Energy consumed just by breathing

When you start a diet, you worry about "calories", right? It is wonderful to go to the gym saying "I have to consume it by exercise!", but did you know that in fact about 60-70% of the energy we consume in a day is consumed by "Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)", not exercise?

What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) means "energy consumed for life maintenance even if you do nothing and stay still". It refers to the amount of energy used arbitrarily just by living, such as moving the heart, breathing, maintaining body temperature, working the brain...

In other words, people with high basal metabolism are "cars that lose weight even if they do nothing", and people with low basal metabolism are "cars with too good fuel efficiency and accumulate fat".

Reason why "Diet restriction only" diet fails

Have you ever done a diet that drastically reduces calorie intake because "I want to lose weight quickly"? In the short term, weight drops, but many people experience rebound afterwards. The cause is "decrease in basal metabolism".

Calorie intake falls below BMR: Since body judges "It's a starvation state!".
Energy saving mode activated: To prioritize life maintenance, the body intentionally lowers basal metabolism and tries to suppress energy consumption.
Decomposition of muscle: To compensate for insufficient energy, the body decomposes not only fat but also muscle and turns it into energy.
Rebound: When you cannot endure and return the meal to the original amount, since basal metabolism is lower than before, all excess energy becomes fat.

In order not to fall into this vicious circle (yo-yo effect), it is a golden rule "Never restrict meals below basal metabolic rate".

How much is your basal metabolic rate?

Basal metabolic rate varies depending on age, gender, height, and weight. The guideline based on the Japanese Dietary Reference Intakes (2020 edition) is as follows.

Guideline for basal metabolic rate by age (Female)

18-29 years old: About 1,110 kcal / day
30-49 years old: About 1,150 kcal / day
50-64 years old: About 1,100 kcal / day

Guideline for basal metabolic rate by age (Male)

18-29 years old: About 1,520 kcal / day
30-49 years old: About 1,530 kcal / day
50-64 years old: About 1,480 kcal / day

These are just average values. People with more muscle mass will be higher than this, and people with less will be lower.

If you want to calculate accurate figures, please try using Jenee's "Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) Calculation Tool". Just by entering your height and weight, you can calculate instantly using formulas such as Harris-Benedict equation.

BMR CalculatorCalculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) for precise diet planning.

3 Ways to Increase Basal Metabolism

The main reason why you feel "It's getting harder to lose weight year by year..." is that muscle mass decreases and basal metabolism drops with aging. Conversely, it is possible to increase metabolism and create a "body constitution easy to lose weight" by changing lifestyle habits.

1. Increase muscle mass (especially lower body)

What consumes the most energy in basal metabolism is "muscle". In particular, the lower body contains large muscle groups (quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes) and accounts for a substantial share of total muscle mass (often cited around 50-60%).

Squat: King of exercises. Train thighs and buttocks at the same time.
Use stairs: Just using stairs instead of escalators is a fine muscle training.

It is said that if muscle increases by 1kg, basal metabolism per day rises by about 13-50kcal. You may think "Only that much?", but in annual calculation, it corresponds to 2-3kg of fat.

2. Activities to raise body temperature

When body temperature and blood flow drop, metabolic activity also tends to decline.

A cup of hot water in the morning: Warm up the internal organs just after waking up and turn on the switch.
Soak in the bathtub: Don't finish with just a shower, take a good bath and improve blood flow.
Take protein: Due to Diet Induced Thermogenesis (DIT), a lot of heat is generated when digesting protein.

3. Adjust autonomic nerves

Regular life is the basis of metabolism improvement. Lack of sleep increases appetite-stimulating hormone (ghrelin) and causes metabolism to drop. Let's keep in mind at least 7 hours of high-quality sleep.

Unexpected Pitfall: Difference from Active Metabolism (TDEE)

When calculating calories for diet, what must not be confused with basal metabolism (BMR) is Active Metabolism (TDEE).

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): Calories consumed even while sleeping
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure): BMR + Calories consumed by work and exercise

The ideal goal calorie setting for diet is as follows.

Basal Metabolism (BMR) < Calorie Intake < Active Metabolism (TDEE)

If you don't eat more than BMR, muscle will drop, and if you don't eat less than TDEE, fat will not drop. Finding this "exquisite balance" is the shortcut to success.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: When is the most accurate time to measure BMR?

A: Basically, "Immediately after waking up, before eating" is the most accurate. Because it refers to the value when internal organs are not moving actively and the body is in a completely resting state. Even when using a home body composition meter, we recommend measuring under the same conditions every morning.

Q: Does muscle increase just by drinking protein?

A: Unfortunately, it does not increase just by drinking. To increase muscle, both "stimulation by muscle training" and "protein as material (protein etc.)" are necessary. By taking it in combination with exercise, you can increase metabolism efficiently.

Q: Do supplements that increase metabolism work?

A: Supplements containing ingredients that support fat burning (such as L-carnitine and capsaicin) will help as an aid, but metabolism will not rise significantly just by that. It is wise to use it as an aid based on moderate exercise and a balanced diet.

Summary: Let's make metabolism an ally

"Diet without eating" is an act that makes your own engine (metabolism) smaller. In the long run, eating well, moving well, and making the engine itself larger allows you to lose weight beautifully without rebounding.

Know your basal metabolic rate
Do not reduce meals below basal metabolic rate
Be conscious of life to maintain and increase muscle

First, let's check your numbers with the following tool.