What is Resting Metabolic Rate and How is it Calculated

The energy in our body is being generated and consumed up all the time even during sleep. This generated energy is used for different mechanisms to carry on life processes. These life processes include the vital functions for sustaining life to daily physical activities. However, the amount of energy we require at the resting state is our resting metabolic rate. This metabolic rate is an essential parameter in determining how the generated energy is being used up in the body.

To learn what resting metabolic rate is and how to calculate it, let’s explore it in the article below.

Resting Metabolic Rate 

An individual’s resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories they consume while at rest. The RMR is the energy consumption that is required in a state of rest, i.e without any physical activity.

For instance, if you are standing still right now without any movement, the calorie consumption at the moment is calculated in terms of RMR. The RMR is the basic amount of energy you need all day if you spend idle lying on the sofa or bed.

It is necessary to take into account your RMR values and manage your calorie consumption on its basis. If you consume more calories than your resting metabolic rate (RMR) your body will store them as fat.

Are BMR and RMR the Same?

The resting metabolic rate term is often confused with the basal metabolic rate however, both these terms vary significantly. In contrast to the resting metabolic rate, which measures your energy expenditure while in a normal resting or non-exercising state, the basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a more restrictive measurement of the energy your body uses for basic functions, such as breathing, blood circulation, and organ functions;

How to Calculate RMR

To calculate the resting metabolic rate, there are several different equations that we have implied and each of these formulas provided different calculations from each other. The most notable formulas used to calculate the RMR includes the

• Harris-Benedict Formula
• Mifflin St Joers Formula
• Katch McArdle Formula
• And Revised Harris-Benedict Formula

According to the widely accepted one, the Mifflin St Joers formula the resting metabolic rate may calculated following these simple steps. 

Body Measurements

First of all, you have to take measurements of your body, 

Take a weighing machine and determine your current weight in kilograms.

Similarly, measure your height as well, or if already knew convert it into centimetres.

Put Values in Formula

Secondly, put your measure values into the Mifflin St Joers Formula. According to Mifflin St Joers Formula for calculating resting metabolic rate(RMR)

Male: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5

Female: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161

As per the equation, multiply your weight in kgs by 10 and height in cms with 6.25. Subsequently, multiply your age (in years of course) by 5 and double-check all your calculations.

More Calculations

Now it’s time to perform some more additions, so sum up the multiplied weight and height together. And add 5 to the multiplied age if you are male otherwise subtract 161. After summing these factors subtract the summed up weight and height from the age calculation.

This last subtraction provides you with the final results and it is your resting metabolic rate according to the Mifflin St Joers Formula. Resting metabolic rate can also be calculated through an RMR calculator online for free.

Related to that one may also calculate Basal metabolic rate. BMR calculator is an online tool that enables you to calculate your body’s basal metabolic rate in seconds.

Factors that Effects RMR Calculations

Several variables impact your resting metabolic rate, however, some of these factors are outside your control, but others are within your control. These factors are as follows:

Age 

It is common for people to gain weight as they get older since their RMR begins to decline after the age of 20. As you become older, you also lose muscle and act as a dual factor in terms of decreasing your resting metabolic rate. The more the age of the person the less will the metabolic rate of. 

Gender

The RMR of males and females of the same age, height and weight differ comparably. Because males have more muscle mass and a lower body-fat proportion than women, men have a higher RMR than women. On the other hand, women have a greater body-fat proportion than men and also have less muscle mass than men. So in this way, the RMR of men should be greater than women.

Weight 

A high (RMR) is typically found in persons who are extremely overweight because their bodies require more calories to perform routine tasks.

Muscle and Fat Ratio

Increasing your muscle mass and decreasing your body fat percentage will have a favorable effect on your  metabolic rate (RMR).

Temperature 

Both internal and exterior temperatures have an impact on RMR as homeostasis is highly dependent upon outside and inside temperatures.

Thyroxine 

The RMR might be considerably reduced if your thyroid gland is either performing very high or very low.