How to Lose Fat and Build Muscle by Calculating BMR?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the amount of energy required by the body at complete rest to maintain basic physiological functions. This energy is used only to maintain the proper functioning of vital organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, nervous system, intestines, liver, lungs, sexual organs, muscles, and skin.
So, even when you are sleeping or sitting still, your body is burning calories. This is basal metabolism at work. Basal metabolism is just as important as metabolism, and if you want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, it is useful to calculate your basal metabolic rate.
How Do You Calculate BMR?
The formula for calculating basal metabolic rate (BMR) is different for men and women. This is because men have a higher percentage of lean body mass than women. You can use the formula or an online calculator to measure your BMR.
The BMR calculation below is referenced from the Miflin-St Jeor formula (which does not differ much from another Harris-Benedict formula measurement).
Since BMR is only the number of calories your body burns when you are stationary or at rest, it does not show the number of calories you need when you walk, talk, exercise, etc. Therefore, after calculating your BMR, you need to convert the BMR to the total daily calories expended (TDEE).
TDEE is derived by multiplying your basal metabolic rate (BMR) by 1.2 to 1.9 depending on your activity level. You can see the TDEE ( Total Daily Energy Expenditure) for different scenarios in the table below.
| Activity Levels | TDEE Calculation Method |
| Sedentary (little or no exercise) | BMR * 1.2 |
| Lightly active (little exercise 1-3 days per week) | BMR * 1.375 |
| Moderate activity (moderate exercise 3-5 days per week) | BMR * 1.55 |
| Very active (exercising 6-7 days per week) | BMR * 1.725 |
| Extremely active (engaged in heavy physical work, or prolonged exercise) | BMR * 1.9 |
How To Use BMR To Lose Weight?
If you know your BMR and convert it to TDEE, you can use it accordingly to help with fitness and weight loss. In other words, if you want to lose weight, then you need to consume fewer calories or burn off more calories each day. This may sound a bit difficult, but you can start with your daily diet. For example, cut out snacks that are low in nutritional value and high in calories, such as cookies, chips, ice cream, cakes, etc.
Cut out sugar for 14 days and you will see amazing changes in your body. Also, increase your protein intake appropriately. Eating more protein has many benefits for your body. In particular, protein has a much higher thermic effect on food (TEF) than fat or carbohydrates.
Studies show that high protein intake significantly boosts metabolism and increases the number of calories your body burns. As you lose weight, your BMR will also decrease. You will also need to adjust the caloric content of your daily meals to still consume fewer calories than TDEE. Keep this up for a while until you reach your target weight. In addition, muscle loss during weight loss may also lead to a decrease in BMR. You can build muscle mass through strength training.
Learn More About Physical Activity and Metabolism
While you cannot easily control your basal metabolic rate, you can control how many calories you can burn by being physically active. The more active your body is, the more calories it will burn. Some people who seem to have a faster metabolism may simply be more active than others, perhaps more inactive.
To burn more calories, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends the following:
- Aerobic exercise: The general goal is to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day. If you want to lose weight, maintain weight loss, or achieve specific fitness goals, you may need to increase the amount of exercise.
Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise includes brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and mowing the lawn. Vigorous aerobic exercise includes activities such as running, heavy yard work, and aerobic dance.
- Strength training: Strength training is done at least twice a week for all major muscle groups. Strength training includes activities such as using weight machines, your body weight, heavy training bags, resistance tubing or resistance paddling in the water, or rock climbing.