Calculate Your Resting Metabolic Rate
Male
Female
Mifflin-St Jeor (Recommended)
Harris-Benedict (Revised 1984)
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Your estimated Resting Metabolic Rate is:
0 Calories/day
This is the energy your body needs just to exist at rest.
Understanding the Formula to Calculate Resting Metabolic Rate
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) represents the number of calories your body burns while at complete rest. Unlike Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which requires strict clinical conditions for measurement, RMR is a practical estimation of the energy required to maintain essential bodily functions such as breathing, circulating blood, and organ function.
Why Calculate RMR?
Knowing your RMR is the foundational step in creating a nutrition plan. It establishes your baseline energy expenditure before accounting for physical activity or the thermic effect of food. Whether your goal is weight loss or muscle gain, the formula to calculate resting metabolic rate provides the starting point for your daily caloric intake targets.
The Formulas Used
Our calculator utilizes the two most respected equations in clinical nutrition:
1. The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation
Considered the "gold standard" for accuracy in modern populations, this formula was introduced in 1990. It is generally more accurate for individuals with body mass indexes (BMI) ranging from normal to obese.
Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161
Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161
2. The Revised Harris-Benedict Equation (1984)
This is a revision of the original 1919 study. While still widely used, it may overestimate calorie needs in individuals with higher body fat percentages.
Men: 88.362 + (13.397 × weight in kg) + (4.799 × height in cm) – (5.677 × age in years)
Women: 447.593 + (9.247 × weight in kg) + (3.098 × height in cm) – (4.330 × age in years)
Women: 447.593 + (9.247 × weight in kg) + (3.098 × height in cm) – (4.330 × age in years)
Factors Influencing Your RMR
- Body Composition: Muscle tissue requires more energy to maintain than fat tissue. Higher muscle mass generally leads to a higher RMR.
- Age: As we age, metabolic rate typically decreases due to hormonal changes and muscle loss.
- Gender: Men typically have a higher RMR than women due to naturally higher muscle mass and larger organ size.
- Genetics: Some individuals naturally have a faster or slower metabolism, regardless of body composition.
How to Use This Number
Once you have used the formula to calculate your resting metabolic rate, you must apply an "Activity Factor" to determine your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). For example, if you are sedentary, multiply your RMR by 1.2. If you exercise moderately 3-5 times a week, multiply by 1.55.