BMR Calculator

The BMR Calculator estimates a person’s Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and daily calorie needs. This calculator can also provide simple guidelines for gaining or losing weight based on your BMR and activity level.

Age	ages 15 – 80
Gender	male   female

Height	feet   inches
Weight	pounds

Height	cm
Weight	kg

Activity	Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Sedentary: little or no exercise Light: exercise 1-3 times/week Moderate: exercise 4-5 times/week Active: daily exercise or intense exercise 3-4 times/week Very Active: intense exercise 6-7 times/week Extra Active: very intense exercise daily, or physical job
	+ Settings Results unit: Calories   Kilojoules BMR estimation formula: Mifflin St Jeor Revised Harris-Benedict Katch-McArdle   Body Fat:

• Exercise: 15-30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
• Intense exercise: 45-120 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
• Very intense exercise: 2+ hours of elevated heart rate activity.

Food Energy Converter

This converter allows you to switch between Calories and other common food energy units.

This BMR Calculator is based on several established equations, and the results are an estimated average. The Harris-Benedict Equation was one of the earliest equations used to calculate basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy expended per day at rest. It was revised in 1984 for improved accuracy and was widely used until 1990, when the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation was introduced. The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation also calculates BMR and has been shown to be more accurate than the revised Harris-Benedict Equation. The Katch-McArdle Formula is slightly different as it calculates resting daily energy expenditure (RDEE), which takes lean body mass into account—a factor neither the Mifflin-St Jeor nor the Harris-Benedict Equation includes. Of these equations, the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation is generally considered the most accurate for calculating BMR, with the exception that the Katch-McArdle Formula can be more precise for individuals who are leaner and know their body fat percentage. The three equations used by the calculator are listed below:

where:

The value obtained from these equations represents your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the estimated number of calories a person expends daily at rest. This BMR value is then multiplied by an activity factor (typically 1.2-1.95), based on an individual’s typical exercise levels, to determine Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) – the total calories needed per day. One pound, or approximately 0.45 kg, equates to about 3,500 calories. Therefore, to lose 1 pound per week, it is generally recommended to create a deficit of 500 calories per day from your estimated TDEE for weight maintenance. For example, if your estimated daily calorie allowance for maintaining body weight is 2,500 calories, consuming 2,000 calories per day for one week would theoretically result in a loss of 3,500 calories (or 1 pound) during that period.

It is important to emphasize that a balanced diet and regular exercise are widely accepted as the most effective methods for weight loss. It is not advisable to reduce calorie intake by more than 1,000 calories per day, as losing more than 2 pounds per week can be unhealthy and may paradoxically reduce metabolism in the near future. Rapid weight loss often involves muscle loss, which in turn lowers BMR, as greater muscle mass contributes to a higher BMR. Excessive weight loss can also result from dehydration, which poses health risks. Furthermore, especially when combining exercise with dieting, maintaining good nutrition is vital, as the body requires adequate support for its metabolic processes and replenishment. Depriving the body of necessary nutrients through severely unhealthy diets can have serious detrimental effects, and weight lost in this manner has been shown in some studies to be unsustainable, often regained as fat (leaving the individual in a worse state than when starting the diet). Therefore, in addition to monitoring calorie intake, it is crucial to maintain adequate fiber intake and other nutritional necessities to balance the body’s needs.

BMR and Calorie Tracking for Weight Management

Tracking calories with the goal of weight management, at its simplest level, can be broken down into a few general steps:

1. Determine your BMR using one of the provided equations. If you know your body fat percentage, the Katch-McArdle Formula may offer a more accurate BMR representation. Remember that these values are approximations; subtracting exactly 500 calories from your estimated daily needs will not always result in precisely 1 pound lost per week – it could be less or more!
2. Establish your weight loss goals. Recall that 1 pound (~0.45 kg) corresponds to approximately 3500 calories, and creating a daily caloric deficit of 500 calories relative to your estimated Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) will theoretically lead to a loss of 1 pound per week. Generally, losing more than 2 pounds per week is not recommended due to potential negative health effects; aim for a maximum daily calorie reduction of approximately 1000 calories. Consulting your doctor or a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) is advised if you plan to lose more than 2 pounds per week.
3. Choose a method to track your calories and monitor progress towards your goals. Many user-friendly smartphone applications are available for tracking calories, exercise, and progress. Most, if not all, provide calorie estimates for numerous brand-name foods or restaurant dishes, or can estimate calories based on individual food components. Gaining an accurate sense of food portions and their calorie content can be challenging initially – which is why this approach is not for everyone – but with careful measurement and tracking of your typical meals, it becomes easier to estimate calorie content accurately without measuring food every time. Websites can also assist, or you can manually maintain an Excel spreadsheet or a pen-and-paper journal.
4. Monitor your progress over time and make adjustments to better achieve your goals if necessary. Remember that weight loss alone does not solely determine health and fitness; consider other factors like fat vs. muscle loss/gain. It’s also ideal to take measurements over longer periods, such as a week (rather than daily), as significant weight variations can occur due to water intake or time of day. Consistency in measurement conditions is also beneficial, such as weighing yourself first thing in the morning before breakfast, rather than at varying times.
5. Maintain consistency!

The above steps provide a basic framework for calorie tracking. Calorie tracking is not an exact science and can be as detailed as you wish. This overview does not cover the proportions of macronutrients consumed. While an ideal proportion of macronutrients (fats, proteins, carbohydrates) is not precisely known, some balance is certainly advisable, and different foods have varying effects on health, satiety, and calories burned. Minimally processed plant and animal foods generally support healthy weight loss and maintenance more effectively.

Numerous approaches to weight loss exist, and no single method suits everyone, which explains the variety of diets and exercise regimens. While some methods are more effective for certain individuals, not all weight loss methods are equivalent, and studies suggest some approaches are healthier than others. That said, one of the most consistently effective weight loss methods is tracking calories. At its core, if calories consumed exceed calories expended (your TDEE), weight gain results; if consumed calories are less than expended, weight loss occurs. However, this is a simplified view, and many other factors influence healthy, sustainable weight loss. For example, conflicting studies exist regarding whether the type or source of calories, or how they are consumed, impacts weight loss. Research indicates that foods requiring more chewing and that are more challenging to digest lead the body to burn more calories, sometimes referred to as the thermic effect of food. While the increase in burned calories may be marginal, foods that are harder to digest, such as vegetables, typically are healthier and provide more nutrients for fewer calories than many processed foods.

Consistent with the view that for weight loss, net calories are paramount regardless of their source, there are examples like the “Twinkie diet,” where a person who strictly tracked calories while eating a variety of cake snacks managed to lose 27 pounds over two months. While effective in achieving weight loss, this approach is certainly not recommended. Although the participant in this specific case did not show obvious health detriments, less measurable factors should be considered, such as the long-term effects of such a diet on the potential for developing cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. Nevertheless, disregarding efficiency and health, a sustained, significant reduction of caloric intake or increase in physical activity should result in weight loss, and tracking calories can be an effective way to achieve this outcome.

Beyond being a viable method for weight loss, calorie tracking offers other, less quantifiable benefits, including heightened nutritional awareness. Many people are unaware of or significantly underestimate their daily caloric intake. Tracking calories can help raise awareness of different food types, their calorie content, and how these calories affect feelings of satiety. Once an individual grasps how many calories are truly in that bag of chips they can easily consume in minutes, how much of their daily intake it comprises, and how little it satisfies their hunger, portion control and avoidance of empty calories tend to become easier.

Access to actual caloric measurements also aids weight loss, as specific calorie goals can be set instead of merely trying to “eat less.” Additionally, though not directly related to calorie tracking, studies show that portion control, simply by eating from a smaller plate, can help reduce calorie intake, as people tend to fill their plates and eat everything on them. Many people do not realize they are overeating, having grown accustomed to restaurant-sized portions as the norm, which can be three or more times larger than necessary for a typical meal.

Tracking calories also places exercise in a quantifiable perspective, increasing a person’s awareness of how much exercise is truly needed to offset a 220-calorie bag of M&M’s. Once a connection is made between the amount of exercise required to burn off a snack, many individuals find abstaining from that bag of chips preferable to performing the equivalent exercise – leading to healthier eating habits.

Ultimately, selecting a strategy that suits you is most important. Calorie tracking is one of many methods for weight loss, and even within this method, various approaches exist. Discovering an approach that seamlessly integrates with your lifestyle and that you can consistently adhere to will likely yield the most sustainable and desired outcomes.

Zigzag Calorie Cycling

Zigzag calorie cycling is a weight management approach designed to counteract the body’s natural adaptive tendencies. Consistently restricting calories, as described above, is an effective weight loss method, but over time, the body may adapt to the lower calorie consumption. When this occurs, a weight loss plateau can emerge, which may be difficult to overcome. This is where zigzag calorie cycling can be beneficial, as it prevents the body from fully adapting to a consistent lower calorie environment.

Zigzag calorie cycling involves alternating daily calorie intake. An individual following a zigzag diet should combine high-calorie and low-calorie days to meet the same overall weekly calorie target. For instance, if your weekly target is 14,000 calories, you could consume 2,300 calories three days a week and 1,775 calories on the other four days, or you could consume 2,000 calories each day. In both scenarios, 14,000 calories would be consumed over the week, but with zigzag cycling, the body wouldn’t adapt and compensate for a consistent 2,000-calorie diet. This method also offers greater dietary flexibility, allowing planning around events like work or family gatherings where calorie intake might be higher. Consuming fewer calories on other days enables individuals to enjoy these occasions or even have a “cheat day” without guilt, as excess calories can be offset on low-calorie days.

There is no definitive rule or study dictating the single most effective way to alternate or distribute calorie consumption. How to vary calorie intake is largely a matter of personal preference. Depending on an individual’s activity level, it is generally recommended that high-calorie and low-calorie days differ by approximately 200-300 calories, with the high-calorie day often reflecting the number of calories needed to maintain current weight. For more active individuals, a larger calorie difference may be appropriate. The calculator provides two zigzag diet schedules as examples. The first schedule includes two higher calorie days and five lower calorie days. The second schedule gradually increases and reduces calories. In either case, the total weekly calorie consumption remains consistent.

Ultimately, regardless of your chosen weight loss method, selecting a strategy that works for you is paramount. Calorie tracking and zigzag calorie cycling are just two interrelated methods among many for achieving weight loss, and even within these methods, numerous personal approaches are possible. Finding an approach that seamlessly integrates with your lifestyle and that you can consistently adhere to will likely yield the most sustainable and desired outcomes.

Understanding Your BMR and Daily Calorie Needs

Many individuals aim to lose weight, and often the most straightforward path involves consuming fewer calories each day. But how many calories does the body actually need to remain healthy? This largely depends on an individual’s Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and their level of physical activity. The precise number varies greatly among people, influenced by many factors, not all of which are fully understood.

Key factors influencing the number of calories a person needs for health include age, weight, height, sex, levels of physical activity, and overall general health. For example, a physically active 25-year-old male who is 6 feet tall requires considerably higher calorie intake than a 5-foot-tall, sedentary 70-year-old woman. Although it varies by age and activity level, adult males generally require 2,000-3000 calories per day to maintain weight, while adult females need around 1,600-2,400, according to the U.S. Department of Health.

The body does not require a vast number of calories simply to survive. However, consuming too few calories impairs body function, as the body will prioritize calories only for essential survival functions, neglecting those necessary for general health and well-being. Harvard Health Publications suggests women consume at least 1,200 calories and men at least 1,500 calories daily unless under medical supervision. Therefore, it is highly recommended that individuals attempting to lose weight monitor their body’s caloric requirements and adjust intake as needed to meet nutritional needs.

Calories: Different Kinds and Their Effects

The primary calorie sources in a typical diet are carbohydrates, proteins, and fat, with alcohol also contributing significantly for many (though ideally this should be limited due to its high empty calorie content). Some studies indicate that calories listed on nutrition labels and calories actually absorbed and retained by the body can differ notably. This highlights the complex nature of calories and nutrition and explains the existence of many conflicting viewpoints on the “best” weight loss methodology. For example, how a person chews food has been shown to impact weight loss to some degree; generally, chewing food more thoroughly increases the calories burned during digestion. Individuals who chew more also tend to eat less, as the extended chewing time allows more time to reach a state of satiety, resulting in reduced food intake. However, the exact effects of chewing and digestion of different foods are not fully elucidated, and other factors may exist, so this information should be considered with moderation in mind if weight loss is the goal.

In general, foods that require more effort to chew – such as fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains – demand more calories for digestion. This also contributes to a feeling of satiety for longer periods. Furthermore, certain foods like coffee, tea, chilies, cinnamon, and ginger have been found to slightly increase the rate of calories burned due to their specific ingredients.

The “quality” of consumed calories is also important. Foods are categorized by their calorie content, including high-calorie, low-calorie, and empty calories. High-calorie foods are calorically dense, meaning they contain many calories relative to their serving size, while low-calorie foods have fewer calories per serving. Examples of high-calorie foods include fats, oils, fried foods, and sugary items. However, being high-calorie does not inherently mean a food is unhealthy; avocados, quinoa, nuts, and whole grains are all high-calorie foods considered healthful when consumed in moderation. Low-calorie foods include vegetables and certain fruits. Empty calories, found in added sugars and solid fats, provide minimal to no nutrients. Studies have shown a measurable difference between consuming 500 calories of carrots versus 500 calories of popcorn. As previously mentioned, this difference can partly be attributed to variations in how foods are consumed and processed. Carrots require significantly more chewing and can result in more calories burned during digestion. Again, the exact mechanisms for these differences are not fully defined, but for weight loss, the general principle of calories in minus calories out determining weight change holds true, though the number of calories on a nutrition label may not precisely reflect how many calories the body ultimately retains. While there is no clear-cut or ideal proportion of macronutrients for a healthy diet or weight loss, a “healthy” diet rich in a variety of unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, and lean meats is associated with better health and is more likely to lead to sustainable weight loss. Also, remember that calories from beverages are estimated to comprise 21% of a typical person’s diet. Many of these fall into the empty calorie category. While sodas are an obvious culprit, drinks such as juices and even milk contain significant amounts of sugar and should be consumed in moderation to avoid negating their nutritional benefits. Ideally, water, unsweetened tea, and black coffee are preferable to reduce calorie intake from drinks.

Remember: All foods, including “healthful foods,” should be consumed in moderation. Classifications can sometimes be misleading, as even natural foods like fruits can contain substantial amounts of sugar, and foods labeled as “health foods” (e.g., low-calorie, reduced-fat) can sometimes substitute one unhealthy component for another. Many reduced-fat foods contain large amounts of added sugar to compensate for flavor lost from fat reduction. It is crucial to examine and consider all components in a food product to determine its appropriate place in your diet.

Calories in Common Foods

* 1 cup = ~250 milliliters, 1 table spoon = 14.2 gram

2000, 1500, and 1200 Calorie Sample Meal Plans

Calories Burned from Common Exercises:

Energy from Common Food Components