What is BMR calculator, and how do I do it?

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mollypw1994
mollypw1994 Posts: 356 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've read on here where people are referencing BMR calculator to determine how many calories they should have in order to lose. Can anyone tell me what this is, and how to figure mine out? Thank you!

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  • samanthachen
    samanthachen Posts: 360 Member
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    BMR is your basal metabolic rate. It's what you would burn if you were comatose with only necessary things functioning to keep you alive. It's the minimum amount of calories you need to support vital body functions. You want your calorie goal to be over that but *under* your TDEE, total daily energy expenditure. It's the best tool for losing weight, but it can be frustrating to calculate using an online calculator since they are merely estimating based on your entered stats, rather than you the individual. I've recently struggled with a BMR of ~1649 and a TDEE of varying amounts. You might have to play around to find your sweet spot.

    This site gives you your BMR with your TDEE: http://www.muscleforlife.com/tdee-calculator/

    If someone has a better link, that'd be great. I just found this one using google.

    Example: If you are set to try and lose 1lb / week, you will want to set your daily target 500 cals less than your estimated TDEE, but you need to make sure it is more than your BMR, or your body will suffer (although plenty of people on here will tell you otherwise). If your goal is a slower loss, you can find that number that suits you.

    Another helpful tip is that you won't want to set the loss too great if you don't have too much to lose. You'll find that it will be nearly impossible to see that change, as your zone between BMR and TDEE will be much smaller.

    I hope this helps! I know it was probably more than you were asking for, but I always want to lump this information in together!!!

    Good luck!
  • mollypw1994
    mollypw1994 Posts: 356 Member
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    Wow, great info! Clearly, I have a lot to learn! I will check out the link you sent. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!
  • samanthachen
    samanthachen Posts: 360 Member
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    My pleasure! It is a ton to take in, and it really can be trial and error. Utilize the search function in the forums here too, and I'm sure there will be tons more information and links with other sites.

    The other thing I forgot to add was that you should try to use a few calculators and maybe take an average. They will most likely be the same or close, but you never know. And it would stink to get one way off from the others.

    :D

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