BMR Calculator 2025

Basal Metabolic Rate - 3 Accurate Formulas

🔥 Most Advanced BMR Calculator

3 BMR Formulas - Mifflin, Harris-Benedict, Katch-McArdle

Metabolic Age - Know your biological metabolism age

Organ Breakdown - See where calories burn

Age Comparison - Track metabolism changes

Select BMR Formula

Enter Your Details

Your Results

Your BMR

1643

calories/day at rest

🧬 Metabolic Age

25

years

Perfect match with your actual age

Daily Calories (TDEE)

2546

📊 vs Average Person:

0%

Average male: 1643 cal/day

🔬 Formula Comparison:

Mifflin-St Jeor:(98%)
1643
Harris-Benedict:(95%)
1700
Katch-McArdle:(99%)
1655

🫀 Where Your BMR Calories Go (Organ Distribution)

🫁

Liver

443

27% of BMR

🧠

Brain

312

19% of BMR

❤️

Heart

115

7% of BMR

🫘

Kidneys

115

7% of BMR

💪

Muscles

296

18% of BMR

🔬

Other

361

22% of BMR

⏱️ Time to Burn Common Foods (at rest)

🍕

Pizza Slice

285 cal

4.2h

to burn at rest

🍔

Big Mac

563 cal

8.2h

to burn at rest

🍫

Chocolate Bar

235 cal

3.4h

to burn at rest

🍌

Banana

105 cal

1.5h

to burn at rest

🍎

Apple

95 cal

1.4h

to burn at rest

💡 With activity, burning time decreases significantly!

📉 BMR Changes with Age (Your Stats)

AgeBMR (cal/day)Difference
20 years 1668-25 cal
30 years 1618+25 cal
40 years 1568+75 cal
50 years 1518+125 cal
60 years 1468+175 cal

💡 Metabolism typically decreases 2-3% per decade after age 30

What is BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest to maintain vital functions like breathing, circulation, cell production, and nutrient processing. It represents the minimum energy needed to keep you alive.

Our calculator uses 3 scientifically-proven formulas: Mifflin-St Jeor (98% accurate, 2025 standard), Harris-Benedict Revised (95% accurate), and Katch-McArdle (99% accurate for athletes with body composition data).

How to Use

  1. 1Select BMR formula (Mifflin recommended for most)
  2. 2Choose unit system (Metric or Imperial)
  3. 3Enter age, gender, weight, and height
  4. 4Select activity level for TDEE calculation
  5. 5Get BMR, metabolic age & comprehensive insights

BMR Calculation Formulas (Comparison)

Mifflin-St Jeor

98%

Most accurate for general population (Est. 1990)

Men:

10×W + 6.25×H - 5×A + 5

Women:

10×W + 6.25×H - 5×A - 161

W=weight(kg), H=height(cm), A=age

Harris-Benedict

95%

Classic formula, revised (Est. 1984)

Men:

88.4 + 13.4×W + 4.8×H - 5.68×A

Women:

447.6 + 9.25×W + 3.1×H - 4.33×A

Good for tracking long-term trends

Katch-McArdle

99%

Best for athletes (Est. 1975)

Formula:

370 + 21.6 × LBM

LBM = Lean Body Mass (kg)

LBM = W × (1 - BF%/100)

Requires body fat percentage

BMR vs TDEE: Understanding the Difference

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)

Calories burned at complete rest - sleeping, lying down, zero activity.

• Resting energy expenditure

• Vital functions only (breathing, heartbeat)

• Does NOT include activity

• Lower than TDEE

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)

Total calories burned including all daily activities and exercise.

• BMR + Activity calories

• Formula: TDEE = BMR × Activity Factor

• Includes exercise, walking, work

• Your maintenance calories

💡 Example:

BMR = 1,500 cal/day • Activity Factor = 1.55 (Moderately Active) • TDEE = 1,500 × 1.55 = 2,325 cal/day

Factors That Affect Your BMR

Age

High Impact

BMR decreases 2-3% per decade after age 30. Metabolism slows as muscle mass naturally declines.

Gender

High Impact

Men typically have 5-10% higher BMR due to greater muscle mass and testosterone levels.

Body Composition

Very High Impact

Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat. More muscle = higher BMR.

Genetics

Medium Impact

Metabolic rate varies 20-30% between individuals due to genetic factors and family history.

Hormones

High Impact

Thyroid, insulin, cortisol affect metabolism. Thyroid disorders can change BMR by 15-40%.

Diet & Nutrition

Medium Impact

Severe calorie restriction lowers BMR. Protein-rich diets can slightly increase it (thermic effect).

How to Increase Your BMR (Boost Metabolism)

💪 Effective Strategies:

Strength Training

+50-100 cal/day

Build muscle mass (muscle burns 3x more than fat)

HIIT Workouts

+200-400 cal/day

High-intensity interval training boosts metabolism for 24-48 hours

Protein-Rich Diet

+100-150 cal/day

Protein has 20-30% thermic effect (digestion burns calories)

Stay Hydrated

+30-50 cal/day

Cold water intake temporarily boosts metabolism

Quality Sleep

+50-100 cal/day

7-8 hours maintains hormonal balance (leptin, ghrelin)

⚠️ Things That Lower BMR:

Crash Dieting

-200-400 cal/day

Severe calorie restriction triggers adaptive thermogenesis

Sedentary Lifestyle

-100-200 cal/day

Lack of movement reduces muscle mass

Poor Sleep

-50-100 cal/day

Less than 6 hours disrupts metabolic hormones

Stress & Cortisol

-50-150 cal/day

Chronic stress slows metabolism, increases fat storage

Skipping Meals

-30-80 cal/day

Irregular eating confuses metabolism

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which BMR formula is most accurate?

The Mifflin-St Jeor equation is considered the most accurate for the general population (98% accuracy). It was developed in 1990 and is now the standard used by nutritionists and healthcare professionals.

✅ Use Mifflin-St Jeor if:

  • You're a regular person (not an athlete)
  • You want the most accurate general estimate
  • You don't know your body fat percentage

✅ Use Katch-McArdle if:

  • You're an athlete or very muscular
  • You know your accurate body fat percentage
  • You want body composition-based accuracy (99%)

✅ Use Harris-Benedict if:

  • You want to compare with older studies
  • Tracking trends over time (consistency)

2. How to use BMR for weight loss or gain?

Your BMR tells you the minimum calories needed. For weight management, calculate your TDEE (BMR × Activity Factor), then adjust:

🔻 For Weight Loss:

Mild deficit: TDEE - 250 cal = 0.25 kg loss/week

Moderate deficit: TDEE - 500 cal = 0.5 kg loss/week

Aggressive deficit: TDEE - 750-1000 cal = 0.75-1 kg loss/week

⚠️ Never eat below your BMR for extended periods!

🔺 For Weight Gain:

Lean bulk: TDEE + 250 cal = 0.25 kg gain/week

Standard bulk: TDEE + 500 cal = 0.5 kg gain/week

💡 Combine with strength training for muscle gain

3. What is metabolic age and how is it calculated?

Metabolic age compares your BMR to average BMR of different age groups. If your BMR is higher than average for your age, your metabolic age is younger (good!). If lower, it's older (needs improvement).

How it's calculated:

Your BMR is compared to the average BMR curve across different ages. The age that matches your BMR is your metabolic age.

Metabolic Age < Actual

Excellent metabolism!

Metabolic Age = Actual

Normal metabolism

Metabolic Age > Actual

Needs improvement

Example: You're 30 years old but your BMR matches the average 25-year-old. Your metabolic age = 25 years! 🎉