BMR stands for basal metabolic rate which measures the energy expenditure of an organism while at rest. An organism does not digest any food when resting and as such, the BMT the level of energy that allows the body of the organism to retain life.

The humans’ organs function and use roughly 70 percent of energy to maintain life and to remain healthy. 10 percent of the energy is used for the digestion of food while the remaining 10 percent is for the various activities.

It is beneficial for people to know their BMR especially if they are in the process of losing weight. BMR calculates the amount or level of energy needed to maintain life, and the consumption of additional calories than what the BMR requires will cause additional weight. On the other hand, less consumption of calories than what the BMR needs will cause weight loss.

But there are also other factors to consider in weight loss such as how active the person is. For example, a person who exercises gets to burn more calories and may need additional calories to keep healthy versus a person who does not exercise.

More on BMR

There are also some factors to consider when discussing the BMR of a person. For example, temperature affects a person’s BMR. Endotherms which include humans have to keep a certain body temperature regardless of the environment’s temperature. Humans find ways to keep warm under chilly weather or that humans sweat in order to maintain a cooler body temperature. Maintaining the body temperature also consumes energy.

On the other hand, ectotherms let their respective body temperature to change according to their surroundings. These organisms, for example, when hot also have warm bodies and are sluggish and cold when the temperature outside is very cold. Fish, insects and insects are some examples of ectotherms.