Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Explained

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to perform essential functions at rest, such as breathing, circulating blood, and maintaining body temperature. It represents the energy your body burns simply to stay alive.

BMR accounts for the largest portion of your daily calorie needs, usually around 60–70%. Factors like age, gender, weight, and muscle mass influence your BMR—people with more muscle generally burn more calories at rest than those with less.

Understanding your BMR is key to managing weight. It provides a baseline for calculating your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and helps tailor calorie intake for weight loss, maintenance, or gain. Essentially, knowing your BMR tells you how much fuel your body truly needs.