You basal metabolic rate it is a tool that trainers and nutritionists use as a starting point when developing a weight loss program. We all know what basal metabolism is: the dictionary defines it as “the amount of energy consumed by an organism at rest simply to maintain its basic functions.” Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a measure of the energy required to keep the body at rest. They are the calories that you burn without doing anything (apart from presiding over the basic functions of your body such as digestion, circulation, respiration, etc., of course). It’s nature’s way of keeping you from getting infinitely bigger. But how does basal metabolic rate help us start a weight loss program?

Basal metabolic rate is a benchmark that is used to determine our minimum daily caloric needs. We can calculate the BMR using simple arithmetic according to this 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 tall and weighs 150 pounds:

655 + (4.3 x 150) + (4.7 x 66) – (4.7 x 40) = 655 + 645 + 310 – 188 = 1422 calories

Your basal metabolic rate is 1,422. That means this woman burns 1,422 calories keeping her body running. So what do you (or a coach) do with this information? This number represents the minimum calories you need to consume on a daily basis to maintain yourself. But what if you want to lose weight? You should cut your calories, right? Incorrect.

When you reduce your calorie intake, your body naturally reacts by decreasing calorie burn to protect itself from hunger. Even though he is eating less, his weight remains the same. If you eat the same calories but exercise more, that should work, right? If your body works harder and doesn’t get more energy, again, your calorie burn will decrease and the results will be negligible. So does that mean you have 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 learning to balance the two so that you still create a negative calorie balance.”

Let’s say you calculate your basal metabolic rate and allow you to burn 2000 calories a day. Knowing this, you go on a diet and start eating 1,500 calories a day, creating a deficit of 500. That would seem to be a good thing, but eating little only slows your metabolism.

Now we are going to change a few things. Your basal metabolic rate still allows you to burn 2,000 calories a day. But, instead of cutting your calories to 1,500, you start eating 300 more calories each day, but you also burn an additional 800 calories through exercise. The result? You get the same 500 calorie deficit (2800 calories burned – 2300 calories consumed) but you do so while increasing your metabolism by eating and exercising more. This process is especially helpful for someone with a low basal metabolic rate due to calorie restriction and a sedentary lifestyle. (By the way, a deficit of 500 calories per day produces a weight loss of 1 pound per week.)

Basal metabolic rate provides a good baseline for minimal calories. Obviously, the right food and exercise are crucial to your success. A diet of sugary foods and / or an exercise program that consists of endless walks on a treadmill will make weight loss difficult. But if you use your BMR as a starting point, you know not to go below that level and add food and exercise accordingly to create a calorie deficit.

Your basal metabolic rate helps you get started. The next step is lifestyle changes. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean protein sources, seeds, and nuts (in moderation) combined with strength training that involves both aerobic and anaerobic exercise is a good formula to follow for weight loss and overall good health. Certain sports can also give you a great full-body workout. The best starting point for developing a weight loss plan is calculating your basal metabolic rate.