What exactly is Total Daily Energy Expenditure? (TDEE) Your TDEE is how many calories you burn in a day. It is affected by many things.
Thermic Effect of Food
Thermogenesis or the thermic effect of food (TEF) can be defined as the energy needed to digest, absorb, and dispose of the food you eat. A high thermic food is a food that requires your body to use more energy to digest than it takes to eat. Through a process called diet-induced thermogenesis, high thermic foods cause an increase in metabolic rate, the rate at which your body burns calories.
TEF accounts for approximately 10% of our total daily energy expenditure.
Certain food groups have higher thermic effects than others. Lean protein foods, such as chicken breast, egg whites, and fish, have the highest thermic effect at almost 30%. This means that if you eat 100 calories of chicken breast, almost 30 of those calories are burned off just to digest it. High fiber and complex carbohydrates, such as fibrous vegetables, brown rice, and oatmeal, have a high thermic effect of around 10%. Fats have the lowest thermic effect at only 3%. Along with fats, simple carbohydrates, such as white rice, bread, pasta, etc. also have a low thermic effect and store easily as fat.
Carbohydrates
Barley
Oats
Buckwheat
Quinoa
Bulgar wheat
Couscous
Rice
Chickpea
Kidney bean
Pea
Protein
Chicken or turkey
Tilapia
Beef
Eggs
Pork tenderloin
Mutton (fat removed)
Tuna
Bison
Venison
Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt (low-fat)
Fats
Almond
Peanut
Walnut
Cashew
Pistachio
Avocado
Pecan
Pumpkin seed
Flax seed
Chia seed
Vegetables
Broccoli
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Celery
Lettuce
Cucumber
Kale
Spinach
Carrot
Beetroot
Fruits
Orange
Lemon
Grapefruit
Pear
Mango
Blueberries
Raspberries
Strawberries
Apple
Banana
Foods with Capsaicin
Capsaicin is the chemical compound that makes chilies and paprika spicy.
Sober Sweat Tip: Don’t like spicy foods? Try an over-the-counter Capsaicin supplement!
Coconut Oil
Unlike most foods that are made of long-chain fatty acids, this miracle oil is rich in Medium Chain Triglycerides, which are sent to the liver to be converted into energy right away. This increases the rate of metabolism. Consuming coconut oil actually burns energy during digestion compared to other fats.
Coffee
Studies have shown that regular coffee consumption can increase the calories you burn while at rest by up to 11%.
Garlic
Garlic produces heat in the body causing it to burn off energy during the digestion process.
Grapefruit
This citrus fruit is rich in enzymes and phytochemicals which break down sugar, burn fat in the body, and improves your metabolism.
Green Tea
Antioxidants in green tea help break down fat and boost metabolism.
Water
Every part of your body needs water to function at its best, including your metabolism. When you’re dehydrated, your body burns up to 2% fewer calories. My daily water goal is 100-120 ounces.
Sober Sweat Tip: Drink cold water – your body has to work to increase the liquid to body temperature, which helps you burn more calories!
Why A Healthy Diet Matters To Those In Recovery
A recovery diet plan is important because it provides the individual with energy, helps reduce sickness, reduces cravings, and helps the person look and feel better. Because those who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction typically do not take care of their bodies through healthy diets, transitioning to a balanced diet will yield drastic results from the first day.
The diet of someone in recovery should be hearty enough to provide the energy needed for a day full of activity and rehab, and filled with vitamins and nutrients to help heal and sustain the body. Excessive substance use over months or years attacks the body’s immune system and makes it difficult for the person to absorb the nutrients they do get, and it hinders the person’s ability to process foods. The results are poor appetite, weight loss or gain, gastrointestinal ailments, and mood swings. If poor eating habits are carried into recovery, they can actually impact the person’s ability to stay clean.
As the individual cleanses their body of the toxic substances they have been using, they need reparative nutrition to rebuild their health. A balanced diet of protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, as well as limited sugar and caffeine, will provide the vitamins and amino acids the body needs to heal and stay energized.
Benefits of a healthy diet during recovery include:
- 1. Repair of damage to organs and tissues
- 2. Improved immune defenses
- 3. Increased energy
- 4. Improved mood
- 5. Reduced risk of relapse due to fatigue or depressed mood
#ADDTOCART: Shop Ashley’s favorite fitness picks!
SOBER SWEAT: Every Wednesday with Sober Curator Ashley Sunderland bring you the weekly pump to get you over the weekly hump. Quick workouts and nutrition tips that are too legit. (Too legit to quit!)
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.
