BMR Calculator

What is a BMR Calculator?

A BMR calculator, which also goes by the name, Basal Metabolic Rate calculator is a device used to calculate the amount of calories that your body burns when in a complete state of rest.

You see, our body burns calories all the time. Even when you are sleeping calories are being used for basic life processes to keep the vital organs running. This would indicate that your body is burning sufficient amount of calories even when you are in a complete resting state. It would benefit you to calculate your BMR by the help of a BMR calculator.

You can usually calculate your basal metabolic rate through online BMR calculators which will give you an instant results by just filling out some basic data. You can also install a BMR calculator software to your computer, but nowadays it is also popular with BMR calculator apps that you can download to your smartphone.

How does a BMR calculator work?

A basal metabolic rate calculator can help you calculate your basal metabolic rate and the calorie needs of your body by using the following factors:

• Gender
• Height
• Weight
• Age
• Physical activity level

The BMR calculated in this way may vary depending on individual differences. Some factors can change an individual’s calorie needs significantly. A few of these factors that influence an individuals’ BMR are as follows:

• Body frame
• Body composition
• Body fat percentage

Changes in basal metabolic rate

It is common observation that as we age, we start putting on weight even though our physical activity level remains unchanged. We find many middle aged individuals complaining that they find it increasingly difficult to eat at leisure and yet stay slim. This is because with age we experience a decrease in our basal metabolic rate. This would mean that now we will be burning fewer calories in a complete state of rest. This is also the reason why we have to make an extra effort to stay fit and healthy with age.

But the common belief of starving yourself to lose weight contradicts this theory. Depriving yourself of food would only push your basal metabolic rate even farther down. Therefore a strict diet regime is only detrimental to your physical fitness.

What may benefit you is if you somehow try to compensate for the amount of calories that are not being burnt by the body. The only way we can effectively manipulate our body’s metabolism is by increasing your body’s physical activity level. So a few minutes of cardiovascular exercise is a much better alternative. This will allow you to burn the calories that would normally have been burnt in a state of rest. Moreover you can shed the extra calories you consume while leisurely enjoying a healthy meal.

To lose weight you basically have to be more active or consume less calories than you normally do.