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TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)
Rating
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total daily calorie expenditure: basal metabolism plus all physical activity, including training.
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Calorie needs (BMR + TDEE)
In detail
TDEE = BMR × activity factor (usually ranging from 1.2 for sedentary people to 1.9 for very active athletes with physical work). It's TDEE, not BMR, that serves as the benchmark for nutrition planning: eat less than TDEE and weight decreases, eat more and it increases, eat at TDEE level and weight is maintained.
How to use it
Formulas only give an estimate with a 10-15% margin of error — calibrate your real TDEE based on actual weight change over 2-3 weeks of stable eating and activity.