If you want to look good naked then keep reading

What do these abbreviations mean?

% of TDEE: percentage of Total Daily Energy Expenditure
REE: Resting Energy Expenditure
NREE: Non-Resting Energy Expenditure
BMR: Basal Metabolic Rate (the energy you burn through metabolic function)
NEAT: Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis
TEF: Thermogenic Effect of Food
EAT: Exercise Activity Thermogenesis

Basal Metabolic Rate- BMR

The diagram shows that you burn the majority of your kcals from your BMR. This is your metabolism- the amount of energy required to run all the internal processes you require to function.

As such increasing your BMR should be your no1 target if you want to lose fat, gain muscle or improve your health. To help boost this you can do regular resistance (weights) and interval-style training eat wholesome nutritious food and need to sleep long and well each night. Consistency on all these points is essential as it the accumulation of the marginal effects of each that make all the difference.

Exercise

Regular resistance training is around 3-6 sessions per week (30 mins+). Normally this would be done in the gym setting, but you can do this by just using your body weight as resistance. However, for this to be effective you do need to have some foundational strength and exercise competency. If you are new to exercise or don’t yet have those components it would be very worthwhile seeking a professional to help you get there.

Interval training or conditioning (circuit style training) should also play a part in your training programme. This should be short and sharp. The intensity needs to be over 7:10 and the exercise selection is paramount for success and injury prevention. Keep it simple. My preference is to use machines like the rower, bike, treadmill or if you have one a weighted sledge/prowler. You can also use very simple bodyweight exercises for a more conditioning style workout. If you choose this option then keep the exercises very simple. Even a Burpee is probably too complicated for the majority.

Yoga and other holistic practices can and probably should be used as part of a balanced resistance training programme. It has many benefits to overall health but also has a huge carryover to weight training and the two very much complement each other.

Non- Exercise Activity Thermogenesis- NEAT

Next up is NEAT. The activity you do outside constructive exercise. It ranges from fidgeting to walking or doing household chores (not paying someone else to do your laundry) to manual labour. This is the one that doesn’t get the attention it deserves and if managed correctly can be the difference in getting lean and more importantly staying lean. It utilises at least 15% or your total kcal burn people. That is huge!

With the ability to measure so many metrics we have never been so able to see how active or lazy we are. The easiest metric, by far, to measure is the amount of the steps you take during each day. Sadly the average daily step count is now under 6000 per day (less than half a mile) and this trend continues to go down.

Don't be part of this scary statistic. Aim for a minimum of 10000 steps a day average. I ask my fat loss clients for 12000+ per day. This is not a lot and can be easily achieved with a minimum of planning. Simply don’t use your car or take public transport for non-essential short journeys. Walk part of the way or the whole way to/from work. You can do it and you will see the benefit in the size of your waistline and how you feel day to day. A great option is to get a dog. They love walking and you get your steps in, everybody wins. Plus dogs are so cool and so good for your health on so many levels.

However, it is not just upping your steps that you can look at. Think of all the convenience you have in your life now compared to not long ago. Avoid lifts and escalators (especially on the way down), do your own household chores, do your DIY, make your own food, change the channel without using the remote, grind coffee manually instead of using a grader or buying pre-bought grinds etc. It is the small things done consistently that will make all the difference. There is no magic pill!

The Thermogenic Effect of Food- TEF

Following on from this is TEF. Yes, we burn a lot of energy consuming food. This can be optimised by consuming REAL food and avoiding processed rubbish. Ensuring you have a good supply of quality protein in each meal is essential. 1-2 portions each meal is a good start and although not impossible it is far more difficult to be put weight on through over-consumption of protein-rich foods.

Protein has the highest thermogenic effect closely followed by fibre dense foods (veggies). They both require a lot of mechanical (chewing) and chemical (digestion) energy to break down. If you are trying to lose fat or promote muscle gain then ensuring you have enough protein and fibre in your diet is essential.

General recommendations are between 0.8-1.5g of protein per kg of BW (this will need to a lot higher if you are training or you are trying to lose fat and around 20-30g of fibre (increase this gradually if you have any digestive sensitivities) for those who are dieting. So if you are trying to lose weight I would suggest that around 30-40% of your diet should be coming from protein sources with a ton of veggies to support this.

Exercise Activity thermogenesis- EAT

Lastly, we look at energy expended by exercise (EAT). This is a pretty small fraction and you may be asking what is the point of exercising for fat loss if it only accounts for this very small amount. Well, the reason is that it could be this small amount that puts you into an energy deficit, meaning you won’t need to reduce the amount of energy you are consuming drastically from food and still lose fat. It also helps you maintain or even grow muscle even when you are in a fasted state. Both of these two points play a huge role in maintaining your BMR, which as we have seen is by far the greatest component in burning calories day-to-day.

In conclusion, we all need to move more and focus on building a life that is full of activity. If you don’t you will very likely fall foul to ill health- sorry, but I don’t make the rules! I encourage you to start today (there is no tomorrow) and re-build an active life for yourself. Seek help from those around you and encourage them to be part of the journey you are taking. We are creatures who thrive on activity and being part of tribe. Why not combine these two basic human needs?