You burn a lot of calories throughout the day by walking around, exercising, and even just by cleaning the house. But how many does your body burn simply by functioning?
The number of calories your body burns when it is at rest is called your "resting metabolic rate." It is often used interchangeably with "basal metabolic rate" or BMR.
If you're looking to lose weight, build muscle, or maintain your weight, knowing this baseline can help you determine the number of calories you should eat each day. Use this calculator to learn your RMR so you can fuel right for your fitness goals!
Resting Metabolic Rate Calculator
Now that you know the approximate number of calories your body needs to survive, here are your next steps.
1. Pick a Workout Program
If you're trying to burn more calories or lose weight, a systematic training program is a must!
2. Calculate Your Calories
Your RMR is important, but it isn't how many calories you're actually burning each day. Bodybuilding.com's calorie calculator gives a more complete portrayal of your calorie needs based on your current lifestyle and your physique and fitness goals.
3. Learn About the Best Fat-Loss Supplements.
Supplements can help you reach your goals faster once you have your calories and training in place. Krissy Kendall, Ph.D., shares her recommendations in the article, "5 Ways to Up Your Fat-Loss Supplement Game."
4. Join a fitness community.
For over 10 years, members of BodySpace have been helping each other build their best bodies. Join a fitness community that's over 2 million people strong!
How did we calculate your BMR?
Bodybuilding.com's resting metabolic rate calculator uses the Harris-Benedict equation, which is considered by many experts to be the most accurate RMR and BMR calculation for most types of people. Here's how it works:
For men: BMR = 66.5 + (13.75 x weight in kg) + (5.003 x height in cm) - (6.755 x age in years)
For women: BMR = 655.1 + (9.563 x weight in kg) + (1.850 x height in cm) - (4.676 x age in years)
Bear in mind that this doesn't take your activity level into account!
How Can I Burn More Calories Throughout the Day?
When you're looking to lose weight, it's tempting to simply try to work out harder and more often. But that's not your only option! What is known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, has been shown in studies to be effective in weight loss and management, as well.
NEAT options include things like:
- Walking rather than driving short distances
- Parking farther from a store in a parking lot
- Doing yard work or housework
These activities may not feel like they "count," but they definitely do! Doing them on a regular basis, in addition to a strategic, progressive approach to training, can help you burn more calories and lose more weight, with no negative impact on your workout recovery.
In addition to simply being more active, lifting weights and eating more protein can also result in >raising your metabolism and burning more calories throughout the day, according to registered dietician and powerlifter Paul Salter.
Looking for even more zero-effort calorie burners? Try including the best metabolism-boosting foods in your diet!
How Can I Use My RMR to Lose Fat or Gain Muscle?
Once you use your RMR or BMR to determine your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), you can make sure that the nutrition plan you follow is appropriate for your level of energy expenditure and that it isn't giving you too many or too few calories. Being armed with this knowledge, rather than guesstimating or blindly following a plan without scaling it to your individual needs, can make or break your muscle gains or fat loss.
