How Much Do I Eat vs How Much Should I Eat part 2

In the last article I highlighted the difference between perceived and actual calories consumed. How Much Do I Eat vs How Much Should I Eat.  Today I want to pick up where I left off.  Discussing ways to increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR) and how to create a caloric deficit to lose fat.   But before I get too involved with RMR I need to introduce and review a couple of other key terms:

• TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure):  The amount of energy (calories) burned daily.
• EPOC (Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption):  Increase of oxygen following bouts of exercise.
• PA (Physical Activity):  Planned physical activity i.e. working out.
• NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis):  Any activity done outside of a planned workout. 
• RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate): The amount of calories the body needs to function at rest.

Every good discussion starts off with a why.  Why increase RMR?  When the goal is to lose weight what we are really talking about is increasing TDEE.  Increasing RMR is part of the process of the overall increase of TDEE. Resting Metabolic Rate does not increase quickly.  It takes time.  Just how long is tough to say.  But here is what we do know.  During exercise and/or activity RMR is temporarily increased.   However, to permanently increase RMR consistent demand needs to be in place.   Incorporating the following items into your lifestyle will increase RMR in the long term:

• Interval Training-  Interval training is a means by working out at high intensities (85% of Targeted Heart Rate Max) following by periods of low intensities.  This type of exercise increases EPOC.  Simply put our bodies continue to burn calories at a higher rate for a period following the workout.
• Lift Weights-  Lifting weights also increase EPOC.  This doesn’t mean going to the gym and picking up the light weights.  You must lift a weight that is physically demanding.
• Build Muscle-  Muscle is metabolically activity. Muscle burns more calories as rest than fat.
• Eat Protein-  Consuming protein as a greater impact on Thermogenic Effect of Food (TEF) than the other two macronutrients (carbohydrates and fats).
• Increase your Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)-  Find a way to more during the day.

By now you should have a pretty solid idea of what it will take to increase your RMR.   If you have additional questions, please feel free to comment below.  

Tackling the second part of today’s article.  Creating a caloric deficit.  Revisiting our example from previous article:

• 40 year old male
• 220 lbs.
• 77 inches tall

His estimated RMR= 2035 kcals.   Incorporating an activity factor of 1.2 (sedentary).  His daily caloric needs are approximately 2798 kcals per day.  See the graph in previous article 

Using our example this male needs to consume approximately 2800 kcals to maintain his current weight of 220 lbs.  If he wanted to lose 4 lbs. over the next month, he would need to create a 500 kcal deficit per day. Consume 2300 kcals per day.   He could create the deficit is a variety of ways:

• Increase Physical Activity (PA) to burn an additional 500 kcals per day.  
• Decrease caloric intake by 500 kcals per day.
• Decrease caloric intake by 250 kcals per day and increase his PA by 250 kcals per day

Applying what we learned about increasing RMR.   It would be beneficial to increase our PA by incorporating interval training and weight lifting in order to help build muscle.  Consume additional sources of protein to increase TEF. Finally increase NEAT. 

How Much Do I Eat vs How Much Should I Eat?

This is an important question.  Knowing the answer to both parts of the question will play a vital role in your success.  Let’s examine the first part of the question; how much do I eat?  The average person underestimates their food intake by 10-20%.  This means that if someone stated they are consuming 2000 kcals per day the actual number may be closer to 2200-2400 kcals.  Day to day this representation may be insignificant but it quickly adds up.  As an example you could gain 1lb every 8.75-17.5 days (approximately 3500 kcals equates to 1lb.  3500/200 extra kcals per day= 17.50 days and 3500/400 kcals extra per day= 8.75 days).  Over the course of 1 year that could equal 21-42 lbs. of additional weight.

Now let’s examine the second part of the question; how much should I eat? There are a variety of methods and devices to help to determine the amount of calories to consume.  Most devices are not readily available and can be quite expensive.  To estimate the amount of calories you need to consume let’s talk about Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR).  Stated very simply RMR is the amount of calories the body needs to function at rest.  

How to calculate RMR (Mifflin-St. Joer Equation)

Women	RMR= {(9.99 x BW in kg) + (6.25 x Ht in cm)} – (4.92 x age) – 61
Men	RMR= {(9.99 x BW in kg) + (6.25 x Ht in cm)} – (4.92 x age) + 5

In order to use the equation you will need to know and or determine the following information:

·         Age
·         Gender
·         Weight (convert from pounds to kilograms  lbs/2.2kb)
·         Height (convert inches to centimeters inch/2.54cm)

Example:·         40 y.o.
·         Male
·         220 lbs or 100kg
·         77 inches or 195.58 cm

RMR = {(9.99 x 100 kg) + (6.25 x 195.58)} – (4.92 x 40) + 5 = 2034.495 kcals.

2035 kcals represents the number of calories needed on a daily basis to meet the body’s daily caloric expenditure at rest.  This number doesn’t include activity.  To include activity an activity factor is necessary.

Activity Factors

Category	Physical Activity (PA)	Activity Factor	Est. Using our example; RMR = 2035
Sedentary	<30 min of PA per day	1.2	2442 kcals
Light Activity	Light Exercise or  PA 1-3 days/week	1.375	2798 kcals
Moderate Activity	Moderate Exercise 3-5 days/week	1.55	3154 kcals
Very Active	Hard Exercise 6-7 days/week	1.725	3510 kcals

The challenge is to select the right activity factor.  Most individuals that I encounter would describe themselves as light to moderately activity, but are in reality sedentary to lightly active.  The difference is approximately 356 kcals.

Using the RMR equation will provide a good approximation of the amount of calories you should be consuming.   The next article will discuss how to increase your RMR and how to create a caloric deficit to lose fat.  In the mean time think about Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (N.E.A.T).  NEAT is defined as any activity done outside of exercise, such as taking the stairs vs elevator at work, picking a parking space further from the store to add extra steps or standing vs sitting during the day to name a few.   What other ways can you think of to increase your NEAT?