Women's Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Calculator
Understanding Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the minimum amount of energy (in the form of calories) your body needs to perform essential life-sustaining functions while at rest. These functions include breathing, circulation, cell production, nutrient processing, protein synthesis, and ion transport. Essentially, it's the number of calories your body burns just to keep you alive if you were to do nothing all day.
For women, BMR is influenced by several factors including age, weight, height, and body composition. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, so individuals with a higher muscle mass tend to have a higher BMR.
How the Calculator Works (Mifflin-St Jeor Equation)
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is widely considered one of the most accurate formulas for estimating BMR. The equation for women is:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161
The result of this equation gives you your BMR, which is the calories burned at complete rest. To estimate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), you would multiply your BMR by an activity factor that represents your typical daily physical activity level.
Activity Level Multipliers:
- Sedentary: BMR × 1.2 (little or no exercise)
- Lightly active: BMR × 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
- Moderately active: BMR × 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
- Very active: BMR × 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week)
- Extra active: BMR × 1.9 (very hard exercise/sports & physical job)
Understanding your BMR and TDEE can be a helpful tool for managing your weight, whether your goal is to lose, gain, or maintain.
Example Calculation
Let's consider a woman who is 30 years old, weighs 65 kg, and is 165 cm tall. She describes herself as moderately active.
- Weight: 65 kg
- Height: 165 cm
- Age: 30 years
- Activity Level: Moderately active (multiplier of 1.55)
First, calculate BMR:
BMR = (10 × 65) + (6.25 × 165) – (5 × 30) – 161
BMR = 650 + 1031.25 – 150 – 161
BMR = 1370.25 calories
Next, calculate TDEE using the activity multiplier:
TDEE = BMR × Activity Multiplier
TDEE = 1370.25 × 1.55
TDEE = 2123.89 calories
So, this woman needs approximately 2124 calories per day to maintain her current weight, considering her activity level.