1. What is Total Daily Expenditure?

Total Daily Expenditure (TDE) represents the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including basal metabolic rate (BMR), physical activity, and the thermic effect of food (TEF). It's essential for weight management and nutritional planning.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the TDE formula:

Where:

• \( BMR \) — Basal Metabolic Rate (calories burned at rest)
• \( Activity \) — Calories burned through physical activity
• \( TEF \) — Thermic Effect of Food (calories burned digesting food)

Explanation: The equation accounts for all energy expenditure components to provide a comprehensive daily calorie requirement estimate.

3. Importance of TDE Calculation

Details: Accurate TDE estimation is crucial for weight management, athletic performance optimization, and creating personalized nutrition plans for health and fitness goals.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your BMR in kcal/day, select your activity level, and input TEF value. All values must be valid positive numbers for accurate calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is BMR and how is it calculated?
A: Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic life-sustaining functions. It can be estimated using formulas like Mifflin-St Jeor or Harris-Benedict.

Q2: How accurate are activity multipliers?
A: Activity multipliers provide estimates based on general activity levels. Individual variations exist, so these should be used as starting points and adjusted based on results.

Q3: What is TEF and typical values?
A: Thermic Effect of Food represents energy used to digest, absorb, and process nutrients. It typically accounts for 10-15% of total energy expenditure.

Q4: Should TDE be used for weight loss?
A: Yes, TDE provides the maintenance calorie level. Creating a calorie deficit from this number (typically 500-1000 kcal/day) supports safe weight loss.

Q5: How often should TDE be recalculated?
A: Recalculate every 4-6 weeks or after significant weight changes (±5kg) or activity level modifications to ensure accuracy.