Health & Nutrition
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Updated 2025-10-28
Definition
The number of calories your body burns at complete rest to maintain essential functions, breathing, circulation, cell production, and body temperature. The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is the modern standard: for men, BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5; for women, subtract 161 instead of adding 5. A 35-year-old man weighing 80kg at 180cm has a BMR of roughly 1,770 calories. BMR typically accounts for 60-75% of total daily energy expenditure in sedentary adults.
Primary source: Mifflin-St Jeor original study (PubMed)
Related Calculators
- BMR Calculator - Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate, the calories your body burns at complete rest.
- TDEE Calculator - Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, the total calories you burn each day including activity.
- Calorie Intake Calculator - Calculate how many calories you should eat daily based on your goals, lose, maintain, or gain weight.