So…How Exactly Do I Burn Calories?

Did you know there’s more than 1 way to burn calories? In fact there are 4 ways we burn calories every day that make up our Total Energy Expenditure (TEE).

• Basal Energy Expenditure (65-80%)
• Thermic Effect of Food (10%)
• Activity Thermogenesis (15-30%) can be broken into
  • Nonexercise Activity Thermogenesis (10-25%)
  • Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (5-10%)

Basal Energy Expenditure (or Basal Metabolic Rate or Resting Energy Expenditure or Resting Metabolic Rate- they’re all the same) is the energy expended to sustain normal body function.  Essentially this is the calories you burn all day long, even if you slept all day.  You still need to breathe, pump blood, maintain your body temperature, etc.  And that requires energy.  How much depends on a lot of factors:

• Age: the older you are the less energy you need
• Body composition: The more muscular you are, the more energy you need
• Body size (height and weight): The larger you are the more energy you use
• Gender: This goes along with body size and composition, as women tend to have more fat in proportion to muscle than men do, so women need less energy on a daily basis
• Other factors include climate (extreme temperatures can change your metabolic rate); hormones; including thyroid disorders, stress, menstrual cycles; fevers; caffeine

Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) is the increase in energy expenditure to consume, digest, and absorb food.  TEF varies with the composition of a person’s diet, and the energy expenditure increases directly after eating, with it increasing the most with a higher protein intake.  It generally decreases 30-90 minutes after eating.  Consuming caffeine or spicy foods can give a short bump up in energy expenditure, but it’s not as much as you think.

Nonexercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended doing all the activities of daily living such as: brushing your teeth, shopping, fidgeting, working, etc.  The number of calories burned via NEAT can vary widely from person to person depending on how sedentary, or active your day to day routine is.

Exercise Activity Thermogenesis is the calories you expend playing a sport or doing a predetermined physical activity like running, biking, or a work out video. The average American is not a professional athlete who can burn thousands of calories during training.  In general, it can be tough for people to meet The American Heart Association recommendation 150 minutes of moderate-intense activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.  

So what does it all mean?

It means there’s no one quick fix to “boost your metabolism”.  Ingesting drinks, pills, and supplements to help boost your metabolism will likely have very little effect, and any effect will be short lived.  Instead of quick fixes, try:

• Building muscle via strength training 2-3 times per week
• Try to incorporate a protein source at most meals/snacks (meat, nuts, seeds, beans, soy, dairy, eggs, fish)
• Make time for exercise and try to meet the 150 minutes of moderate-intense activity, which is defined as breathing harder but still able to talk (brisk walking, hiking, water aerobics, etc) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, which is defined as heavy breathing and little to no talking (running, swimming laps, tennis) each week
• Move!  Stretch those legs every hour, clean your house, fidget, stand at your desk, take the kids out for a walk, anything!  The more you move the better.  NEAT can really add up!

This blog was written by Chris Henigan MS, RD, LDN, co-founder of Simple Start Nutrition.  For more blog posts and nutrition information follow @simplestartnutrition on Instagram and Facebook.  Also feel free to contact us, by visiting our website (simplestartnutrition.com) to schedule an appointment to discuss your nutrition related needs.  We are here to help.

References:

1.  The American Heart Association: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults
2. Mahan, L. Kathleen and Janice L. Raymond. Krause’s Food and The Nutrition Care Process. 14^th Ed., Elsevier, 2017.