your TEE explained

What does TEE mean?

Your TEE is your total energy expenditure. It is the number of calories you burn in a day. if you eat MORE calories than your TEE per day you will GAIN weight. If you eat LESS calories than your TEE per day you will LOSE weight.

What makes up my TEE?

You burn calories by just being alive which is your RMR, Resting metabolic rate is the number of calories you would burn if you were awake but at rest the whole day. This depends on your age, height and weight and whether you're male or female.

doing your daily activities, A programmer who sits all day at his desk burns less calories than a construction worker who is on his feet all day.

and through exercise. Someone who runs and trains for races burns more calories than someone who walks his dog everyday, who in turn burns more calories than someone who does not exercise at all.

Why does TEE change with age?

Your resting metabolism decreases as you get older because your muscle mass goes down, which is why your TEE drops as you age. Normally, your resting metabolism decreases by 5% for every 10 years. If you are over 30 years old and you continue to eat like you did when you were 20 years younger then you will most likely gain weight. It is important to adjust how much you eat based on your TEE.

Why does TEE change with weight?

The heavier you are the more work your body needs to move it around. This is why your TEE goes up as you get heavier.

Gaining muscle mass increases your TEE. Weight training is one of the best ways to create a lasting positive effect on your metabolism. If you have more lean muscle mass then your body tends to expend more energy even when you're just sitting around. Normally, you burn about 50 more calories for every pound of muscle mass.

Losing weight decreases your TEE. As you lose weight your metabolism decreases. It is recommended to check your TEE every time you lose 20 to 25 pounds.

As you lose weight you may be at risk of lowering your metabolism too much and gaining all of your weight back if you only count calories. It is important to lose most of the fat mass and not muscle mass. By following the MV Allowances Method you can lose fat and not muscle mass as you lose weight. (Read more about MV Allowances Method.)

Why do men and women have different TEEs?

Men, generally, have more muscle mass and higher TEE than women. Muscle mass is one of the key factors that helps in increasing your resting metabolism. The higher your resting metabolism the higher is your TEE.

Why does TEE change with activity level?

Your daily activity level depends on your work and your daily activities outside work. The more active you are the higher is your TEE.

Why does TEE change with exercise?

Exercise increases your resting metabolism, which increases your TEE. The more you exercise the higher is your TEE. Exercise speeds up your resting metabolism right way however making permanent changes to your metabolism takes time because it takes time to build lean muscle mass.

When should people check their TEE?

  • When you age
  • When your exercise plan changes
  • When you lose weight (every 20-25 pounds)
  • When you gain weight (muscle mass)
  • When your activity level changes due to changes in your job or daily activities

What is metabolism?

Metabolism refers to the physiological processes involving the breaking down and utilization of nutrients from food in order to maintain bodily tissue and functioning. Usually thought of as our metabolic rate and expressed in Kcals per 24 hours.

Are people really born with fast and slow metabolisms? Or is this just a myth?

Yes, genetics do play a role. Some people naturally require more nutrients to maintain bodily homeostasis and functioning and therefore metabolize nutrients at a faster rate than others. For example, in general men have more muscle mass than women. More muscle mass requires more energy to maintain and therefore men usually have faster metabolism than women.

Are people really born with fast and slow metabolisms? Or is this just a myth?

Yes, genetics do play a role. Some people naturally require more nutrients to maintain bodily homeostasis and functioning and therefore metabolize nutrients at a faster rate than others. For example, in general men have more muscle mass than women. More muscle mass requires more energy to maintain and therefore men usually have faster metabolism than women.

What are some of the most common misconceptions about metabolism?

Weight loss, fasting, and cutting out certain food groups speeds up your metabolism. In reality, all of these things can slow down your metabolism.

Why would I want to speed up my metabolism? What are the benefits?

Speeding up your metabolism causes your body to expend more energy while at rest. In other words you'll burn more calories daily, which will help you lose weight or maintain your weight.

For people who are trying to maintain their weight, a higher metabolic rate will enable you to eat more calories without gaining weight.

What is the connection between energy and metabolism?

Metabolism is the way your body extracts energy from food. The more energy your body needs to maintain itself the faster your metabolism will be.

How would I know if I have been successful in boosting my metabolism?

One way you can know for certain is by measuring your resting metabolic rate using an indirect calorimeter, a device that measures oxygen uptake to calculate your resting energy expenditure. Another way is by doing a body fat test. If your muscle mass increased then your metabolism definitely increased.

What types of medical factors affect metabolism?

There are a lot of medical factors that can affect your metabolism including malnutrition, thyroid diseases, and critical illnesses. All these factors can significantly change your body's normal daily function.

How can I speed up my metabolism?

You can increase your metabolism by building more lean muscle mass and eating small frequent meals.

Are there certain types of food that can naturally speed up metabolism?

Caffeine, certain spices or spicy foods, and some herbs that act as natural stimulants can temporally speed up metabolism but not by any appreciable amount.

What role does cardiovascular exercise play in boosting metabolism?

Cardiovascular exercises greatly enhance metabolism but only while you're doing them and a couple of hours after. Cardiovascular exercises do not permanently change your resting metabolic rate.

What role does weight training play in boosting metabolism?

Weight training is one of the best ways to create a lasting positive effect on metabolism. If you have more lean muscle mass your body tends to expend more energy even when you're just sitting around. Normally, you burn about 50 more calories for every pound of muscle mass.

Can vitamins help speed up metabolism?

Vitamins are extremely important and are necessary components of the metabolic process. Your body depends on vitamins to carry out numerous functions. If vitamins are in low supply metabolism slows down.

Are there different metabolism strategies for men and women, or is it all the same approach?

The strategies are all the same. To boost your metabolism you need to build lean body mass, eat frequently throughout the day and provide your body with the nutrients it needs to get the job done.

What can slow down my metabolism?

Delaying or skipping meals and leading a sedentary lifestyle can greatly slow down your metabolism.

Are there any dangers in boosting metabolism?

If you try to alter your metabolism using stimulants you can develop heart problems like what happened with the whole Phen Phen fiasco.

Are there any downsides, not dangers, but potential inconveniences in boosting metabolism?

Eating more frequently can definitely be time consuming and so it involves a lot of time and planning. Same goes for weight training, it takes time and plenty of motivation.

What are the biggest mistakes people make when they try to boost their metabolism?

A lot of people stop eating or delay having their meals until their famished. They think that starving themselves for a few days or going on some liquid fad diet will jump start their metabolism. Oftentimes, people only do cardiovascular exercises. And a lot of people also take too many diet pills.

How soon can I see results when I try to speed up my metabolism?

Exercise speeds up your metabolism right way and the same goes for eating small frequent meals. However, making permanent changes to boost your metabolism takes time because it takes time to build lean muscle mass.

Do I have to check with my doctor before doing these things?

If you have any type of medical concerns you should always check with a physician before starting any new weight loss or exercise program.