Hi, from Bogotá 🇨🇴 !

[gasps for air]

It’s always fun to land in Colombia’s capital (8,600 ft elevation) and be reminded what it’s like to struggle for oxygen.

The upside? After exercising here for a few days, I’ll return to SF feeling extra strong—thank you red blood cells! 🩸

This week, I want to share a useful nutrition concept.

Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, or peak performance, understanding it will help you make informed, strategic nutrition decisions.

¡Vámonos!

Total Daily Energy Expenditure: The Key to Your Nutrition Strategy

Some may say ‘Energy In = Energy Out’ oversimplifies nutrition. I think it’s an easy way to understand how the food (fuel) you consume powers your performance, recovery, and essential body functions.

At its core, your body is a biological engine, burning energy (calories) to power essential processes like breathing, digestion, and circulation.

Add in physical activity—cycling, running, weightlifting, or playing hide and seek with the kids—and your daily energy needs rise.

No matter your goal—fat loss, muscle gain, or weight maintenance—the first step in your nutrition strategy is understanding how much fuel per day your current body requires.

But how do you measure that?

This is where Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) comes in.

A quick plug before continuing…

In 45 days, our Page Street Performance Podcast 🎙️ goes live.

Expect weekly video episodes that go beyond the usual voices in sports and performance, featuring:

• Elite coaches & sports pros breaking down the science of performance

• Athletes pushing limits—real stories, new perspectives, and hard-earned takeaways

• Medical experts bridging the gap between health, recovery, and high-level training

Episode #1 launches April 14, 2025.

What is TDEE?

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is an estimate of how many calories you burn daily, factoring in age, metabolism, activity level, and lifestyle.

It’s the practical application of Energy In = Energy Out, helping you know exactly how much fuel your body needs to maintain weight balance, or to gain or lose mass.

• Energy In > Energy Out (Weight Gain)

• Energy In < Energy Out (Weight Loss)

• Energy In = Energy Out (Weight Maintenance)

With this number, you have a clear foundation from which you can adjust your intake—so you’re not just randomly guessing.

Calculating TDEE

TDEE is composed of two factors:

1️⃣ Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – The calories your body burns at rest to support essential functions like breathing, circulation, and digestion.

2️⃣ Activity Level – The additional calories you burn from movement, whether that’s structured exercise, walking the dog, or cooking a meal.

The most accurate measure of TDEE is lab-tested BMR and activity tracking, but you can get a useful estimate using online calculators or the following simple formula.

Calculating Ivan’s TDEE

Let’s estimate my TDEE using this common equation method.

1️⃣ Estimate BMR: A rough estimate of BMR is: body weight (lbs) × 10-12.

• I’m 194 lbs, so that’s 1,940–2,328 calories/day.

• Let’s go with 2,000 calories for simplicity.

2️⃣ Adjust for Activity Level:

I’d say I’m moderately active, so we’ll use BMR × 1.55.

(2,000 × 1.55 = 3,100)

So, with moderate activity, my estimated TDEE is ~3,100 calories/day—this is the number of calories I need to maintain my current weight.

Once you know your TDEE, you can adjust your intake to align with your goals.

✔ For Fat Loss:

• Eat 10–20% fewer calories than TDEE.

• ~2,500–2,800 calories/day for my 3,100-calorie TDEE.

✔ For Muscle Gain:

• Eat 5–15% more calories than TDEE.

• ~3,250–3,600 calories/day for a 3,100-calorie TDEE.

✔ For Maintenance:

• Stay within ±5% of TDEE to keep weight stable while supporting performance.

A few key things to note with the above:

• You must pair nutrition with strength training to preserve muscle during fat loss or promote muscle growth during a surplus.
  

• TDEE is still an estimate—your actual energy needs may be slightly higher or lower based on genetics, metabolic efficiency, and training intensity.
  

  • If fat loss stalls, you may need to adjust intake or activity.

  • If muscle gain is slow, you might not be in a true surplus.

  • If performance declines, recovery, or sleep worsens, energy intake could be too low.

• Tracking body weight trends, strength progression, energy levels, and even waist/hip measurements will help ensure you’re moving in the desired direction—and that adjustments are made based on real progress, not just an equation.

Reply to this email if you’d like help working through these calculations or to chat about your strategy.

Movement of the Week

Here I show weighted calf raises—a simple but essential movement for strengthening the lower legs and improving efficiency in cycling, running, and overall movement.

Why Your Calves Matters

Your calves absorb impact, stabilize movement, and transfer force with every pedal stroke or foot strike. Strengthening them helps:

✅ Improve muscular endurance & efficiency – Calves store and return energy with each step or pedal stroke.

✅ Enhance ankle stability & force absorption – Reduces strain on the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia, helping prevent injuries.

✅ Support power output – Provides a strong foundation for force transfer from the larger muscles in the upper leg.

How to Perform Weighted Calf Raises

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.

2. Stand on a flat surface (or elevate your toes on a weight plate for a deeper stretch).
   

3. Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible.

4. Lower slowly, and with control.

5. Repeat for 3 sets of 12–15 reps.

As always, thanks for reading! Reply if you have any feedback, questions, or suggested topics.

I’m off to dinner with Andrés and his family. See you next week!

<3
Ivan