BMR and BMI Explained

What Is Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)?

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

Your BMR is the number of calories you would 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.  This will improve your overall health and fitness when your body’s ability to burn energy gradually slows down.

How To Calculate your BMR

Your can calculate your BMR on our calculator page

How to Work Out Your Calorie Intake

This calculator will give you your BMR calories. It will also give you your 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.

In order to lose weight, you should reduce your daily energy needs calorie intake number by approximately 15 – 20%.

*(this may need to be higher or lower depending on your individual needs).

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 weight loss 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

What To Do If You Are Breastfeeding?

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

What Is Your BMI (Body Mass Index)?

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

• Obesity
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Cancer

How to Calculate your BMI

Calculate your BMI with our calculator.

How to calculate your BMI manually without a BMI Calculator

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.