Understanding Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to accomplish its most basic (basal) life-sustaining functions. This includes things like breathing, circulation, nutrient processing, and cell production. BMR is the energy your body would burn if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours.

The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation

Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is considered one of the most accurate methods for calculating BMR. The formulas are:

• For Men: BMR = 10 * weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) - 5 * age (y) + 5
• For Women: BMR = 10 * weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) - 5 * age (y) - 161

How to Use Your BMR

While BMR is the baseline, you burn more calories throughout the day based on your activity level. To estimate your total daily calorie needs (Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE), you can multiply your BMR by an activity factor:

• Sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR x 1.2
• Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375
• Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week): BMR x 1.55
• Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week): BMR x 1.725
• Super active (very hard exercise/physical job): BMR x 1.9

Understanding your BMR is the first step toward managing your weight, whether your goal is to lose, gain, or maintain it.