Describe each of the components of total energy expenditure.

Basal metabolism accounts for 60 to 75 percent of the total energy expenditure. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a measure of baseline metabolism conducted under standardized conditions. Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is slightly higher than the BMR because it is usually measured or estimated while sitting at rest. The BMR is highest in clients who are growing (children and pregnant women) and those who have high amounts of lean body mass. Clients who have altered normal health status (such as fever, high stress, and hyperthyroidism) also have high BMRs, whereas individuals who have lost lean body mass or who are fasting or malnourished have lower BMRs.
The process of consuming food stimulates the RMR because of digestion and absorption. The acceleration of the RMR requires energy and produces heat; this is called the thermic effect of food. The thermic effect of food represents about 10 percent of energy intake and is influenced by factors such as meal size and frequency. The thermic effect of food may be accelerated if you consume several smaller meals per day versus one or two larger meals per day of equal total kilocalories.
The amount of time spent in voluntary physical activity represents the greatest variability, depending on the individual's activity patterns and on the intensity, frequency, type, and duration of activity.