RMR/BMR testing

[darlacz]

A year or so ago after having my first kid, I was having trouble getting as lean as I wanted despite following an expensive nutrition and workout plan from a PT(I now think it was the plans fault)

Anyway... someone at the gym suggested I go have one of those fasted RMR (resting metabolic rate) tests done where you breathe into a machine first thing in the morning and it tells you how many calories you burn just being alive and can be used to help develop a nutritional plan. I thought what could it hurt and had it done at a wellness clinic here in Dallas. I dropped my hundred bucks and put strange mask on my face and breathed into it for about 15 minutes. My results came back that my RMR is 946 calories!!!! :confused: WTF I was only 25 and they were telling me I had the metabolism of a baby boomer.

I was told by my "consultant" that this lower metabolism was due probably to a history of over dieting and too much cardio... okay, I could buy that. I signed up with their dietician (RD) ate her plan for 6 weeks, cut out everything but weight training, gained some bodyfat (was told this was to be expected while "resetting" my metabolism), and came back and plopped down another hundred bucks to have my RMR retested. It came back at 931!!!! I was pissed. They then told me I just have a genetically inferior metabolism and that I should learn to live with a little extra bodyfat after having kids. The only positive thing they said was that since my metabolism is so low already, I shouldn't have the mid-life slow down that most people get. I always knew I had some endomorphic tendencies but that just meant I had to train a little bit harder than some and diet a little stricter.

I refused to accept their opinion as I had been quite lean when I trained before having baby, but became pregnant with baby number two (due in a couple of weeks) before I could do any further training and dieting experiments.

I'm looking to do something different after this baby and am considering doing the test again at a different facility just to get a new starting point for what my caloric needs will be while training for my goal of the Kumite classic next year. Also in the process of looking for a new coach.

Just wondering what others out there think about these kinds of tests, how accurate are they (I've found conflicting info on google), is there a chance for operator error in administering the tests? Anyone else been told they are "genetically inferior" and managed to beat the odds?

[funnyesq]

I had it done twice about 5 months apart. I was and still am skeptical about them. (Biogem?). Mine went up about 400 calories but I didn't "feel" that I could eat that much more without gaining. I guess I still act on instinct.

By the way, I'm a baby boomer...and in decent shape so watch it!

[darlacz]

No offense intended :innocent: I was just always told that things slow down each decade and I'm still waiting for my "metabolism on fire" stage that people are said to have during their teens. Just didn't want things stacked against me.

i didn't take the Biogem not sure exactly what it was called.

I'm still a little skeptical as well, and glad to know I'm not alone. Just wanted to make sure i wasn't skipping something that could be beneficial.

[funnyesq]

No real offense taken. :) I do recall in my teens and 20s of having the ability to eat more without worry. I was much thinner then and never understood "dieting" and the like. I was somewhat more active than in my 30s and 40s but not much. It does hit you around 29 or 30 that the metabolism slows down. It could also be that I was less active and that explains it. I have talked with many active and not so active women and they concluded the same thing, regardless something happened around 29-30 that made them more conscious of what they were eating and how much to so that they wouldn't gain weight/fat. By aboutr 40+ it does become difficult unless you have one of those genetics that helps or you have a lot of muscle and have been keeping and staying active so as NOT to lose that muscle. Cheat the system. Get the muscle and keep it!

[Bella]

I had my RMR tested in Feb. and my first test came back as 930, the technician administering the test was flabbergasted and as you, I was horrified and in tears. He had never seen this before and I was determined to get answers. So, I did some research and the only person that could possibly have a RMR is a bed-ridden cancer paitent. It is not possible for you to have this. After speaking with my technician we re-tested and what had happened is my rate of breathing is so light the machine was not picking it up properly. So, when we put the mask on he covered the air intake halfway to give my breathing greater pressure. This worked perfectly and my results came back at 1395.
Do it again and have someone else do it. They are WRONG!!!!

[darlacz]

Wow bella! I wished I had known that at the time, it could have saved me some fears and frustration as well. Hmmm now I'm curious how it would turn out if someone else administered the test. I've always been a bit of a shallow breather plus I remember purposefully not trying to breathe to deeply for fear of skewing the test results. :unsure: Did you find that having the correct number helped you with any nutrition strategies?

I've also read that at best the tests are a starting point but I wasn't sure how accurate that was.


Thanks for the response funnyesq- I plan on doing nothing but building muscle as soon as I get back on my feet.

[Bella]

At the time of the test I was begining my recovery from anorexia and I wanted to know where my RMR was at. It did help me, because I knew I MUST eat over that amt. and will NOT eat under it for fear of damaging my metabolism further. I plan on having the test done this fall, to see if I have increased my metabolism with all the hard work I have been doing. I have been told that it is a very accurate test when all components are working exactly.
If I were you I would ask them for a refund or make them do it again for free.