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Basal metabolic rate: starting point for the weight loss plan
Your basal metabolic rate is a tool that trainers and nutritionists use as a starting point for developing a weight loss program. We all know what basal metabolism is – the dictionary defines it as “the amount of energy used by a resting organism to simply maintain its basic functions.” Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a measure of the energy needed to keep the body at rest. It's the calories you burn while doing nothing (except, of course, running your body's basic functions like digestion, circulation, breathing, etc.). It's nature's way of stopping you from growing infinitely larger...
Basal metabolic rate: starting point for the weight loss plan
HerBasal metabolic rateis a tool that trainers and nutritionists use as a starting point for developing a weight loss program. We all know what basal metabolism is – the dictionary defines it as “the amount of energy used by a resting organism to simply maintain its basic functions.” Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a measure of the energy needed to keep the body at rest. It's the calories you burn while doing nothing (except, of course, running your body's basic functions like digestion, circulation, breathing, etc.). It's nature's way of stopping you from growing infinitely larger. But how does basal metabolic rate help us start a weight loss program?
Basal metabolic rate is a reference point used to determine our minimum daily calorie needs. We can calculate the BMR using simple arithmetic using the following formula:
Male: 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) – (6.8 x age in years) Female: 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)
To illustrate, let's calculate the basal metabolic rate for a 40-year-old woman who is 5'6 and weighs 150 pounds:
655 + (4.3 x 150) + (4.7 x 66) – (4.7 x 40) = 655 + 645 + 310 – 188 = 1,422 calories
Your basal metabolic rate is 1,422. That means this woman burns 1,422 calories to keep her body functioning. What does a trainer (or you) do with this information? This number represents the minimum calories you must consume daily to sustain yourself. But what if you want to lose weight? You should just reduce your calories, right? Incorrect.
When you eat fewer calories, your body naturally responds by slowing down calorie burning to protect itself from hunger. Even if you eat less, your weight stays the same. If you eat the same calories but exercise more, that should work, right? When your body works harder and doesn't get more energy, your calorie burning slows down and your results are negligible. Does this mean you need to eat more calories? Doesn't that defeat the purpose? Not according to Josh Bezoni, fitness expert and co-founder of BioTrust Nutrition. He says: "Exercise increases metabolism. Eating increases metabolism. The trick is to learn to balance the two so that you still create a negative calorie balance."
Suppose you calculate your basal metabolic rate and can use it to burn 2000 calories per day. Knowing this, you go on a diet and start eating 1500 calories a day, creating a 500 deficit. This seems like a good thing, but eating too little only lowers your metabolism.
Now let's change a few things. Your basal metabolic rate still allows you to burn 2000 calories per day. But instead of reducing your calories to 1500, you start eating 300 more calories per day, but you also burn 800 additional calories through exercise. The result? You have the same 500 calorie deficit (2800 calories burned - 2300 calories expended), but you do this while increasing your metabolism by eating more and exercising more. This process is particularly helpful for individuals who have a low basal metabolic rate due to calorie restrictions and a sedentary lifestyle. (By the way, a 500 calorie deficit per day results in a weight loss of 1 pound per week.)
The basal metabolic rate provides a good basis for minimal calories. Of course, the right foods and exercise are crucial to your success. A diet containing sugary foods and/or an exercise program that consists of endless walking on a treadmill will make weight loss more difficult. However, if you use your BMR as a starting point, you will know not to go below this number and to add food and exercise accordingly to create a calorie deficit.
You can get started with the basal metabolic rate. The next step is lifestyle change. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean protein sources, seeds and nuts (sparingly) combined with resistance training that includes both aerobic and anaerobic exercise is a good formula for weight loss and health in general. Certain sports can also give you a great full-body workout. The best place to start when developing a weight loss plan is to calculate your basal metabolic rate.
Inspired by Michael Piccoli