Bmr

The Basal Metabolic Rate: What is it?

The basal metabolic rate (or BMR) is also known as metabolism. BMR is the energy, measured in calories, that is burned up by your body at rest in order to preserve your normal bodily functions. The constant laboring of our bodies in these situations consists of approximately 60-70% of the calories that we expend (burn). It also includes our breathing, beating of our heart and our body temperature.

Your body's BMR depends on various factors, such as your gender, height, weight, and age. It is also effected by your diet and exercise (or lack thereof), as well as the temperature of the environment.

A younger person's metabolism will be faster due to the increased activity of cell division. A taller and heavier person will generally have a faster metabolism than a person who is of normal height and weight.

Men usually have a faster metabolism than women because they have a greater degree of lean muscle tissue.

Dieting can affect a person's metabolism by as much as 20%. The climate in which a person lives can also have an affect on a person's BMR. People living in humid temperatures (such as tropical climates) or extremely cold temperatures usually have a BMR that is 5-20% greater than those who live in more moderate climates.

Another important factor of BMR that most of us can control is the amount of exercise we undertake. Through consistent exercise, a person can increase his or her BMR. This can result in a much healthier and active lifestyle.