What is BMR?
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to perform its most basic functions — breathing, circulating blood, and maintaining organs — if you did absolutely nothing all day. It typically accounts for 60–70% of the calories you burn.
The Mifflin-St Jeor equation
- Men: 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
- Women: 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
It's considered the most accurate general BMR formula and is the basis for most modern calorie calculators.
BMR vs TDEE — what's the difference?
BMR is calories at rest. TDEE is BMR plus everything else you do (walking, working, exercising). TDEE is the number you use to plan meals.