BMR Calculator

Health

BMR Calculator | Calculate Basal Metabolic Rate & Daily Calories

Free BMR calculator to calculate basal metabolic rate, resting calories, maintenance calories, TDEE, and daily calorie needs. Estimate calories for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain using age, sex, height, weight, and activity level.

BMR Calculator

Estimate basal metabolic rate and daily calorie levels based on sex, age, height, and weight.

Direct answer

1699 kcal/day

Estimated basal metabolic rate. This is the energy your body uses at rest.

Sedentary maintenance

2039 kcal/day

Moderate maintenance

2633 kcal/day

Very active maintenance

3228 kcal/day

Daily calorie estimates by activity

These estimates use your BMR as a baseline and adjust it based on common activity levels.

Sedentary2039 kcal/day
Lightly active2336 kcal/day
Moderately active2633 kcal/day
Active2930 kcal/day
Very active3228 kcal/day

Save and export multiple BMR results

Save each BMR result, select the rows you want, then export only that selected group as a CSV or TXT file.

No saved BMR results yet. Calculate a BMR result, then click Add result to list.

Page guide

On this page

Jump to BMR formulas, BMR calorie table, BMR vs TDEE, examples, factors affecting BMR, and FAQs.

Recommended Health Tool

Track your activity and calories with a fitness tracker

A fitness tracker can help you monitor daily activity, heart rate, calories burned, and other health metrics, making it easier to use your BMR estimate as part of your fitness routine.

View Fitness Tracker

This section may contain affiliate links.

Rectangular banner showing a Fitbit fitness tracker displaying health and activity metrics

BMR and daily calorie estimate table

Use this table to compare basal metabolic rate with common daily calorie estimates based on activity level.

LevelEstimated caloriesWhat it means
BMR1699 kcal/dayEstimated calories your body uses at rest
Sedentary2039 kcal/dayLittle or no structured exercise
Lightly active2336 kcal/dayLight activity or exercise a few days per week
Moderately active2633 kcal/dayModerate training or activity most days
Active2930 kcal/dayHigh daily activity or regular hard exercise
Very active3228 kcal/dayIntense activity, training, or physically demanding work

How this BMR calculator works

This calculator estimates basal metabolic rate using body size, age, and sex. BMR represents the calories your body would use if you were resting all day.

It also estimates calorie levels for different activity patterns by multiplying BMR by common activity factors. These results are often used as a starting point for calorie planning.

BMR formula

Mifflin-St Jeor equation for men

BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5

Mifflin-St Jeor equation for women

BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161

This BMR calculator uses body weight, height, age, and sex to estimate basal metabolic rate. The result is an estimate of how many calories your body uses each day at complete rest.

After calculating BMR, the tool applies common activity multipliers to estimate maintenance calories for sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, active, and very active lifestyles.

BMR example calculations for men and women

These examples show how the Mifflin-St Jeor equation estimates basal metabolic rate using weight, height, age, and sex.

Example BMR calculation for a man

Example: a 30-year-old man who weighs 75 kg and is 175 cm tall.

BMR = 10 × 75 + 6.25 × 175 − 5 × 30 + 5

BMR = 750 + 1093.75 − 150 + 5 = 1698.75

Rounded result: about 1,699 kcal/day. This is the estimated number of calories his body uses at rest.

Example BMR calculation for a woman

Example: a 30-year-old woman who weighs 65 kg and is 165 cm tall.

BMR = 10 × 65 + 6.25 × 165 − 5 × 30 − 161

BMR = 650 + 1031.25 − 150 − 161 = 1370.25

Rounded result: about 1,370 kcal/day. This is her estimated resting calorie requirement before activity is added.

These examples are useful for understanding the formula, but the calculator above is faster because it calculates BMR and activity-based daily calorie estimates automatically.

What is BMR?

BMR stands for basal metabolic rate. It is the number of calories your body needs each day just to stay alive at rest. These calories support basic functions such as breathing, circulation, cell repair, and body temperature regulation.

A BMR calculator helps estimate your resting calorie needs using body size, age, and sex. Many people use BMR as a starting point when planning calorie intake for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.

How to use a BMR calculator

Enter your sex, age, height, and weight to estimate your basal metabolic rate. The calculator then shows your BMR along with estimated daily calorie needs at different activity levels.

In practical terms, BMR is not usually the number of calories you should eat. Most people need more than their BMR because they walk, work, exercise, and perform normal daily activities. That is why maintenance calorie estimates are also shown.

BMR vs TDEE vs maintenance calories

BMR is your resting energy requirement. TDEE, or total daily energy expenditure, is your estimated calorie burn across a full day after activity is added. Maintenance calories are often used to describe the daily calorie intake that would keep your body weight about the same.

In many health calculators, maintenance calories are estimated by multiplying BMR by an activity factor. For a more dedicated estimate, you can also use our TDEE calculator or Calorie calculator to plan daily calorie needs more directly.

BMR vs RMR

BMR and RMR are closely related, but they are not exactly the same. BMR, or basal metabolic rate, estimates the calories your body uses under very strict resting conditions. RMR, or resting metabolic rate, estimates the calories your body uses while resting, but the testing conditions are usually less strict.

In everyday calorie calculators, BMR and RMR are often used in a similar way because both describe resting calorie needs. However, RMR is usually slightly higher than BMR because it may include a more normal resting state rather than a fully controlled basal state.

For most people planning calories for weight loss, maintenance, or muscle gain, the exact difference between BMR and RMR is less important than using the estimate consistently and adjusting based on real progress over time.

BMR, metabolism, and daily calorie planning

BMR is one part of your metabolism, but daily calorie needs also depend on movement, exercise, digestion, and long-term habits.

Basal metabolic rate is often described as your resting metabolism, but it is only one part of total daily calorie burn. Your body also uses energy for walking, working, exercising, digesting food, and normal daily movement. That is why BMR is best used as a baseline rather than as a final eating target.

For calorie planning, most people start with BMR, choose the activity level that best matches their lifestyle, then compare the estimated maintenance calories with their goal. A calorie deficit is commonly used for weight loss, maintenance calories are used to keep weight stable, and a calorie surplus may be used for muscle gain or weight gain.

The most reliable approach is to treat your BMR and TDEE results as estimates, track your progress for a few weeks, and adjust your intake if your weight, energy, or training results are not moving in the expected direction.

How BMR is used for weight loss, maintenance, and weight gain

If your goal is weight loss, people often compare their estimated maintenance calories with a moderate calorie deficit. If the goal is weight maintenance, the maintenance estimate becomes the reference point. If the goal is muscle gain or body weight increase, some people use a moderate calorie surplus above maintenance.

BMR itself is usually the baseline, not the final calorie target. The more useful planning number is often the daily calorie estimate that matches your typical activity level. If you are comparing body weight, body size, and calorie needs together, our BMI calculator and Ideal Weight calculator can also be useful.

Why use a BMR calculator?

A BMR calculator helps you understand how many calories your body may burn at rest before exercise, walking, work, or daily movement are added. This makes basal metabolic rate a useful starting point for estimating maintenance calories, TDEE, and daily calorie needs.

People often use a BMR calculator when planning weight loss, weight maintenance, muscle gain, fitness goals, or general nutrition tracking. Once you know your estimated BMR, you can compare it with activity-based calorie estimates to choose a more practical daily calorie target.

BMR is not a perfect measurement, but it gives a clear baseline. For most people, the most useful number is not BMR alone, but the estimated daily calories after activity level is included.

Factors affecting BMR

Basal metabolic rate can vary from person to person because resting calorie needs depend on body size, age, sex, muscle mass, hormones, and lifestyle.

Body weight and height

Larger bodies usually require more energy at rest because there is more tissue to support. Height and weight are therefore important inputs in most BMR formulas.

Age

BMR often decreases with age because muscle mass and overall metabolic activity can change over time.

Sex

Sex is included in common BMR equations because men and women often have different average body composition and resting energy needs.

Muscle mass

People with more lean muscle mass may burn more calories at rest because muscle tissue uses more energy than fat tissue.

Body composition

Two people with the same weight can have different BMR estimates if one has more lean mass and the other has more body fat.

Hormones and health

Hormonal changes, thyroid function, illness, pregnancy, and some medical conditions can affect resting metabolic rate.

Dieting and calorie restriction

Long periods of very low calorie intake may reduce energy expenditure as the body adapts to lower food intake.

Activity and training habits

Exercise does not directly change BMR in the formula, but strength training can support muscle mass, which may influence resting calorie needs.

Because these factors vary between individuals, a BMR calculator should be treated as an estimate rather than an exact measurement. For calorie planning, it is best to use your BMR and activity-based calorie estimates as a starting point, then adjust based on real progress over time. You can also compare this estimate with our Body Fat calculator and Lean Body Mass calculator for more body-composition context.

Example BMR calculation use case

Suppose someone enters their age, sex, height, and weight into the calculator and gets a BMR result of 1699 kcal/day. That means their body is estimated to use about 1699 calories each day at complete rest.

If that same person is moderately active, their estimated daily maintenance calories might be around 2633 kcal/day. That activity-based estimate is usually more useful for planning daily eating than BMR alone.

About this BMR calculator

This BMR calculator was created to help estimate basal metabolic rate, resting calorie needs, maintenance calories, and total daily energy expenditure using widely accepted metabolic equations.

Calculator Tools provides free online calculators, converters, and health tools designed for speed, accuracy, and usability across desktop and mobile devices. You can explore more related tools from the Health Calculators Hub or compare results with the Macro calculator.

BMR calculator FAQ and basal metabolic rate questions

What is BMR?

BMR stands for basal metabolic rate. It estimates how many calories your body uses at rest for essential functions.

What is the difference between BMR and maintenance calories?

BMR is resting energy use, while maintenance calories include normal daily activity and exercise.

Is BMR the same as calorie target?

No. A calorie target usually depends on your activity level and whether you want to lose, maintain, or gain weight.

Is BMR the same as TDEE?

No. BMR is your resting calorie requirement, while TDEE includes daily movement, activity, and exercise.

Why does age affect BMR?

BMR often changes with age because body composition and resting energy needs tend to shift over time.

Can two people have the same BMR?

Yes. Different people can end up with similar estimated BMR values, especially if their body size, age, and other inputs are similar.

Should I eat only my BMR calories?

Usually no. Most people need more than their BMR because they are not resting all day. Maintenance estimates are more useful for everyday calorie planning.