When new clients join us at Aftermath, one of the first things we do is step on the scale—but not just any scale.

We use a smart scale that gives us 13 different body composition markers: things like body fat percentage, muscle mass, hydration, visceral fat, and more. This isn’t just about weight—it’s about creating a baseline we can build from.

We revisit this scan every 3 months during your Goal Review Session to make sure what we’re doing is actually working.

But the most important number we look at during your first scan?
👉 Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

What Is BMR—and Why Does It Matter?

Your BMR is the number of calories your body burns just to stay alive—before workouts, steps, or chasing your kids around the house. Think of it as your engine running at idle.

Once we know your BMR, we can calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)—that’s how many calories you burn in a day based on your activity level.

🔢 How We Calculate TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)

Your TDEE is calculated by multiplying your BMR by a number that reflects how active you are day to day. Here’s how we determine that multiplier:

Activity Level	Description	Multiplier
Sedentary	Little to no exercise	1.2
Lightly Active	Light exercise 1–3 days per week	1.375
Moderately Active	Moderate exercise 3–5 days per week	1.55
Very Active	Hard training 6–7 days per week	1.725
Extra Active	Intense training + physical job or multiple sessions/day	1.9

🧠 Example:
If your BMR is 1,500 calories and you're moderately active (1.55),
your TDEE = 1,500 x 1.55 = 2,325 calories/day

That means you need about 2,325 calories per day to maintain your weight at your current activity level.

🔧 Physical Jobs Without Workouts: How to Use the Activity Scale

If you have a physically active job (on your feet most of the day, lifting, carrying, moving), but you don’t go to the gym or do formal workouts, you should still rate your activity level higher than sedentary.

Here’s how to adjust the TDEE multiplier:

Activity Level	What It Includes	Multiplier
Lightly Active	Desk job + occasional walking or movement	1.375
Moderately Active	Light physical job (e.g., retail, teaching, delivery driver) OR desk job + workouts 3–5x/week	1.55
Very Active	Physically demanding job (e.g., plumber, carpenter, nurse on a busy floor) with no workouts OR moderate job + workouts	1.725
Extra Active	Very intense job (e.g., roofing in summer, masonry, farm labor) OR hard training + physical work	1.9

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🧠 Example:

Let’s say your BMR is 1,600 calories, and you work construction 5–6 days a week but don’t go to the gym:
Use the Very Active multiplier (1.725)
Your TDEE = 1,600 × 1.725 = 2,760 calories/day

That’s what you’d need to maintain your current weight with that level of output.

Use this calculator to account for your activity from your job:

📈 How to Adjust Your Calories Based on Your Goal

Now that you have your TDEE, here’s how to adjust it based on what you want to accomplish:

✅ To Maintain Your Weight:

Eat roughly the same number of calories as your TDEE.

🔻 To Lose Weight:

Start by eating 200–500 calories below your TDEE per day.
This helps you lose body fat while preserving muscle mass.

🔺 To Gain Muscle/Weight:

Eat 200–500 calories above your TDEE to support growth and performance.

💡 Final Tip:

If you're unsure where you fall on the scale, start with the moderate-to-high estimate based on how tired/hungry you feel on workdays. Then adjust as needed based on actual changes in your weight, energy, and performance.

Up Next: Where Should Those Calories Come From?

Now that you know how many calories you need, the next step is understanding what those calories should actually be made of.

In our next blog post, we’re breaking it down—starting with the most important macronutrient for recovery, performance, and fat loss: protein.

Stay tuned!