FAQs about RMR Calculator
Almost. Both tell you how many calories your body burns at rest. BMR is measured under strict conditions, like right after sleep with no food. RMR is measured under easier conditions, so it usually comes out a little higher. For daily planning, you can treat them as close to the same.
There is no single normal number. In a large review of measured adults, men burned about 0.89 calories per kg of body weight every hour, and women about 0.84. That is roughly 1,500 calories a day for a 70 kg man and 1,200 for a 60 kg woman. Your own number depends on size, muscle and age.
Good enough for planning, but not exact. In one study, about 8 in 10 estimates from the Mifflin-St Jeor equation landed within 10% of lab-measured RMR. So a result of 1,600 could really be anywhere from about 1,440 to 1,760. For an exact number, you need a lab test called indirect calorimetry, which measures the air you breathe in and out.
Don’t eat by RMR alone. RMR is only what you burn at rest. Add your daily movement to get your total daily need (TDEE). To keep your weight, eat close to your TDEE. To lose weight slowly, eat about 250 to 500 calories below it. Eating below your RMR is not advised without a doctor’s guidance.
You can raise it a little, not a lot. Keep or build muscle with strength training, because each kg of muscle burns about 13 calories a day at rest. Avoid crash dieting, because losing weight lowers how much you burn. If your energy feels off, see a doctor, since thyroid problems can change RMR.