Formulas: Mifflin-St Jeor: Male: BMR = 10w + 6.25h - 5a + 5, Female: BMR = 10w + 6.25h - 5a - 161. Revised Harris-Benedict: Male: BMR = 88.362 + 13.397w + 4.799h - 5.677a, Female: BMR = 447.593 + 9.247w + 3.098h - 4.330a. (Weight in kg, height in cm, age in years)
Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) represents the minimum number of calories your body needs to perform basic life-sustaining functions at rest, such as breathing, circulation, and cell production.
Knowing your BMR is essential for creating structured meal plans and fitness goals, as it forms the baseline of your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
This tool estimates your BMR based on sex, age, height, and weight. It provides calculations using both the popular Mifflin-St Jeor equation and the revised Harris-Benedict equation.
BMR varies by age, gender, and muscle mass, meaning custom body composition can cause actual calorie burn to differ slightly from standard estimations.
Example inputs and outputs using the calculator logic.
Quick links to similar calculators.
Answers to help you use the calculator correctly.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the amount of energy (in calories) your body needs to stay alive and function at rest in a temperate environment with an inactive digestive system.
BMR is the energy burned just to keep you alive at rest. Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) includes BMR multiplied by an activity factor to account for exercise and daily movements.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is widely considered by dietitians to be more accurate for modern populations and is the standard calculation recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Consistently eating below your BMR is generally not recommended unless under medical supervision. It can cause fatigue, muscle loss, and slow down your metabolic rate.