Your BMR is referred to ask your Basal Metabolic Rate, and what that means is how many calories your body burns by itself within a 24 hour period. The key phrase here is "by itself". BMR doesn't include how many calories you burn through volentary physical activity. So all of the processes that happen involentary within your body, like the energy required for your heart to beat, your brain to function, your digestive processes to work, etc.. are all contributing to your BMR. The very large majority of calories that your body burns in total (BMR + physical activity) comes from BMR.
There are a couple methods that are used for determining BMR, but the most popular and most accurate method is referred to as the Harris Benedict equation. The methods are a bit different for men and women, here they are:
| Women: | 655 + (4.35 x Weight in lbs.) + (4.7 x Height in In.) - (4.7 x Age) |
| Men: | 66 + (6.23 x Weight in lbs.) + (12.7 x Height in In.) - (6.8 x Age) |
Now that's pretty simple! The above equation will help you estimate your basal metabolic rate. Now if you want to know how many calories your body burns in total with your activity levels, simply use the chart below once you've figured out your BMR.
| Sedentary (Little to no physicaly activity): | BMR x 1.1 |
| Light Activity: | BMR x 1.2 |
| Moderate Activity: | BMR x 1.3 |
| A lot of Activity: | BMR x 1.45 |
| Intense Activity: | BMR x 1.65 |
The other method for determining your BMR is a lot simpler, but some think it isn't as accurate as the harris benedict equation. You multiply your weight (in Kg.) by 24, and you have your BMR. I recommend using the first equation.
And that's it. It's essential to know how many calories your body is burning if you want to build muscle or achieve fat loss. As a general rule of thumb, if you want to lose fat you consume 300 to 500 calories less than your total daily caloric expenditure (BMR + Activity equation), and the opposite applies to building muscle.
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