Reset your Metabolism

ConstantStruggle

Probably a stupid question but is there a way to check to see if your metabolism is low and/or a way to reset it or speed it up. I know about the muscle gain fat loss theory but I mean is there any way to find out how many calories your individual body actually burns in a day or an hour or whatever?

LKArgh

Metabolism gets slowed down by some health issues. You will figure it out by the lack of energy and several other symptoms. It it fixed by getting a diagnosis and proper treatment.

TavistockToad

What makes you think you have a slow metabolism?

Go to Scooby and calculate your TDEE.

marymezzo

Hi--

Not at all a stupid question!

if you know how your bodyfat percentage, you can get a quite-accurate estimate of your basal metabolism. Here's an online calculator: http://health-connexion.com/body/katch-mcardle-formula.asp

If you don't yet know your bodyfat percentage, first step would be to get an estimate by plugging a couple of measurements into yet another online calculator:
http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy

So 1. run the calculation that will tell you your bodyfat percentage.

2. Once you have that, you can use the Katch-McArdle calculator to estimate basal metabolism.

Basal metabolism is determined primarily by the amount of lean mass you have.

Gain lean mass, and your basal metabolism increases.

Lose lean mass, and your metabolism decreases.

evileen99

Hospitals do metabolic testing. You can get an order for it from your PCP.

scolaris

Most people's metabolisms are just fine. Have you considered a Fitbit HR if you like to see a calorie burn number being earned all day? I love mine & it has been reliable!
Otherwise, BMR & TDEE online calculators are pretty reliable. They are algorithms that calculate what you burn just to exist or what you burn adding in your normal level of activity using your gender, your age, your height & your weight as data points.
Just be careful of the 'calories burned' number you get from a lot of gym machines or workout apps. They can be too high! Even MFP's can be high. I used to get 256 calories for logging an hour of yoga; when I started wearing my Fitbit HR it gave me nore like 116. Likewise, Zumba would earn me a generic 556 but I was suspicious because I don't do all the jumps and leaps in class due to injury. Fitbit gives me a more plausible number in the high 300's for one teacher and low 400's for another; it perfectly reflects their choreography styles & my participation level.

Need2Exerc1se

Outside curing/controlling a medical problem affecting metabolism, exercise is the best way to improve metabolic rate.

Lizzypb88

I am really stalling out and I read that you should switch breakfast with dinner time and eat your biggest meal opposite the time you normally do.. It helped me a lot this week, I lost a lot more!

ninerbuff

Metabolism AUTOMATICALLY slows when one goes into a calorie deficit. The more extreme the deficit, the lower it will go.
One can slightly increase metabolic rate by intense exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

gilldunkley

There are loads of BMR and TDEE calculators on the internet. They all vary a bit in the way they calculate your BMR but they will give you a good idea.

I do believe in the 'low BMR thing'.......I think mine happened due to an ongoing large kcal deficit exactly as ninerbuff suggests. Yes I lost 40lbs but then the fat loss completely stalled in September or October last year and even at an average of 950 kcal per day and increasing exercise I wasn't losing anymore! BAD news! I was freezing cold all the time, tired, rundown, apathetic and was continually having to deload all my big compound exercises. So decided to try and reset everything. I set protein at approx 1g per pound of bodyweight ideally, fat at approx 48g and filled in the rest with slow release carbs. Every 7 - 10 days I now increase my carbs by 5g and healthy fats by approx 1g. I'm eating approx 1300 kcal per day every day (more than I have eaten in the last 12 months!) and am losing 1 - 1.5 lbs fat per week by lifting heavy 3 x per week and running/kettlebells twice per week. More kcals, strength improving again, more energy, AND fat loss. Boo yah!

Sued0nim

Yes go for an indirect calorimetry test ..,you will lie down under a hood which will analyse gas exchange

I will say up front that your metabolism is 99% guaranteed to be just fine, and well within the bounds of normal, minimal impact from adaptive thermogenesis

Sued0nim

ninerbuff wrote: »

Metabolism AUTOMATICALLY slows when one goes into a calorie deficit. The more extreme the deficit, the lower it will go.
One can slightly increase metabolic rate by intense exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

By how much ...in what increments?

HutchA12

The only study I read was like 8% after fasting, so 0 food, for 3 days.

Sued0nim

HutchA12 wrote: »

The only study I read was like 8% after fasting, so 0 food, for 3 days.

Fasting <> defecit

And how long did it stay lower after eating began

Wouldn't 8% be around TEF?

senecarr

rabbitjb wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

Metabolism AUTOMATICALLY slows when one goes into a calorie deficit. The more extreme the deficit, the lower it will go.
One can slightly increase metabolic rate by intense exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

By how much ...in what increments?

Study I saw was daily RMR was off by 50kcal / day for subjects that had been dieting 5 or 10 weeks compared to same weight non dieters, I believe. It returned to normal shortly (week or so I think) after returning to maintenance.

HutchA12

rabbitjb wrote: »

HutchA12 wrote: »

The only study I read was like 8% after fasting, so 0 food, for 3 days.

Fasting <> defecit

And how long did it stay lower after eating began

Wouldn't 8% be around TEF?

Fasting = deficit but deficit <> fasting.

I was mentioning the study abstract I last saw that showed a decrease. The rate decrease was stated as in BMR. This one didn't look at refeeding.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3661473

marymezzo

Very low calorie diets (and fasting) reduce metabolic rate. Plenty of studies support this.

But moderate caloric deficits (20-25%) do not cause the same problems unless lean body mass decreases. People who are very large to begin with are less likely to lose LBM. People who do strength training are less likely to lose LBM, and the same goes for people who are eating plenty of protein (at least 15 percent daily calories from protein--but 20-25 percent is even better).

But for those who are worried about slowing metabolic rate can do a zig-zag--for example, reduce calories by 25 percent or more 3-4 days in row, then have a maintenance day, when calories are not reduced.

scolaris is absolutely right when she says most people's metabolic rate is just fine.