One of the biggest lessons I have learned during my fitness journey is the importance of nutrition. In the past, I would unknowingly “over feed” my body, ruining the progress I made from my workouts and sometimes even GAIN weight. Now that I’m wiser, I am more aware of what my caloric needs are. I still enjoy foods that I love, but I do my best to make sure I don’t eat more than I burn.

For those of you who are just beginning your fitness journey, I encourage you to find out what your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (or TDEE) is.

Here’s an explanation of how TDEE is calculated:

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimation of how many calories you burn per day when exercise is taken into account. It is calculated by first figuring out your Basal Metabolic Rate, then multiplying that value by an activity multiplier.

Since your BMR represents how many calories your body burns when at rest, it is necessary to adjust the numbers upwards to account for the calories you burn during the day. This is true even for those with a sedentary lifestyle. Our TDEE calculator uses every known formula and displays your score in a way that’s easy to read and meaningful.

Once I started developing my meals based on my TDEE, I started getting the results I wanted. Keep in mind your TDEE will change based on how active you are. So, on the days you work out, your caloric intake should be higher. Conversely, you should consume fewer calories on your “rest” days.

Find out your TDEE in seconds using THIS helpful calculator.