What exactly is BMR?
Even when you are resting, your body is working hard. Your heart is pumping blood, your lungs are breathing, and your brain is processing information. The energy required to sustain these basic physiological functions is known as your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). For most people, BMR accounts for about 60% to 75% of their total daily calorie burn.
BMR vs. TDEE
It is crucial to understand that your BMR is not the total number of calories you burn in a day—unless you literally never get out of bed. To find the actual number of calories you burn (including exercise and daily movement), you need to take your BMR and multiply it by an activity factor. This final number is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
Our calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which was introduced in 1990 and is widely considered by the American Dietetic Association to be the most accurate mathematical formula for calculating BMR.
The Formula
Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5
Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) - 161