Basal metabolism

The human body needs food to obtain the elements necessary to carry out its vital functions. Thanks to food, we can cover our caloric needs, replenish the energy expended and repair the damage suffered by the body.

In order to take into account the caloric expenditure of our body, the so-called "basal metabolism" is taken into account, which is one of the determining factors in calculating the level of energy replenishment we need to maintain the body's vital functions in order.

Taking into account the importance of this topic for the correct improvement of our diet plan, we will proceed to outline the basic aspects related to it.

What is basal metabolism?

Basal metabolism, as we said before, is one of the determining factors in the calculation of the energy consumed. When we refer to basal metabolic expenditure, we are referring to the energy we will need for our body to continue functioning normally, so it provides us with a minimum figure that we must cover if we do not want to see any effects on our organism.

Applications of basal metabolism

Controlling what you consume is essential for weight loss. When planning a diet, the first step is to calculate the calories you need, taking into account your weight and height.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the amount of energy your body requires at rest to perform basic functions such as breathing, circulation, cell growth, muscle contraction, body temperature regulation and brain functions.

The rate at which the body burns calories is directly related to BMR, which accounts for 60-70% of daily caloric expenditure. Factors such as age influence BMR, as it decreases by about 1 to 2% for every decade after age 20.

You can calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate using scales with body analysis or by applying the following formula.

Harris-Benedict equation:

• Men: BMR = 66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.75 x age in years).

• Women: BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)

For example, to calculate the BMR of a 29-year-old woman, with a weight of 66 kg and a height of 1.67 meters, we would proceed as follows:

• BMR = 655 + (9.6 x 66) + (1.8 x 167) - (4.7 x 29) = 655 + 633.6 + 300.6 - 136.3 = 1452.9 calories per day.

Once we know the calories the body burns at rest, we must multiply them by the following values according to the level of daily physical activity:

• BMR x 1.2: Little or no exercise.