BMR Calculator Helps With Your Weight Goals

BMR Calculator

BMR Calculator is used to measure how many calories your normal body functions would use if you were to sleep all day. Use with Harris Benedict equation to calculate your calorie expenditure per day.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the rate at which essential life functions use calories as the human body works involuntarily to support life.

This metabolism includes things like operations of the nervous system, breathing, regulation of body temperature and blood circulation.

Basal metabolism is exclusive of the extra calories required for physical activity or exercises. For example, you need a certain number of calories to maintain your normal body functions while sleeping all day.

Therefore, the number of calories needed for these involuntary body functions is equal to BMR.

Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) means the same as BMR. They are both used to measure your calorie needs for organ functions when in bed. For example, RMR and BMR account for energy used by the heart, brain, liver and diaphragm.

Combine BMR calculator with the Harris Benedict Equation

It is important to use BMR calculator with the Harris Benedict Equation to determine the number calories you burn each day.

Combining BMR with the Harris Benedict Equation (activity factor) will help you adjust your calorie intake in line with your weight goals.

So to lose weight you have to create a deficit, and to gain weight you need a surplus of calories. However, if you need a surplus, try to not eat more than 500 calories per day in order to stay healthy.

Your BMR changes as you get older and your metabolism slows. Also, not eating well in order to lose weight reduces your BMR.

How does BMR calculator determine the least number of calories needed to maintain normal, involuntary body functions?

The BMR calculator determines your basal metabolic rate using age, gender, weight and height variables. However, it omits lean body mass variable and as a result doesn’t account for the body’s muscle-to-fat ratio. Keep in mind that a lean body needs more calories than a fat body or a less lean body.

Therefore, BMR calculation is very accurate except in muscular and very fat people. It will underestimate the calorie needs of muscular people and overestimate the calorie needs of very fat people.

Finally, you can determine your daily energy requirement by using the Harris Benedict Equation to apply your activity factor to your BMR.

What is Harris Benedict Calculation?

Harris benedict equation is a formula that applies an activity factor in combination with BMR to find how many daily calories you need.

Similar to BMR, Harris benedict equation is also accurate except in muscular and very fat people. Then again, it underestimates the calorie needs of muscular people and overestimates the calorie needs of very fat people.

Harris benedic equation: Calorie expenditure = BMR x activity

This calculation involves five levels of activity and calorie calculation as follows:
• Little or no exercise: BMR x 1.2
• Light exercise or sports for 1 to 3 days in a week: BMR x 1.375
• Moderate exercise or sports for 3 to 5 days per week: BMR x 1.55
• Hard exercise or sports for 6 to 7 days per week: BMR x 1. 725
• Very hard exercise or sports: BMR x 1.9

If an individual has a BMR of 1800 and exercises lightly for 1 to 3 days per week, his/her daily calorie expenditure using Harris Benedict equation and MBR is calculated thus:
Calorie expenditure = BMR x Activity
Calorie expenditure = 1800 x 1.375 = 2475 calories/day

So go on and calculate your BMR now, and apply Harris Benedict equation.

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