Basic Metabolism Calculator. How to calculate your metabolism

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When considering making their own meal plan for weight loss or gaining muscle mass, people start counting calories. Previously, we have already considered that for weight gain, you need about 10% excess, and for weight loss - about 10% deficit of total calorie consumption. If we can calculate the calorie content of jogging and hard work, then how to calculate the basic metabolism? To do this, you need not only to know the formula, but also to know the essence of things in which we will try to understand.

General information

So, basal metabolism, aka basic metabolism, is all the processes that constantly take place in our body. They also include:

  • Maintaining body temperature.
  • Normal brain function.
  • The work of muscle tissues.
  • work immune system.
  • secretion of hormones.
  • Tissue regeneration.
  • Secretion of digestive enzymes.
  • Blood supply.
  • Breath.
  • Transportation of various substances within the body.

And it's far from full list what happens in our body in the process of life.

All these background processes can be compared to what happens in the Windows Task Manager. Even there, if you look, there are about 20-30 processes that regulate the operation of a computer. For all these processes, the body releases energy, which is what is considered in basal metabolism.

Stages and levels

If you dig a little deeper into the processes of basal metabolism, you can see that they are all heterogeneous. There are certain levels and stages of basal metabolism. Considering each of them, we can better understand the processes and biochemistry that takes place in our body. Thanks to this, you can not only correctly calculate the basic needs of the body, but also adjust them by shifting the anabolic-catabolic balance in the right direction.

And yet - why do you need to know the basic processes of basal metabolism for weight loss? When we limit the calorie content of food to a certain level, the processes of basal metabolism practically do not change. Everything goes on as usual. However, a person already feels a breakdown due to the fact that the residual energy received from food is not enough for him. If you limit the caloric content below the level of basal metabolism consumption processes, then everything will become somewhat worse here, since already after 24 hours, the body will perceive the whole situation as a hunger strike, and therefore begin.

In this case, the following processes await the person.

  1. Limiting deceleration of metabolic processes.
  2. Offset .
  3. Change in the level of muscle tissue in the body.

But this will be only the first stage of the violation of the basic metabolism, which will occur when trying to extreme weight loss or starvation. At this level, basal metabolism can store energy for up to 3 or 4 days. Then there will come processes that will have an irreversible effect on health:

  1. Breakdown of the internal walls of organs by stomach acid.
  2. Complete transition to adipose tissue.
  3. Continued optimization of resources by changing the composition of ligaments and joints.
  4. Violation of the general metabolism.

This will be followed by violations of the excretory system in the body, which also will not end very well.

If the calorie content of the diet remains insufficient to maintain the level of basal metabolism, then everything will end in death.

At the same time, in normal mode, what are the main metabolic processes in the body? And why is it important to know the minimum calorie content that is used to maintain the life support of the body.

  1. Digestion of food is the easiest to start from this stage, since on its way you can follow the main energy levels that follow in the main metabolisms. About 20% of the energy calculated in basal metabolism is spent on it.
  2. Transportation of glucose in the blood through tissues.
  3. Breakdown of trace elements to the simplest amino acids.

This is only the first stage of basal metabolism at a normal level and metabolic rate. The next stage is the distribution of energy in various tissues. Further, already depending on the availability of its own reserves and the frequency of food intake, the body either consumes its own reserves (expressed as glycogen) or consumes glucose from food.

Well, the last process that occurs in the body when considering basal metabolism is the process of removing waste tissues. At this point, the main metabolic end products are excreted.

The main metabolic products are:

  1. Secondary decomposition products formed during digestion.
  2. Secondary urinary fluid used to normalize the water-salt balance.
  3. Waste body cells.
  4. Waste products (toxins, etc.)

With a deficiency and violation of caloric intake, the body will try to extradite energy from these waste tissues, which will lead to poisoning. Therefore, maintaining a normal calorie content is not only a guarantee of normal metabolic processes in the basal stage, but also the prevention of poisoning the body with waste toxins, which can also lead to very serious consequences.

essence

Basal metabolism is the basis for calculating the calorie content of food in the body. All processes in the body require energy. And in order not to count each process separately, it was decided to use weighted average, which, with some amendments, is used to calculate the basic calorie consumption in the body.

In the most simplified form, people deduct about 800 kcal for basic needs. However, in this case, many factors are not taken into account, which can significantly slow down weight loss. Therefore, the formula for calculating the basic metabolism is usually used:

The net weight of a person * 2.35 + the number derived from the Rubner surface law / 24. All this must be multiplied by the number of hours of wakefulness per day.

There is also another formula.

Weight * 1.78 +300. A simpler formula for basal metabolism has small errors associated with the fact that the calculation with body fat is used here. Therefore, it is suitable only for people of average build.

Important: you need to understand that the calculation of basal metabolism is not fundamental for most people. In particular, this is why the formula in which only 800 kcal is allocated for basic human needs has taken root. It is necessary to calculate basal metabolism only in cases where the classic calorie deficit / excess formulas do not give a tangible result. For example, for those who are very sensitive to changes in calorie content.

Rubner's surface law

Another interesting factor that affects the rate and consumption of basal metabolism during the day is Rubner's surface law. According to this law, people who have more surface spend more surface. What follows from this? Two main conclusions can be drawn from this:

  1. tall people need twice as many calories to maintain basic metabolic processes in the body.
  2. Fat people lose weight faster because they often incorrectly calculate the level of their own basal energy metabolism, therefore they spend more calories than they expect.
  3. It is much easier for people with less volume to gain weight, as fewer calories can be added to their daily diet.

How it works?

The thing is that our body spends a certain amount of energy to maintain the level of heat. When we are sick and the temperature rises, the body spends more energy. When we are tired, our body temperature drops. The body needs to warm up about 75 kilograms of weight in proportions of 1.7 * 0.8. Based on this, we can calculate the heat capacity of the body, which is about 2000 joules per kilogram of body per hour. Or in terms of calories - this is 0.5 kcal per kilogram of body and liter of volume. Those. The average person spends about 300 kcal per day just on their own heating. Uncertainty for high and fat people, in fact, not as big as it seems - only + - 100 kcal per day. However, when following extreme mono-diets, this factor must be taken into account.

Another important feature of the Rubner surface is that heating is carried out depending on the external temperature. Therefore, in winter we need 200-300 kcal more per day than in summer, and this is due solely to the ambient temperature.

Factors affecting the metabolic rate

The basic metabolism is regulated by several main factors that determine its course. Knowing these factors, you can use various tricks to correct the passage of basal metabolic processes. This can help not only in the fight against extra pounds, but also to stabilize metabolic processes at the entrance and exit from complex diets.

  1. metabolic rate. It initially determines the rate of calorie consumption to maintain basic functions. Artificially slowing down or speeding up the metabolism, you can get a significant burst of energy, or save on diet.
  2. The normality of the stages. Depending on what kind of food you eat, how you sleep, etc., the normality of the passage of individual levels of basal metabolism depends.
  3. Change in water-salt balance. The course of basal metabolism depends on the amount of fluid. All this is connected with optimization processes and fluid consumption for vital processes.

In addition, there are objective processes that affect basal metabolism, which a person is not able to control.

  1. Hormonal background.
  2. The performance of the thyroid gland.
  3. Heart rate.
  4. Accumulation of cholesterol in the blood.

Not only the speed of the metabolic processes that take place, but also the overall health of a person depends on all this.

Additional Factors Altering Basal Metabolism Size

Separate consideration are the factors that affect the metabolic processes in the human body, and, therefore, can change the level of basal metabolism in one direction or another.

Factor The essence of the factor Effect on basal metabolism
Caffeine Caffeine
Nicotine Accelerates the strength and speed of contraction of the heart muscle, respectively, causes an increase in blood flow in the body and, as a result, accelerates metabolic processes in the human body. Increases calorie consumption in the basal stage by several orders of magnitude.
Physical exercises Accelerates the strength and speed of contraction of the heart muscle, respectively, causes an increase in blood flow in the body and, as a result, accelerates metabolic processes in the human body. Increases calorie consumption in the basal stage by several orders of magnitude.
Increasing calorie intake With an increase in calorie intake, the body begins to spend more energy on digesting food, which in turn causes it to synthesize digestive enzymes - and as a result, spend more resources. Increases calorie consumption in the basal stage by several orders of magnitude.
Increasing the number of meals With an increase in the number of meals, the body optimizes all the main processes, which leads to their acceleration, and therefore an increase in consumption at the basal level. Increases calorie consumption in the basal stage by several orders of magnitude.
lack of sleep With lack of sleep, the body, with a general decrease in efficiency, tries to optimize resources, which means that the production of the norepinephrine group of hormones increases, which leads to an increase in calorie consumption, while slowing down metabolic processes. Slight increase.
Healthy 8 hour sleep For 2 4-hour cycles, the body completely rebuilds the main body systems, which means that it spends less energy on maintaining the main processes during the day. Does not affect.
Hypodynamia With hypodynamia, metabolic processes slow down. However, at the same time, the level of basal metabolism remains at a stable rate. Does not affect.
Reception of power engineers Accelerates the strength and speed of contraction of the heart muscle, respectively, causes an increase in blood flow in the body and, as a result, accelerates metabolic processes in the human body. Increases calorie consumption in the basal stage by several orders of magnitude.
Taking various medications Depending on the type of medication, side effects can affect metabolic processes in different ways. Depends on the type of medication.

Outcome

Naturally, if you want to properly calculate your nutrition, you need to know what basal metabolism is and how to calculate it. However, in reality, all these simplified formulas and indications do not always reflect the essence. If you seriously intend to count everything and are a professional athlete, then instead of these formulas, it is better to simply add to the energy expenditure table (which is spent on various activities, ranging from simple walking to your workouts), separately processes.

And although the editors do not believe that such an accurate calculation is necessary for normal nutrition, understanding the basics of basal metabolism allows you to avoid mistakes and not harm your body during extreme gain or weight loss. This is especially important for novice athletes and women, for whom the level and speed of basal metabolism are decisive when it comes to giving birth to a child.

In articles about weight loss, you can often read about the basic metabolism. This is the number of calories that the body spends in a state of absolute rest. Simply put, that energy value that is “burned” simply in order to breathe, maintain blood flow, cell renewal, nervous activity and other vital processes in the body.

If you add to the basal metabolic rate the number of calories that you expend during work, home activities, recreation and sports, you get the daily energy requirement of the body.

    So, the basic metabolism is an important indicator for those who monitor their health.

Basic metabolism: impact on weight loss

The basal metabolic rate or the so-called basal metabolism determines how quickly you will lose weight on a particular diet. Often, in pursuit of rapid weight loss, we sit down on completely “wild” diets with a calorie content of 800 or even 600 kcal. These figures do not provide even a third of the body's need for calories in a state of absolute rest. In practice, this leads to only one result - a slowdown in the rate of basal metabolism.

Yes, the body will take some of the energy from body fat, but at the same time, it will try to adapt to the “super-low” calorie content of the diet, since any food due to body fat is, from the point of view of nature, a “hungry, emergency” mode. In addition, if the diet is unbalanced in protein, you will quickly lose muscle mass, and your basal metabolism will slow down quite significantly.

Simple rule for basal metabolism:

  • the calorie content of your diet should not be lower than the basal metabolic rate.

Let's say your basal metabolism is 1450 kcal, so the diet should in any case provide for this need. With the loss of each kilogram of weight, the "digital indicator" will decrease, and you will have to reduce a little.

And where does the calorie deficit, so necessary for weight loss, come from? We remind you that during the day you do work, the “calorie deficit” will depend on its quantity.

Basic metabolism: what does it depend on

Most formulas for calculating basal metabolism take into account three indicators: gender, age and weight of a person. However, a more accurate calculation can be obtained if you know at least the approximate ratio of fat and muscle mass. One kilogram of muscle tissue consumes about 200 kcal per day just to “maintain itself”, while 1 kg of fat requires three times less energy.

Hence the high basal metabolic rate in female athletes and the direct benefit from serious strength training. If you can build at least 2-3 kg of muscle mass, energy expenditure at rest will increase by almost a third, which, translated into everyday language, means "you can eat more, and at the same time be slimmer than most of your girlfriends." In addition, the volume of a kilogram of muscle is significantly less than the same amount of subcutaneous fat. That is why diets and a daily routine for weight loss should be focused not so much on reducing total body weight, but on.

How to calculate basal metabolic rate

The simplest formula for calculating the basal metabolic rate is as follows:

  • Divide your weight in kilograms by 0.454.
  • Multiply the resulting number by 0.409.
  • Multiply the result by 24 and get the basal metabolic rate, expressed in kilocalories per day.

The most average values ​​are given by the following formula of the basic exchange. OO for women is 0.9 times body weight in kg, times 24. For men, this formula should be taken as one instead of 0.9.

The formula for calculating daily energy expenditure for basal metabolism, taking into account weight, height and age ():

  • for men: 66 + (13.7 * weight) + (5 * height in cm) - (6.8 * age)
  • for women: 655 + (9.6 * weight) + (1.8 * height in cm) - (4.7 * age)

All the above formulas do not take into account your muscle mass. It is possible to obtain measurements taking into account the last indicator only after it has been made. In fact, it is possible to calculate the basic metabolism taking into account body composition only in the conditions of a medical center.

Calculation of daily basal metabolic energy expenditure based on fat-free body mass

The Katch-McArdle formula is considered the most accurate of the formulas for calculating basal metabolic rate, but in order to use it, you need to know your fat percentage.

If your weight is 70 kg and 30% fat, then the fat mass is 21 kg (70 times 0.3, the result is subtracted from 70), fat-free mass in this case is 70-21 = 49 kg.

OB = 370 + (21.6 * fat-free mass)
In this example - 1428 Kcal.

But for the purposes of losing weight, it is enough to calculate the exchange using any simple formula given in this article. After all, the main thing for you is not to reduce the calorie intake beyond the basal metabolic rate in order to maintain an adequate weight loss rate and be able to.

Especially for fitness trainer Elena Selivanova.

Metabolism at rest is a basic level of metabolism. Basal metabolism is the most important factor influencing weight. The basal metabolic rate measures the metabolic rate at rest and determines how much energy a person expends daily in the absence of intense physical activity. Depending on the characteristics of the work of the human body, his body can consume up to 1200 to 3100 kcal / day. Under the state of rest, it is necessary to understand not only the absence of physical activity, but also the maintenance of standard body temperature. However, even when a person sleeps, his body functions and expends energy. The most energy-intensive process is digestion. When splitting food, 40% of all energy is consumed. The process of splitting food not only consumes, but also releases the necessary energy, which is used to ensure the functioning of internal organs: heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, intestines, muscles, etc. With an excess accumulation of calories that are not converted into energy, they accumulate in the body in reserve, while the metabolic rate decreases, disrupting the entire metabolic system.

Metabolic scheme

What is BOV?

Resting metabolism uses its energy to keep the body alive, and the body's heat output can be used to measure basal energy expenditure. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) value is very important for maintaining the right weight, so this indicator decreases with age, due to a decrease in muscle mass. However, the increase in muscle mass does not affect the rate of BOB. The energy that is expended to maintain body temperature and its activity affects BWA to the greatest extent.

When calculating BOV, it is necessary to take into account the presence of body fat, which is formed differently in people. The fat layer is consumed by the body in the absence of another source of energy, due to which weight loss is achieved. A slow metabolism affects weight, so its level is necessary for weight loss. The level of basic metabolism is influenced by various factors: gender, muscle mass, height and age of a person. Basic metabolism is the number of calories that are consumed by the body in a state of inactivity and ensure the vital activity of the body, in particular the internal organs and maintaining a stable temperature. That is, this is the base level that is burned by the body when it is inactive (for example, sitting on the couch).

This page contains calculators that will help you determine a number of key parameters that are very important for losing weight and then maintaining a normal weight.

Here you can calculate: metabolic rate, body mass index, daily calorie requirement, body type, etc.

Attention! All parameters are calculated based on your individual anthropometric data, so enter input values ​​as accurately as possible, in tenths and hundredths of numbers if possible.

To calculate parameters with other input data, there is no need to refresh the page, just edit the original values ​​and click the calculate button.

The question mark means that this item has Additional Information. To read it, move the mouse cursor over the sign.

Basic parameters

Enter your basic anthropological parameters, which will be the basis for all subsequent calculations. For some calculations, you will need to fill in additional fields that are given in each calculator separately.

Results:

SBI based on lean body mass. Percentage of body fat

The disadvantage of both formulas presented above is that they do not take into account the percentage of musculature in the body, although, as you know, it is muscle mass that directly affects the metabolic rate.

Therefore, these formulas are well suited for people of average build. However, in some cases it is more correct to use the formula Ketch-McArdle, which is based solely on the indicator of "dry" body weight.

To calculate "lean" body weight, you must first determine the percentage of fat in the body. To do this, you need to specify additional initial data.

After filling in all the fields, click the calculate button.

Results:

Body fat percentage: -

Mass of fat: -

Basal metabolic rate: -

Daily calorie requirement: -

Body mass index

Body mass index (BMI)- a value that allows you to assess the degree of correspondence between a person’s mass and his height, and thereby indirectly assess whether the mass is insufficient, normal or excessive.

To calculate your BMI, click the calculate button. In addition, you will be shown an interpretation of your BMI as developed by the WHO (World Health Organization).

Results:

Body mass index: -

Interpretation:-

Ideal weight

One of the most accurate methods for calculating ideal weight is the formula Brock. It takes into account the ratio of weight, height, body type and age of a person. It has been proven that with age, the weight of both women and men gradually increases - this is a normal physiological process. And kilograms, which some consider "superfluous", in fact, they may not be.

To use Brock's formula, you must first determine your body type. To do this, you must specify another additional parameter - the value of the circumference of the wrist (it is also called the "Soloviev index").

Basal metabolism, or, as it is also called, basal metabolism, is the number of calories that the body needs to sustain life: the ability to breathe, provide blood flow, and other equally important processes. These calories will be burned even if you lay motionless on the couch all day.

Knowing about the features of basal metabolism is important for everyone who monitors health. But there are people who absolutely need this information: these are those who plan to sit down on a tough one and drastically limit the calorie content of their food.

If you overdo it and do not provide the minimum required calories, the body will be forced to slow down the metabolism. But this will not help to lose weight, because muscle mass will decrease, and not excess fat. Yes, and such experiments will not affect health in the best way.

What does basal metabolism depend on?

Floor

Men have a higher basal metabolic rate because men tend to have more muscle mass than women.

Age

How younger man, the higher its basal metabolic rate. With age, the metabolic rate gradually slows down.

Height and weight

The taller the person and the bigger he is, the more heat his body gives off to environment. Accordingly, the basal metabolic rate of such a person is higher.

body structure

The more muscle and less fat a person has, the more energy he needs.

Physical activity

The more a person moves and plays sports, the faster fat is burned and muscle mass increases. As a result, the basal metabolism is accelerated.

Food

A sharp decrease in calories consumed slows down the metabolism.

State of the endocrine system

The less hormones produced thyroid gland, pituitary and gonads, the more the basal metabolism decreases.

Individual characteristics

All people require different amounts of energy to digest and assimilate food.

Body temperature

With an increase in body temperature, the energy costs of the body increase.

Climatic conditions

AT middle lane and in the north, people's metabolism is much faster (by 10–20%) than, for example, in the tropics.

How to Calculate Basal Metabolism

Basic metabolism is an individual thing, but if not serious problems with health, you can calculate it, albeit with a small error, using special formulas.

Formulas for calculating basal metabolism

Harris-Benedict Formula

For men: 66.5 + (13.75 × weight (kg)) + (5.003 × height (cm)) - (6.775 × age)
For women: 655.1 + (9.563 × weight in kg)) + (1.85 × height in cm)) - (4.676 × age)

Muffin-Jeor Formula

For men: 9.99 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 4.92 x age + 5
For women: 9.99 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 4.92 x age - 161

You can use any of these formulas or both at once. The results will be similar: plus or minus 50-100 calories.

Katch-McArdle Formula

This formula is considered the most accurate, as it takes into account the structure of the body. To use it, you need to know your body fat percentage. Find out the fat content in the body help in fitness centers.

To calculate your basal metabolic rate, you first need to know your fat-free body mass. With a weight of 55 kg and a total fat content of 20 percent, this figure will be 44 (55-55 * 0.2). Then the result obtained must be multiplied by 21.6 and added to the resulting number 370.

OO = 370 + (21.6 * fat-free mass).

Decided to go on a strict diet? Remember: the calorie content of foods eaten during the day should in no case be lower than the basal metabolic rate. Over time, getting rid of extra pounds, you can gradually reduce the calorie content of food without harming your health and figure.

How to Calculate Total Calorie Expenditure

To find out how many calories you spend during the day, you need to multiply the basal metabolic rate by the coefficient of physical activity.

Physical activity coefficients

  • Sedentary lifestyle: coefficient 1.2.
  • Training less than three times a week: coefficient 1.375
  • Training up to five times a week: coefficient 1.55
  • Training 6-7 times a week: coefficient 1.725
  • Heavy physical labor: coefficient 1.9.

If you don't want to calculate your calorie consumption manually, use the calorie calculator.

How to use the information received

In order to always be in good shape, it is enough to adhere to the daily calorie intake, calculated taking into account the basic exchange and the level of your activity.

In order to, it is important to create a reasonable calorie deficit. This can be achieved by reducing the calorie content of food or by increasing the time and intensity of training.

For, again, reasonably increase the number of calories eaten. Remember: even the most healthy foods can be high-calorie.