{"id":1066,"date":"2026-08-23T17:26:22","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T15:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marinabosnjakovic.com\/?p=1066"},"modified":"2026-08-23T17:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T15:30:00","slug":"training-accounts-for-the-smallest-part-of-your-daily-energy-expenditure-and-it-has-many-other-roles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marinabosnjakovic.com\/en\/training-accounts-for-the-smallest-part-of-your-daily-energy-expenditure-and-it-has-many-other-roles\/","title":{"rendered":"Training accounts for the smallest part of your daily energy expenditure. And it has many other roles."},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m sure that at least once you\u2019ve exercised with the intention of burning off everything you ate.<\/p>\n

Or checked the number of calories burned on your smartwatch after a workout.<\/p>\n

We all have. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

The sad truth? You probably didn\u2019t burn anywhere near as much as your watch told you.<\/p>\n

Smartwatches are far from accurate when it comes to estimating energy expenditure because it depends on a wide range of factors. And exercise itself represents only a relatively small part of your total daily energy expenditure.<\/p>\n

Where and how do we actually burn energy?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your total daily energy expenditure consists of four main components:<\/p>\n

1. BMR \u2013 Basal Metabolic Rate<\/strong><\/p>\n

This number represents the amount of energy your body uses at rest \u2013 while you are awake but lying still.<\/p>\n

It is the energy needed to maintain basic life functions such as breathing, heart function, brain and organ activity, body temperature regulation and other essential processes.<\/p>\n

BMR makes up the largest part of your daily energy expenditure.<\/p>\n

2. NEAT \u2013 Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis<\/strong><\/p>\n

NEAT represents all the spontaneous, often unconscious movement you do throughout the day that is not planned exercise.<\/p>\n

These are all the small movements you make during the day \u2013 gesturing, nodding your head, tapping your foot and similar activities.<\/p>\n

And no, walking does not automatically fall into this category.<\/p>\n

3. TEF \u2013 Thermic Effect of Food<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, you also use energy when you eat \u2013 more precisely, when your body digests and absorbs food.<\/p>\n

Protein has a significantly higher thermic effect than fats and carbohydrates.<\/p>\n

And that is why I always say: a calorie is not just a calorie.<\/p>\n

The type of food you eat and the balance of macronutrients play an important role in how your body functions.<\/p>\n

4. EA \u2013 Exercise Activity<\/strong><\/p>\n

This refers to planned physical activity \u2013 your workout.<\/p>\n

And this is exactly what most people focus on when they want to lose weight, because the first thing we tend to think about is how many calories we can burn.<\/p>\n

For the average person, exercise often accounts for around 10% of total daily energy expenditure \u2013 and sometimes even less.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That is why the idea that you can regularly eat whatever you want, in whatever amount you want, and then simply \u201cburn it off\u201d at the gym is unrealistic.<\/p>\n

No habit that works against your goal \u2013 whether it concerns nutrition, sleep or recovery \u2013 can simply be cancelled out by a harder or smarter workout.<\/p>\n

Exercise has completely different functions.<\/p>\n

And they are extremely important.<\/p>\n

Especially for women over 35.<\/p>\n

Physical fitness is one of the most common topics in magazines, online articles and countless promises made by workout and weight-loss programmes.<\/p>\n

But what should really be our priority is building a healthier, stronger and more functional body.<\/p>\n

Primarily because the gradual loss of muscle mass, strength and function begins much earlier than most people realise and continues as we age.<\/p>\n

It is going to be a little late to start thinking about it when you are 60.<\/p>\n

The process of losing muscle tissue starts much earlier and becomes more pronounced with age \u2013 especially when there is no adequate stimulus from strength training, sufficient protein intake and an active lifestyle in general.<\/p>\n

For women, this is later compounded by hormonal changes associated with perimenopause and menopause.<\/p>\n

So perhaps the most important question when it comes to exercise should be:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat should I be doing now to preserve the muscles I will need when I\u2019m 60, 70 or 80?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because muscles are not just what makes your jeans fit better.<\/p>\n

Although yes, they do that too!<\/p>\n

Muscle is an extremely important tissue, both metabolically and functionally.<\/p>\n

Through training, you are building much more than your appearance.<\/p>\n

Strength training can help you:<\/p>\n