Health & FitnessUpdated May 2026

BMR Calculator

Find your basal metabolic rate, the calories your body burns at complete rest, using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.

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Updated 2026

BMR Calculator

Use this free BMR calculator to find your Basal Metabolic Rate using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation.
About BMR

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to accomplish its most basic (basal) life-sustaining functions.

What BMR measures:

  • Breathing
  • Circulation
  • Cell production
  • Nutrient processing
  • Protein synthesis
  • Ion transport

Activity Levels:

  • Sedentary: Little or no exercise, desk job
  • Light Exercise: Sports 1-3 days/week
  • Moderate Exercise: Sports 3-5 days/week
  • Active: Hard exercise 6-7 days/week
  • Very Active: Very hard exercise & physical job

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, which is considered more accurate than the Harris-Benedict Equation for most people.

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How our BMR calculator works

1

Enter your stats

Type your age, sex, weight, and height. We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is the most accurate BMR formula for most non-athletic adults.

2

Get your basal metabolic rate

BMR is the calories your body burns at complete rest to maintain breathing, circulation, cell production, and brain function. It excludes any activity.

3

Add activity to get TDEE

BMR alone underestimates total calorie needs. Multiply by 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active) to get TDEE, your true daily calorie burn.

Key things to know about our bmr calculator:

  • Average BMR: Adult women typically have a BMR of 1,200-1,500 calories. Adult men: 1,500-1,800. Higher for younger, larger, more muscular people.
  • Why BMR matters: Eating below BMR is essentially a starvation diet. Use BMR as a floor, then layer activity on top to find your sustainable intake.
  • Pair with TDEE: For activity-adjusted calorie needs, use the TDEE calculator. For weight loss targets, use the calorie deficit calculator.

For related calculations, try our TDEE calculator.

Verified accuracy

Cross-checked against authoritative formulas (IRS, NIST, ACM) and updated for 2025/2026 tax years and rates.

Instant results

No server roundtrip. All math runs in your browser so results appear the moment you finish typing.

Your data stays private

We never collect, store, or transmit your inputs. Every calculation runs locally in your browser.

Learn as you calculate

Each calculator includes the formula, plain-English explanation, and FAQs so you understand the result.

Estimates only. Calculator results are for educational and planning purposes — not professional advice. For binding decisions on taxes, investments, health, or legal matters, consult a qualified professional.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about this calculator. Can't find what you're looking for? Email our team.

A BMR calculator is a free tool that estimates your basal metabolic rate, the calories your body burns at complete rest to maintain vital functions. Our BMR calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is considered the most accurate for most adults. The BMR calculator results are the baseline for any TDEE or weight management calculation.

How it works

How to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Our bmr calculator lets you find the number of calories your body burns at complete rest using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, in three steps.

  1. 1

    Enter your age, sex, height, and weight

    Type your age in years, pick your biological sex, and enter height and weight. The calculator uses these four values in the BMR formula.

  2. 2

    Pick the formula

    Choose Mifflin-St Jeor (default and most accurate) or the older Harris-Benedict equation if you prefer a specific standard.

  3. 3

    Read your BMR

    The result is the number of calories your body needs to maintain basic functions at rest. To estimate your total daily burn, multiply this by an activity factor.

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