Caloric Burn
If weight management is your goal, it is crucial to understand how many calories you burn each day. This determination will help you decide the number of calories you need to consume in order to reach your goal.
The formula for calculating daily caloric burn involves four factors – basal metabolic rate (BMR), thermic effect of activity (TEA), thermic effect of food (TEF), and non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). These factors comprise your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). BMR accounts for the highest percentage of the calories you burn and is impacted by your body composition. TEF is influenced by the amount and macronutrient composition of the food you eat. TEA represents calories burned during exercise, while NEAT accounts for calories burned through daily activities aside from exercise.
There are tools available, such as calculators, apps, and wearable devices, to attempt to measure your caloric burn. While these methods are not entirely accurate, they can provide a rough estimate that could be helpful for setting dietary targets. Nonetheless, none of these methods are consistently reliable and may be off by several hundred calories. For those who are seeking the most precise data, experts recommend the simplest method of tracking your daily calorie intake and observing changes in your body weight over a period of time. This data can guide you to accurately measure your caloric burn and help you make informed adjustments to your diet.
