How to calculate your resting metabolic rate (RMR)

Your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the rate at which you burn energy or calories at rest, and can help you to estimate weight loss . This is sometimes also confused with your Basal Metabolic Rate or (BMR). This is the minimum number of calories your body needs to support biological functions such as breathing, heartbeat, vital organ function, body temperature, and homeostasis in a resting state. Most people require 1,200 to 2,400 calories per day. The remaining calories are burned by physical activity. By calculating your RMR and your activity level, you can estimate how many calories your body will burn per day and adjust them to achieve your goal, to maintain, lose, or gain weight. Here is how you can calculate your Resting Metabolic rate:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• calculator
• piece of paper
• scale
• measuring tape

1. Resting Metabolic Rate Equation:
   
   The equation below will give you the rate at which you burn calories a day while at rest.
   
   RMR = 9.99(WEIGHT in Kilograms) + 6.25(HEIGHT in centimeters) - 4.92(AGE in years) + 166(GENDER)-161
   
   Write this equation out on a piece of paper, since we will be using this to determine our RMR. We will follow the next steps to fill in the variables in this equation.

2. So the first thing to do is to figure out what your WEIGHT in Kilograms is. To do this, stand on your scale and get your WEIGHT in pounds. Now you want to take your WEIGHT in pounds and divide it by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms. Take this number and write it into the "WEIGHT in Kilograms" part of the equation in Step 1.
   
   FOR EXAMPLE: I weight 175 pounds, so my WEIGHT in kilograms would be 175/2.2 = 79.545
   
   So my equation would look like this so far:
   
   RMR = 9.99(79.545) + 6.25(HEIGHT in centimeters) - 4.92(AGE in years) + 166(GENDER)-161

3. The next step is to now measure your Height in centimeters. To do this get out your measuring tape and measure your height in inches. Once you have your height in inches, multiply that number by 2.54. Now put that number into the "HEIGHT in centimeters" part of the equation.
   
   FOR EXAMPLE: I am 6 feet tall or 72" inches tall, so my HEIGHT in centimeters would be 72 * 2.54 = 182.88 centimeters
   
   So my equation would look like this so far:
   
   
   RMR = 9.99(79.545) + 6.25(182.88) - 4.92(AGE in years) + 166(GENDER)-161

4. The third step is to fill in your age in the AGE part of the equation. This is the easy step, unless you have turned 28 for third time this year.
   
   My equation now looks like this:
   
   RMR = 9.99(79.545) + 6.25(182.88) - 4.92(28) + 166(GENDER)-161

5. Now we have to add a number for our gender into the GENDER section of the equation. If you are a FEMALE, you will enter a 0 into the "GENDER" part of the equation. If you are a MALE, you will enter a 1 into the "GENDER" part of the equation.
   
   My equation should now look like this:
   
   RMR = 9.99(79.545) + 6.25(182.88) - 4.92(28) + 166(1)-161

6. Alright! We have all of our variables filled in. Now we have to do some basic math. In case you forgot how to do algebra, we want to start with all of the items in the parenthesis first, then work our way out. So we need to multiple your HEIGHT, WEIGHT, AGE, and GENDER numbers first, then do the basic addition and subtraction.
   
   FOR EXAMPLE:
   
   My equation should now look like this:
   
   RMR = 794.6545 + 1143 - 137.76 + 166 - 161

7. Now do the easy addition and subtraction,
   
   FOR EXAMPLE:
   
   My equation should now look like this:
   
   RMR = 1937.6545 - 137.76 + 5
   
   RMR = 1804.8945, so I roughly burn 1804 calories per day while at rest.

8. SO WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN:
   
   Your RMR is generally 60-75% of your total daily caloric expenditure, and the rest of your calories should be burned through physical activity. If you are trying to maintain your weight, lose weight, or gain weight it is important to know this number as your baseline for calorie intake and expenditure throughout the day. Use this number to then plan your physical activities to burn the proper amount of calories. You do not want to burn more calories in a day then are required by your body to maintain healthy operation, so this number is very important to understand.

9. Now that you know your RMR, go to my other article and measure your Body Mass Index:
   
   http://www.ehow.com/how_2285729_calculate-body-mass-index.html

Tips & Warnings

• The more muscle you have, the more it will increase your RMR
• As you get older, your RMR decreases
• Cold climates also increase your RMR.
• Eating small, regular meals (recommend six a day) will increase your RMR
• Crash dieting will decrease your RMR