What Is A BMR, And How Do You Find Yours?

BMR is your Basal Metabolic Rate.  So, what does that mean?  Your BMR is how many calories you burn in a day, while at rest.  It is the calories that your body needs to keep it functioning.  So, even if you stayed in bed all day, your body would burn that many calories.

So, how do you figure out what your BMR is?  Here is the formula....

English Formula

For Women - BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in lbs.) +  (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in yrs.)

I do have quite a few followers in other parts of the world, so here is the 

Metric Formula

For Women - BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kilos) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)

There are also several BMR calculators online.  So, why is it important to know your BMR?  Whether you are wanting to maintain or lose weight, this helps you to gauge how many calories you should be consuming.  You know what you burn in a day at rest, then you add in calories burned during exercise, and daily activity.  It takes a deficit of 3500 calories to lose one pound.  It is all simple math really....calories in and calories out.

You should also know that the more muscle you have, the higher your BMR will be.  It takes more calories to maintain muscle than fat.  That is why I alway talk to women about weight training.  Why just burn extra calories during a workout, when you can burn extra calories during a workout and while doing nothing at all??  Even just simple body weight exercises will build more muscle.  You don't need a gym full of weights to do it.  Push ups, squats, and lunges with no weight, is a great way to start!

I hope everyone is having a great week, pushing to reach their goals, and taking pride in their accomplishments!

-XOXO Monique