Free Basal Metabolic Rate Calculator

Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, estimates how many calories your body burns at rest to support basic functions such as breathing, circulation, cell repair, and body temperature. BMR is not the same as total daily calories. It is the baseline number before adding daily movement, exercise, digestion, and normal activity.

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, a commonly used formula for estimating BMR from weight, height, age, and sex. The result can help you understand the starting point behind calorie planning. To estimate total daily calories, multiply BMR by an activity factor or use our daily calorie and macro calculator.

How BMR helps with calorie planning

BMR gives you the resting portion of your energy needs. Most people burn more than their BMR each day because walking, working, training, and digestion all require energy. That full number is called TDEE, or total daily energy expenditure.

Example

A 30-year-old male who weighs 180 pounds and is 70 inches tall may have a BMR near 1,800 calories per day. If he is moderately active, his total daily needs could be closer to 2,700 calories. That difference explains why BMR should not be used as a full daily calorie target by itself.

Frequently Asked Questions