Numelivo

BMR and daily energy calculator

Basal metabolic rate is an estimate of the energy a body uses at complete rest. A daily energy estimate multiplies that figure by an activity factor. Neither number is a measurement from a lab.

The equation used here was published by Mifflin and St Jeor in 1990, with one coefficient for men and another for women. It does not describe every body, and it is not a prescription for how much to eat.

Required fields are marked with *.

Use a comma or a dot for the decimal, as in 12.5 or 12,5. Type thousands as 1000 or 1 000. A single comma or dot is the decimal mark, so 1,000 means 1.

Units

Coefficient

Use 0 to 11.9. Twelve inches is another foot.

Results

The result will appear here.

How to use this calculator

  1. Choose the sex coefficient and enter age, height, and weight for an adult.
  2. Pick the activity description that is closest. Each option shows its multiplier.
  3. Read the resting estimate and the daily estimate as ranges to discuss, not as a target.

Formula

Mifflin–St Jeor starts from weight, height, and age, then adds a sex coefficient.

BMR (men) = 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age + 5

BMR (women) = 10×kg + 6.25×cm − 5×age − 161

The daily estimate is BMR times an activity factor. These factors are conventional planning numbers, not measurements:

  • Sedentary × 1.2
  • Light activity × 1.375
  • Moderate activity × 1.55
  • Active × 1.725
  • Very active × 1.9

Worked example

A 40-year-old man, 180 cm, 80 kg, sedentary

10 × 80 = 800. 6.25 × 180 = 1,125. 5 × 40 = 200. Add the male coefficient of 5.

800 + 1,125 − 200 + 5 = 1,730. A sedentary factor of 1.2 gives about 2,076 as the daily estimate.

BMR is about 1,730. The sedentary daily estimate is about 2,076.

Questions

Why are there only two sex coefficients?

That is how the 1990 equation was published. If neither coefficient fits, the number is a rough illustration only, not a personal measurement.

Should I eat exactly the daily estimate?

No. Illness, pregnancy, and some medicines change energy needs. A dietitian or clinician can interpret the figure in context.

Are the activity multipliers exact?

No. They are widely used estimates. Two people with the same label can use very different amounts of energy.

Sources

Last reviewed November 1, 2026