BMI & BMR

What Is Your BMR

You use energy no matter what you’re doing, even when sleeping.

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories you’d burn if you stayed in bed all day. Please note that you must never eat below your BMR calories every day otherwise you can send your body into starvation mode.

Your BMR decreases as you age so it becomes harder to stay slim as you get older.

Likewise, depriving yourself of food in hopes of losing weight also decreases your BMR which is a trap many people fall into.

However, a regular routine of cardiovascular exercise, muscle building exercises and metabolism boosting foods can increase your BMR, improving your health and fitness when your body’s ability to burn energy gradually slows down. You can calculate your BMR below.

Working Out Your Calories

This calculator will give you your BMR calories but the other number it will give you is our daily energy needs calories.

Your daily energy needs is the calories your body needs after taking into account your BMR and how much exercise you do.

Once you have your daily energy needs calorie intake number, in order to lose weight, you should reduce this by approximately 15 – 20% (this may need to be higher or lower depending on your individual needs and you should use this as a guide – for example if you are still hungry then eat more, but if you are completely full and satisfied, eat less).

If you have a large amount of weight to lose you may want to reduce calories by more than 20- 25% or if you have a small amount of weight to lose you may want to reduce by 10%. Please note we do not recommend consuming less calories then your BMR calories.

Our plans are based on approximately 1400/1500 calories a day and this suits most people – but if you are hungry on this or too full on this you can adjust the meal plans accordingly

Also if you are used to people telling you to eat 1,200 calories a day, read here which discussed this general calorie allowance for all people)

Are You Breastfeeding

If you are breastfeeding you also need to increase your calories by approximately 300 – 500 per day to assist in milk supply production.

Calculate your BMR

Please note these are guidelines only. We always recommend you listen to your body.

How to calculate your BMR manually without a BMR Calculator

Males and females have to use different equations to determine their BMR using this formula on the assumption that males have a higher percentage of lean body weight than females (more lean body weight = increased BMR).

Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) by using one of the following:

Males

BMR = 66 + (13.75 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) – (6.8 x age in yrs)

Females

BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 x age in Yrs) To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

1. If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.1
2. If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.275
3. If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.35
4. If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.525

BMI (Body Mass Index)

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measurement that uses a scientific formula to determine a person’s safest, healthiest weight based upon their weight and height. Having a high BMI can be associated with serious health risks including:

• Obesity
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Cancer

Calculate your BMI

1. Calculate your weight in kilograms (for example 65 kilos)
2. Take your height in meters (so for example 1.6meters) and square it – so 1.6m x 1.6m = 2.56
3. Then divide your weight in kilograms by your height squared – so 65 divided by 2.56 – which would give a BMI of 23

What do the results of the BMI Calculator mean?

BMI provides a helpful guideline for achieving the weight range that’s healthiest for you. You can interpret your BMI results as follows:

• Below 20 = slender-lean
• 20 to 25 = ideal weight range
• 25 to 30 = overweight (25-27 could be healthy range if large-boned and heavily muscled)
• 30 and above = very overweight/high risk
• 40 and above = extremely overweight / high risk for health complications

Please note that BMI results are to be used as a guide only

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