|  | Diet Nutrition | Weight Control

How to Find My Basic Metabolic Rate

The basic metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of calories a person burns each day, without the addition of calories burned from exercise. The Harris-Benedict formula is a mathematical equation which can give a close approximation of a person's BMR. Since males tend to have more muscle mass with less fat, their metabolic rates are naturally higher than females. Due to this difference, there are different Harris-Benedict formulas for each gender.

Things You'll Need

  • Calculator
Show More

Instructions

  1. Men

    • 1

      Convert your weight from pounds to kilograms and your height from inches to centimeters. A kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds and a centimeter is equal to 0.3937 inches.

    • 2

      Multiply your weight by 13.7 and add 66. For example, if the weight is 70 kg, multiply by 13.7 to get 959. Add 66 to this number to get 1025.

    • 3

      Multiply your height by 5 and add it to the final number in Step 2. For example, if the height is 200 cm, multiply it by 5 to get 1000. Add 1000 and 1025 to get 2025.

    • 4

      Multiply your age in years by 6.8 and subtract it from the final number in Step 3. For example, if the age is 20, multiply it by 6.8 to get 136. Subtract 136 from 2025 to get 1889. This means the BMR is 1889 calories per day.

    Women

    • 5

      Convert your weight from pounds to kilograms and your height from inches to centimeters. Again, for the conversion, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2 to determine your weight in kilograms. Divide your height in inches by 0.3937 to determine your height in centimeters.

    • 6

      Multiply your weight by 9.6 and add it to 665. For example, if the weight is 60 kilograms, multiply by 9.6 to get 576. Add this number to 665 to get 1241.

    • 7

      Multiply the height by 1.8 and add it to the final number in Step 2. For example, if the height is 200 centimeters, multiply by 1.8 to get 360. Add 360 to 1241 to get 1601.

    • 8

      Multiply your age by 4.7 and subtract it from the final number in Step 3. For example, if the age is 25, multiply it by 4.7 to get 117.5. Subtract 117.5 from 1601 to get 1483.5. This means the BMR is 1483.5 calories per day.

Weight Control - Related Articles