Resting Metabolic Rate (Cunningham) Calculator
Enter weight and body fat percentage to estimate RMR with the Cunningham equation.
Result
How to use
- Enter your values in the fields above.
- Press Calculate to see your result instantly.
- Use the Share button to copy a link to your result.
About this calculator
The Cunningham equation, developed by John Cunningham in 1980, estimates resting metabolic rate (RMR) directly from lean body mass (LBM) rather than total body weight: RMR = 500 + 22 × LBM (kg). Because metabolically active lean tissue — not fat — drives the vast majority of resting energy expenditure, formulas built on LBM tend to be more accurate than weight-based equations like Harris-Benedict or Mifflin-St Jeor for people whose body composition differs substantially from average.
Sports dietitians, strength coaches, and lean or muscular athletes with a known body fat percentage (from DXA, skinfolds, or bioelectrical impedance) favor the Cunningham equation over general-population formulas, since a heavily muscled athlete's RMR is systematically underestimated by weight-only equations that don't distinguish muscle from fat.
This calculator takes your body weight and body fat percentage, derives your lean body mass, and applies the Cunningham equation to estimate your resting metabolic rate.
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