The daily calorie consumption and requirement of the body is influenced by various factors, including age, gender and height. These aspects determine the so-called basal metabolic rate. When the basal metabolic rate drops, the body needs fewer calories and therefore consumes less energy. So if you eat too little food, your body switches to "economy mode". Despite all your efforts and calorie counting, it can then be difficult to lose weight. This may seem complicated at first glance, but actually losing weight is not that difficult. You just need to know, what your basal metabolic rate is and how you can calculate it.
What is the basal metabolic rate?
The basal metabolic rate is also called referred to as the resting energy requirement. This is the amount of energy or calories that the body needs during the dayto perform its life-sustaining functions such as breathing and digestion. at complete rest at complete rest. In other words, the basal metabolic rate is the energy the body needs to function.
Together with the power metabolic rate, this results in the total energy requirement. The power metabolic rate refers to the calorie requirementthat the body needs for activities such as walking, work and physical activities such as sport.
How can I calculate my basal metabolic rate?
As every person is unique, there is no basic formula for calculating your basal metabolic rate quickly and accurately. The following are important for health Factors such as weight, height, age and gender of the person also play a role. A person's calorie requirement generally decreases over the years, while it increases with increasing height and body weight. However, the proportion of muscle also plays a role, as muscles consume a considerable amount of energy even when inactive. Furthermore, the ambient temperature has an influenceThe colder the temperature, the more energy you have to expend to maintain your ideal body temperature.
The basal metabolic rate is with the "Harris-Benedict formula" calculatedwhere there are differences for women and men depending on gender. This gives you a rough guide value, as muscle mass and fitness, for example, are not taken into account. For a very precise determination of this value, you would have to have the measurements carried out in a laboratory under defined conditions at complete rest over 24 hours. It is much easier to estimate your basal metabolic rate using a corresponding formula with our calculator.
What basal metabolic rate do women have?
Behind the basal metabolic rate calculator is the "Harris-Benedict formula". The formula for calculating the basal metabolic rate of women is as follows:
Basal metabolic rate (kcal/24 ) = 655.1 + (9.563 * body weight in kg) + (1.85 * height in cm) - (4.676 * age in years)
This is a relatively simple way of calculating your body's daily calorie consumption at absolute rest.
What is the basal metabolic rate for men?
The "Harris-Benedict formula" for calculating the basal metabolic rate of men is as follows:
Basal metabolic rate (kcal/24h) = 66.47 + (13.75 * body weight in kg) + (5 * height in cm) - (6.775 * age in years)
With this calculation you can easily determine how many calories your body needs per day in a state of absolute rest.
What is the basal metabolic rate of children and adolescents?
For children, a simpler formula is used in the corresponding calculator:
Basal metabolic rate (kcal/24h) = body weight * 24 (h)
This formula can be used until the body structure of teenagers has adapted to that of an adult.
Basal metabolic rate and losing weight: What to look out for?
Sport plays an important role in losing weight. Just a little more exercise in everyday life can help to burn calories and reduce fat. In particular, people who spend most of their time sitting at work should exercise regularly to lose weight.
Sport does not only influence your metabolic rate and therefore your calorie consumption, but also has an indirect influence on your basal metabolic rate. Because the more muscle mass you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate. This means that your muscles use more energy every day, even when you are completely at rest.
Frequently asked questions about basal metabolic rate:
What is a person's basal metabolic rate?
The basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy that a person needs for the basic functions of the body when lying down and at complete rest.such as breathing or metabolic functions.
How can I calculate my basal metabolic rate correctly?
The daily basal metabolic rate is calculated as follows:
- Men: Basal metabolic rate = 66.47 + (13.75 * body weight in kg) + (5 * height in cm) - (6.775 * age in years)
- Women: Basal metabolic rate = 655.1 + (9.563 * body weight in kg) + (1.85 * height in cm) - (4.676 * age in years)
Should you eat below your basal metabolic rate when losing weight?
For a short period of a few days, you can go below your basal metabolic rate, for example to lose weight with a juice cleanse from LiveFresh to change your diet and kick-start your weight loss. For your health, however, you should not eat less than your basal metabolic rate during a long-term dietbut always add your energy expenditure and then subtract around 500kcal. For a healthy diet you will find many tasty and healthy recipes and more information.
How many calories below the basal metabolic rate to lose weight?
For lasting success in losing weight, we recommend a calorie deficit of 300-500kcal per day.
What happens if you only eat your basal metabolic rate?
If your food intake is too low, there is a risk that ingesting too few vitamins and minerals are absorbed. This in turn is negative for your healthbecause some functions may no longer be able to run smoothly. In addition, the body will eventually use up its own muscle reserves with an under-caloric diet, which in turn will permanently reduce the basal metabolic rate and cause you to put on weight even faster in the long term.