Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
It sounds fancy, but basically, it is the estimated number of calories that your body burns each day at rest.
This does not account for your activity levels, for that you will want to check your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
Even if you do nothing but sit or lie down all day, your body still burns a base number of calories to function (breathing, organs, circulation, cell production, etc.).
BMR is the attempt to approximate that number.
How To Calculate BMR
There's no perfect way to measure BMR directly.
However, several equations estimate BMR based on the factors mentioned above. Two of the most common equations are:
- Mifflin St Jeor Equation
- Harris-Benedict Equation
Both equations estimate the minimum amount of calories your body burns at rest, but studies suggest that the Mifflin St Jeor equation is slightly more accurate, especially for obese individuals.
Our calculator uses the Mifflin St Jeor equation as follows:
Men: BMR = 10 * weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) – 5 * age (y) + 5
Women: BMR = 10 * weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) – 5 * age (y) - 161But again, these equations are estimates and may not perfectly reflect your individual BMR.
Factors That Affect BMR
Several factors influence your BMR, including:
- Age: BMR generally decreases with age. This is partly due to a decrease in muscle mass, which is metabolically more active than fat tissue.
- Sex: Men tend to have a higher BMR than women due to typically greater muscle mass.
- Height: Taller people tend to have a higher BMR as their bodies have more cells to maintain.
- Weight: People who weigh more tend to have a higher BMR as their bodies require more energy to function.
- Body Composition: Muscle burns more calories than fat, so people with a higher percentage of muscle mass will have a higher BMR.
BMR & Weight Management
Understanding your BMR can be a valuable tool for managing your weight.
Knowing your baseline caloric needs helps you determine how much you need to adjust your calorie intake to reach your goals.
- Weight Loss: To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume. Knowing your BMR allows you to set a safe and sustainable calorie reduction target.
- Muscle Gain: To build muscle, you typically need to be in a calorie surplus, consuming more calories than you burn. Knowing your BMR helps you determine how much to increase your calorie intake to support muscle growth.
BMR is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to your caloric needs.
Your activity level plays a significant role in determining your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is the total number of calories you burn each day.
Your TDEE will be higher than your BMR because it factors in the calories burned through activity.
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