Calories Burned at Rest

You burn calories every second of the day, even when you're just sitting on the couch. The amount of calories your body burns when at rest is called your basal metabolic rate or BMR. Your BMR depends on your weight, height, age, gender and how much muscle and fat you carry. It takes special equipment to know exactly how many calories you burn, but there are ways you can get a good estimate. Knowing how many calories your body burns at rest is important in assessing workout programs and in determining your nutritional needs.

The Facts

The number of calories burned at rest depends on an individual's metabolism. Metabolism rates are influenced by height, weight, age and other factors, but can also vary based on genetics and factors that vary from individual to individual. This is why some people can eat whatever they want and not gain weight, while others must stick to a strict diet to avoid putting on pounds.

The Formula

In general, a good rule of thumb is to figure that just sitting around, your body burns about 12 calories per pound per day, according to "A Moment of Science," produced by Indiana University. So if you weigh 175 pounds, your body burns about 2,100 calories at rest each day. To get an idea of your BMR, you can also use the BMR calculator linked under "Resources" below.

Getting Precise

If you want a more personalized assessment of how many calories your body burns at rest, some tools are available through dietitians and other health professionals that can help you determine your BMR. A growing number of new devices are available that can tell a person how many calories they need per day using breath analysis, along with information on the person's height, weight, age and activity level, according to an article in the Orlando Sentinel. You should consult your physician or a dietitian to see what these devices can tell you about your BMR.

Burning More

Your body will burn more calories at rest if you carry more muscle. According to Tony Leyland, a kinesiology professor at Canada's Simon Fraser University, a pound of muscle typically burns 30 to 50 calories a day at rest, while a pound of fat burns only three calories a day. Starting an exercise regimen that includes resistance training will help you build muscle and burn more calories.

Considerations

It is important to know your BMR when planning your diet and when choosing an exercise program. Many treadmills and other pieces of exercise equipment will tell you how many calories you burned during your workout. It is important to subtract the number of calories you would have burned at rest to get an accurate idea of the benefit your workout is providing. Knowing your BMR can also help you determine how many calories you should eat each day, depending on whether you are trying to gain, lose or maintain weight.