Your BMI (body mass index) and BMR (basic metabolic rate) are both important tools in staying healthy or losing weight. The body mass index helps you determine how much you should weigh, based on your height. Your basic metabolic rate is the number of calories your body uses in a day if you had stayed in bed all day. Your basic metabolic rate us calculated by a formula known as Harris-Benedict equation.
Calculating BMI
Step 1
Measure your weight in pounds and height in inches.
Step 2
Multiply your weight by 703. For example, if you weigh 125 lbs., your total is 87875 (125 x 703).
Step 3
Divide the total from the previous step by your height in inches. If you are 63 inches (5 feet 3 inches) tall, your total would be 1395 (87875 / 63).
Step 4
Divide the total from Step 3 by your height in inches a second time. The BMI would be 22.1 (1396 / 63). The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that a BMI below 18.5 is underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 is healthy, 25.0 to 29.9 is overweight, 30.0 to 39.9 is obese and over 40 is morbidly obese. You may need to consider other factors, such as waist circumference, health conditions and age.
BMR for Women
Step 1
Measure your weight in pounds and height in inches. The BMR equation for women is BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years).
Step 2
Multiply your weight in pounds by 4.35. Using the same example as above, the woman's total would be 543.75 (125 x 4.35).
Step 3
Add 655 to your total from Step 2 (543.75). The total would be 1198.75 (655 + 543.75).
Step 4
Multiply your height in inches by 4.7. The total would be 296.1 (63 x 4.7). Add the total from the previous step (1198.75) to this total. The new total would be 1494.85 (1198.75 + 296.1).
Step 5
Multiply your age in years by 4.7. If you are 40 years old, your total would be 188 (40 x 4.7). Then subtract this total (188) from the total in Step 4 (1494.85). The BMR would then be 1306.85 (1494.85 - 188). This is the minimum number of calories you need per day--to maintain weight--if you do no physical activity.
BMR for Men
Step 1
Measure your weight in pounds and height in inches. The BMR equation for men is BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.76 x age in years ).
Step 2
Multiply your weight in pounds by 6.23. If you have the same measurements as above, your total would be 778.75 (125 x 6.23).
Step 3
Add 66 to the total from Step 2 (778.75). The new total would be 844.75 (66 + 778.75).
Step 4
Multiply your height in inches by 12.7. The total would be 800.1 (63 x 12.7). Add the total from the previous step (844.75) to this total. The new total would be 1644.85 (844.75 + 800.1).
Step 5
Multiply your age in years by 6.76 . If you are 40 years old, your total would be 270.4 (40 x 6.76). Then subtract this total (270.4) from the total in the previous step (1644.85). The BMR would then be 1374.45 (1644.85 - 270.4). This is the minimum number of calories you need per day--to maintain weight--if you do no physical activity.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Measuring tape
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