BMR - The Smouldering FireBasal Metabolic Rate or BMR, in layman’s terms is the amount of energy our bodies expend at rest through the processes of living. Tortora and Grabowski (1993) provide a more detailed explanation in suggesting it as " a measure of the rate at which the quiet, resting, fasting body breaks down nutrients to liberate energy" Our bodies are constantly working away "behind the scenes" even though we may be doing nothing. Examples include basic unconscious processes such as breathing, pumping blood around the body and digesting food. It is the constant working of these bodily functions which can account for up to 70% of the TOTAL calories required per day to maintain current body weight.
Don’t Get Confused Basal metabolic rate is NOT the same as your total daily calorie requirement to maintain body weight........ unless you stay in bed all day! You see, once the rested state is left - in other words, you get out of bed and start your daily tasks, your requirement for calories increases over and above the basic level which you need to survive a day in bed. This is largely due to increased breathing rate, brain activity, blood circulation and muscular movement, in addition to increased energy expenditure through the digestion of food consumed. The more active you are, the greater the demand for calories. Individual basal metabolic rate can vary enormously from one person to the next. You have probably met people who can seemingly eat what they like, while remaining lean and slender; perhaps you ARE one of these lucky people! On the flip side, others seem to only have to look at a cream cake to start piling on the pounds! So what is it that causes such variance from one person to the next? To answer this, why not check out my article on Factors Affecting Basal Metabolic Rate? References G. J. Tortora and S. R. Grabowski, 1993, Principles of Anatomy and Physiology - Seventh Edition
Health Information
|
