The Optavia TEE Calculator, also known as the Optavia transition calculator, is a tool that helps you calculate your Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) and determine your daily calorie allowance. This information is based on a 2017 study conducted by Toshio Shimizu from Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital. Optavia TEE Calculator is particularly essential for individuals following the Optavia 3 and 3 plan, where they consume three Optavia Fuelings and three balanced meals per day.
The main purpose of the Optavia TEE Calculator is to help you on the Optavia 3 and 3 plan to determine the appropriate calorie intake that matches your energy expenditure. This personalized approach empowers you to select a meal plan with the right number of calories, supporting your weight management and health goals effectively.
It’s worth noting that Optavia provides other calculators, such as the BMI calculator. These additional tools assist you in assessing your body mass index and monitoring your progress as you embark on your Optavia journey.
What Is Optavia TEE Calculator?
The Optavia TEE Calculator is a tool that helps you estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and understand changes in energy expenditure during weight loss, as defined in a 2019 study conducted by Danielle M. Ostendorf from the University of Colorado.
The study findings indicate that as you lose weight, your TDEE decreases due to reductions in Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) and Physical Activity Energy Expenditure (PAEE), primarily resulting from the loss of body mass. Moreover, substantial weight loss may lead to additional declines in REE and TDEE beyond what can be attributed to changes in body weight and composition alone.
To prevent weight regain, you need to implement long-term strategies that compensate for the decrease in TDEE. The study suggests that successful weight loss maintenance involves creating an “energy gap” by either reducing your energy intake (EI) or increasing your physical activity (PA) to match the lower TDEE. Sustaining high levels of TDEE, often through increased PAEE, can make it more feasible for you to meet long-term energy balance requirements.
The Optavia TEE Calculator estimates your TDEE and helps you comprehend changes in energy expenditure during weight loss. This tool supports you in your weight management efforts by providing valuable insights into your energy needs.
The Optavia TEE Calculator is shown below.
Optavia Total Energy Expenditure (TEE) Calculator
This graph shows a general chart showing how TDEE changes with weight for different activity levels.
How Does The Optavia Transition Calculator Work?
The Optavia Transition Calculator works by utilizing the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation to estimate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This equation takes into account several factors including your gender, age, weight in pounds, height in inches, and activity level.
- Gender: On average, men have a higher energy expenditure than women. This is likely linked to muscle mass and body composition; typically, males possess more muscles and less fat resulting in greater metabolic activity.
- Age: With aging comes a natural decline in muscle mass, resulting in decreased BMR, and an important factor to consider when calculating TEE. Because of its greater metabolic activity, maintaining muscle tissue is essential for promoting overall health as we age.
- Weight: Weight is an integral part of the equation when considering total energy expenditure. Individuals with higher weights tend to have greater BMR demands as their bodies require more fuel just to keep basic functions running efficiently.
- Height: Height is also used to estimate your BMR because taller people usually have more lean body weight and need more energy than shorter people.
- Activity level: Our activity level plays a key role. Those with an active lifestyle generally have higher TEE due to increased physical activity, while those living more sedentary lives are likely to fall on the lower end.
What Are The Benefits Of Using the Optavia TEE Calculator?
So the biggest benefit of using the Optavia TEE calculator is it can help you understand how many caloires you can have each day on your Optavia 3 and 3 plan to maintain your current weight.
You cannot choose your meal plan if you don’t know your numbers.
So knowing your TEE can help choose the right number of servings for your starches, diaries, proteins, and fruits you can eat each day.
Plus, it is convenient and quick to use, especially compared to other manual methods.
What Are The Drawbacks Of Using the Optavia TEE Calculator?
Unfortunately, some TEE calculators are based on estimates and assumptions. This means they may not be completely accurate for everyone.
According to a 2005 study by David Frankenfield from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, “there are some errors with TDEE equations, and it might not work as well for some people.”
They don’t take into account individual differences in metabolism, body composition, and other factors that can affect TEE.
People with more muscle mass usually have a higher TEE because muscle tissue needs more energy to function properly.
That means increasing your muscle mass and reducing your body fat could potentially increase your TEE and help with weight management.
“The best way to measure how many calories you burn in a day is with indirect calorimetry,” states the journal.
Also, using a TEE calculator alone may not be enough. It’s important to also pay attention to the quality of the food you eat and engage in regular physical activity.
To get tailored advice on how best to achieve this, it’s worthwhile speaking with an experienced healthcare professional or registered dietitian.
How To Use The Optavia TEE Calculator?
This list shows how to use the Optavia TEE calculator.
- Talk with professional
- Consider medical conditions
- Look at your lifestyle
- Update your metrics
1. Talk with professional
A healthcare professional or registered dietitian can make sense of the results from a TEE calculator, and provide insight on how to incorporate it into an overall healthy lifestyle.
2. Consider medical conditions
When calculating your calorie needs for Optavia 3 and 3, be mindful that other important factors such as age, height, and weight are not the only determinants of TEE.
Don’t forget to consider medical conditions, medications taken, or any levels of stress which could influence this calculation for a more comprehensive view.
According to the article published in a 2019 study by Sahzene Yavuz from Virginia Commonwealth University published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, “certain medical conditions, like thyroid disorders, can change your metabolism and impact how many calories you burn.”
“Other medications, like steroids or antidepressants, can also affect your metabolism,” states the journal.
3. Look at your lifestyle
Understand your health holistically. Knowing your calorie intake it’s just one step in a larger journey of maintaining weight on Optavia.
For an all-encompassing approach, take into account nutrition, sleep quality, and stress management to make sure you’re operating at peak performance!
4. Update your metrics
Consistency matters! To get the most precise result from your Optavia TEE calculator, try entering the updated values every time you use it.
If you lost 5-10 lbs, log it and recalculate. If you added more exercise or another weekly spin class, include that too.
That way you’ll be able to gain a much more accurate understanding of your calorie allowance on the Optavia 3 and 3 plan.
What Are The Alternative Methods For Calculating TEE?
Another way to calculate TEE is through a method called indirect calorimetry.
This involves measuring the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide you exhale during rest or activity.
Special equipment, like a metabolic cart, can be used to measure your respiratory quotient (RQ). Your RQ is the ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed.
And it can help estimate how your body uses fuel and how much energy you use. Sure, indirect calorimetry is considered a gold-standard method to measure TEE.
It is a more accurate way than some other methods, like the Harris-Benedict equation. But, again, it’s not always easy to find and can be expensive, so it might not be an option for everyone.
What Are Other Optavia Calculators That You May Need?
In addition to the Optavia TEE Calculator, there are other calculators provided by Optavia that you may find useful. One of these calculators is the Optavia BMI Calculator.
The Optavia BMI Calculator is designed to assess your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measurement that helps determine if you fall into the underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese category based on your height and weight.
