A BMR Calculator is a Great First Step to Weight Loss

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the amount of energy spent by the body for basic metabolic functions. If you did nothing all day but lie in bed, this is how many calories you would burn. Your heart, digestion, kidney functions and everything else a body does consumes calories. These basic function make up about 60-70% of the calories you expend.

BMR important because it is the largest factor determining your general metabolic rate. Calculating your BMR value enables you to count your total daily energy requirement and tells you how many calories you need to maintain, gain or lose weight. There are several BMR Calculators available on the web.

BMR is determined by genetic and environmental factors, such as:

* genes – they control the speed of metabolism
* gender – men have a higher basal metabolic rate.
* age – BMR drops approximately 2% per decade.
* weight – the heavier you are, the higher your BMR is
* body surface area – is a manifestation of height and weight
* body fat percentage – the heavier you are, the lower your BMR is
* diet – digestion is one of the most important factors of BMR
* body temperature – rise of 1˚C of the body temperature increases BMR about 14%
* external temperature – the lower the temperature, the higher the BMR
* endocrine system – thyroid hormones speed up the metabolic activity of the body
* exercise – raises your BMR by building muscular tissue

BMR Calculators do not take into consideration the amount of exercise you have. The basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy your body needs to function at rest keeping all your systems working. Any exercise you do will add to the calorie count of your BMR.

Using a BMR calculator to calculate your BMR is a good first step to any weight loss program. Knowing how many calories a day you consume allows you to know how to alter your diet and exercise programs.

David Keller started http://www.calculatebmr.com to share his weight lost experiences. He lost 55 pounds using the tips documented in http://www.calculatebmr.com The site is an honest and free review of what worked, did not work and the challenges he faced losing the weight. David now has a goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.

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