Resting Rate Calculator

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Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Calculator

Male Female

Your Estimated Resting Rate:

Calories per day

function calculateRMR() { var gender = document.getElementById("gender").value; var age = parseFloat(document.getElementById("age").value); var weight = parseFloat(document.getElementById("weight").value); var height = parseFloat(document.getElementById("height").value); var resultContainer = document.getElementById("rmr-result-container"); var resultValue = document.getElementById("rmr-value"); if (isNaN(age) || isNaN(weight) || isNaN(height) || age <= 0 || weight <= 0 || height <= 0) { alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for all fields."); return; } // Mifflin-St Jeor Equation var rmr = 0; if (gender === "male") { rmr = (10 * weight) + (6.25 * height) – (5 * age) + 5; } else { rmr = (10 * weight) + (6.25 * height) – (5 * age) – 161; } resultValue.innerText = Math.round(rmr).toLocaleString() + " kcal"; resultContainer.style.display = "block"; }

Understanding Your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)

Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the total number of calories your body burns while at rest. This includes fundamental biological processes such as breathing, circulating blood, organ function, and basic neurological operations. Unlike Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is measured under strict laboratory conditions, RMR provides a more practical estimate of the energy your body requires to maintain homeostasis while sitting or resting during the day.

How the RMR is Calculated

This calculator utilizes the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, which is widely considered the most accurate formula for predicting resting energy expenditure in healthy adults. The formula accounts for your biological sex, weight, height, and age to determine your daily caloric floor.

  • Weight: Heavier individuals generally have higher RMRs because they have more tissue to support.
  • Height: Taller individuals often have larger surface areas and more lean mass, leading to higher resting rates.
  • Age: Metabolic rate typically slows down by 2-3% per decade after the age of 20 as lean muscle mass decreases.
  • Gender: Men usually have more muscle mass and less body fat than women of the same age and weight, resulting in a higher RMR.

Calculation Example

Let's look at a realistic example of how the RMR is determined for a typical individual:

Profile: Male, 35 years old, 85 kg, 180 cm tall.
Formula: (10 × 85) + (6.25 × 180) – (5 × 35) + 5
Step 1: 850 + 1125 – 175 + 5
Result: 1,805 Calories per day.

Why Knowing Your Resting Rate Matters

Knowing your RMR is the cornerstone of any nutritional or fitness plan. If your goal is weight loss, you must consume fewer calories than your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), which is your RMR multiplied by an activity factor. If your goal is muscle gain, you must consume a surplus above this number. Consuming significantly fewer calories than your RMR for extended periods can lead to metabolic adaptation, where your body slows down its processes to conserve energy.

Tips to Improve Your Resting Rate

While some factors like age and height are fixed, you can influence your RMR through lifestyle choices:

  1. Increase Muscle Mass: Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue. Strength training is the most effective way to boost your RMR.
  2. Protein Intake: The thermic effect of food (TEF) is higher for protein, and adequate protein helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss.
  3. Hydration: Studies suggest that drinking water can temporarily increase metabolic rate.
  4. Sleep Quality: Poor sleep can negatively impact metabolism and hormonal balance, potentially lowering your resting rate.

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