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How to Calculate the Basic Metabolic Rate

The basic metabolic rate, or BMR, in human beings refers to the number of calories an individual burns while at rest. In other words, it is the amount of energy someone will expend in total couch potato mode, or perhaps while recovering from surgery. Everything you do during the course of a day burns additional calories, and you can easily maintain normal body weight by adjusting the amount you eat to your actual energy output. Balance is key. First, though, you need to arm yourself with the basic numbers.

Things You'll Need

  • Pen
  • Paper
  • Calculator
  • Scale
  • Height chart, tape measure or ruler
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Instructions

  1. Calculating the BMR

    • 1

      There are four components to a BMR calculation: height, weight, gender and age.You already know your gender and age, of course, so the first step in the calculation will be to determine your current height and weight. Once you have accurate numbers, you are ready to start.

    • 2

      The easiest way to calculate your BMR is to use one of the many online calculators developed for that purpose. Most of them are accurate, but for more precise results, you need to work the standard formula for basic metabolic rate. According to BMI-Calculator.net, the English BMR formula (the one using pounds and inches), for women is 655 plus (4.35 x weight in pounds) plus (4.7 x height in inches) minus (4.7 x age in years). For men, the formula is 66 plus (6.23 x weight in pounds) plus (12.7 x height in inches) minus (6.8 x age in years). So, for example, a 42-year old woman who is 5 foot 6 inches tall and weighs 163 pounds has a BMR of 1476.85.

    • 3

      If you don't have a calculator handy, or just hate math, the online calculator makes things easy. Discovery Health offers a quick and easy calculation. Simply choose your gender, height, weight, age and click "Enter." Using the same 42-year-old female who is 5 foot 6 inches tall and weighs 163 pounds, we get a BMR of 1469.1 calories per day. The BMR calculator on Internet Fitness gives our female 1480.324. Taking things one step further, Internet Fitness allows our female, who does about 120 minutes of very light, and 30 minutes of light, physical activity per day, an approximate total daily energy requirement of 1723.324 calories per day. That means she can eat around 1700 calories per day to maintain her current body weight.

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