Basal Metabolic Rate

Definition

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the amount of energy your body needs to maintain basic life functions like breathing and circulation while at rest.

Scientific / Technical Definition

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) refers to the rate at which the body expends energy at rest in order to maintain vital functions such as heart rate, respiration, and cellular metabolism, measured under specific clinical conditions after a full night's sleep and 12 hours of fasting to ensure the energy expenditure is unaffected by recent physical activities, food intake, or temperature changes.

Benefits

• Helps in calculating daily calorie needs.
• Provides an insight into metabolism efficiency.
• Assists in weight management and planning for weight gain, loss, or maintenance.

Examples

• Online BMR calculators that estimate daily calorie needs.
• Fitness assessments measuring BMR for personalized diet recommendations.

Additional Information

• Importance: Basal Metabolic Rate is important for understanding how many calories are needed for involuntary bodily functions and thus helps in designing diet and fitness plans accordingly.

Related Terms

• Resting Metabolic Rate
• Total Daily Energy Expenditure
• Metabolism

References

• Understanding Basal Metabolic Rate: Mayo Clinic
• The Science of Basal Metabolic Rate: National Institutes of Health