the body transitions from construction to decomposition.
▶ People with more muscle have a higher BMR because muscle requires more energy to maintain. Conversely, a higher percentage of body fat reduces BMR because adipose tissue requires minimal energy maintenance.
▶ Gender assigned at birth is also important, with men generally having higher average muscle mass and therefore higher BMR.
▶ Hormones such as thyroxine from the thyroid also affect BMR. Thyroxine levels correlate with metabolic rate, with increasing levels increasing BMR and decreasing levels decreasing BMR.
Thermal Effect of Food (TEF)
The thermal effect (TEF) of food is How the body uses energy during the processes of digestion, absorption, and metabolism of ingested food.
Think of TEF as the energy cost your body pays for processing nutrients from your diet.
Approximate percentage of TEF Ten Of daily calorie intake. So if you eat 2,000 calories, you will burn about 200 calories just from eating and digesting.
Food composition greatly influences TEF. Different macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) require different levels of energy for digestion and metabolism.
Proteins and complex carbohydrates are more thermally efficient and require more energy to break down. In contrast, fats and simple carbohydrates have a lower thermal effect and require relatively less energy expenditure.
In more detail, here's how macronutrients affect TEF.
- fat: 9 calories per gram. TEF ranges from 0 to 5 percent
- carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram. TEF ranges from 5 to 15 percent
- protein: 4 calories per gram. TEF ranges from 20 to 30 percent
This is one reason why high-protein meals are metabolically beneficial and keep you feeling full for longer. The same goes for choosing minimally processed complex carbohydrates over simple carbohydrates.
Although fats have the least thermal effect, healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, salmon, nuts, and seeds, maintain body function, protect organs, and provide a source of energy. plays an important role in
Factors such as age, insulin resistance, and physical activity level also affect TEF. For example, physically active people experience higher TEF.
And if you've ever wondered, what What you eat is definitely important when you eatSome people believe that a big breakfast increases daily calorie expenditure, but the impact of meal timing on TEF not yet conclusive.
TDEE: Total daily energy consumption
The total daily energy consumption (TDEE) is Total amount of energy consumed by the body in a day.
These components described above add up to TDEE.
basal metabolic rate (BMR) BMR reflects the calories your body burns while performing essential functions at rest. This makes up about 70% of his TDEE and includes activities such as breathing, blood circulation, and supporting brain function. |
Thermal Effect of Food (TEF) TEF represents the energy required to digest, absorb, and metabolize the food you ingest. Approximately 10% of TDEE comes from TEF, but this varies by diet. Foods that are high in protein or complex carbohydrates require more energy to process and increase TEF. |
Exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT) EAT makes up a small portion (approximately 5%) of TDEE. This includes calories burned during intentional exercise such as going to the gym, jogging, and yoga. |
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) NEAT accounts for the remaining 15% of TDEE. This includes the energy expended during daily non-exercise activities such as walking, fidgeting, and doing housework. |
As you can see, BMR is the basis of calorie burning and is enhanced by EAT, NEAT, and TEF.
These totals determine how many calories you need and burn each day.
If you're working toward a specific fitness goal, such as losing weight or gaining muscle mass, your TDEE and calorie needs will change as you progress. When you lose fat or gain muscle, your metabolism adapts to your new body composition, which affects your calorie needs during your fitness journey.
we help you achieve your goals
Knowing and meeting your daily calorie needs is essential to many health and fitness goals.
How to know calories you need to meet your Achieve your goals. weight loss calculator or ultimate macro calculator.
No matter what your goals are, Precision Nutrition can help you achieve them.