Medical News, FAQ, and Pearls: How To Work Out And Calculate Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and Start Losing Weight

By Kat Fuschillo and Andrew Doan, MD, PhD
Writer for FEP International

Understanding your BMR...

Your BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate. This is the rate at which your body burns calories/energy each day. The calories found in the foods you eat give your body the daily energy it needs to function.

If you consume far more calories than your body needs, you could expect to gain weight and this could eventually lead to obesity. To lose one pound of fat, people must eat 3500 calories less. If you eat 3500 calories in excess, then you will gain one pound of fat. Therefore, if you aim to lose one pound weekly, then you must eat 500 calories LESS than your daily caloric need per day. If you eat 500 calories more than your daily caloric need daily, then you'll gain one pound each week, and more than 50 pounds each year!

Some people have a naturally high BMR and a faster metabolism, and their bodies can burn through more calories, even when they're not active or exercising. When you're younger, your BMR is at its highest, and you can get away with eating more, without putting on any weight. If you have more muscle mass, then you'll have a higher BMR. But, as you grow older your BMR decreases naturally. This means that, unfortunately, you're unable to continue eating all the foods you love, and still stay slim.

When we move around, go for walks or exercise, we burn far more calories, but the BMR calculator measures how many calories your body burns when you are inactive, and tells us the how many calories we need each day.

How to work out your BMR...

A BMR calculator will work out the rate at which you burn calories. In order for you to work out your accurate BMR you'll need to enter the following information into a Basal Metabolic Rate calculator:

- Height in feet and inches
- Weight in pounds
- Your age
- Your Gender (Men have higher BMRs than women, thus men can eat more than women and still maintain their weight. This is why it is more difficult for women to lose weight!)

The figure you get from the calculator will be your BMR, which is also the amount of calories you should be consuming each and every day. To find out how many calories your body burns along with your daily activity level, you'll need to multiply your BMR by one of the figures below (based on the Harris Benedict Equation):

1) No daily physical activity – BMR x 1.2

2) Little to light physical activity (light exercise/sports 1-3 times weekly) – BMR x 1.375

3) Moderate physical activity (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 times weekly) - BMR x 1.55

4) High levels of activity (hard exercise/sports 6-7 times weekly) – BMR x 1.725

5) Intense physical activity (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2X training) – BMR x 1.9.

Example – If your BMR is 1550, and you don't get any daily activity, your body will be burning 1860 calories each day (1550 x 1.2 = 1860).

How to increase your BMR...

The lower your BMR level the harder it is for you to lose weight. If you starve yourself and stop eating your BMR will actually fall and you'll actually find weight loss far more difficult. But, if you exercise regularly with cardiovascular based workouts you could raise your BMR and boost your weight loss efforts. You should also do some weight training to add more muscle mass, which will also raise your BMR.

Fat needs less energy, and muscles need far more. As we grow older, we start to lose muscle mass and begin replacing it with fat. This then causes our metabolic rate to decrease and we start to gain weight. If you're able to change the fat in your body to muscle, you'll be able to slightly increase your BMR and speed up the rate at which your body burns energy. The older you get, the more likely you're to gain weight, that's why it's so important for you to increase your exercise levels, to ensure you stay fit and healthy for longer.

Once you know your BMR, you'll know how much you can eat daily to achieve your weight loss goal. The key is to have slow, gradual weight loss of no more than 1-2 pounds weekly. Remember, to lose one pound of fat, people must eat 3500 calories less. If you eat 3500 calories in excess, then you will gain one pound of fat. Therefore, if you aim to lose one pound weekly, then you must eat 500 calories LESS than your daily caloric need per day.

Finally, it's important to eat a balanced diet. Make sure you eat in moderation and in small portions. Be patient, count your calories, and you'll lose weight!