What is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)?

What your TDEE tells you

Knowing roughly what your TDEE is tells you how much food keeps your weight steady.

• Eat about that much and your weight stays the same.
• Eat less and you lose.
• Eat more and you gain.

Your resting needs are the largest part and digesting food takes a smaller share.

Physical activity makes up the rest, and it's the part you control most, which is why an active day burns noticeably more than a day spent sitting.

What moves your TDEE

Move more through the whole day, not just in a workout.

Through the day:

• walk after meals
• take the stairs
• stand while you're on the phone
• do housework briskly

Build muscle with strength training, since Cleveland Clinic notes that muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest.

Eat regular balanced meals rather than skipping them, sleep well and drink enough water, because poor sleep and dehydration can affect your metabolism. Avoid extreme diets and long fasts.

Is TDEE on a report?

TDEE isn't a lab value.

• Online calculators estimate it from your BMR and activity level.
• Treat the number as a rough starting point and adjust it based on how your weight actually changes.