Is metabolic testing worth it?

ruthjulia

I belong to Lifetime Fitness and they offer metabolic testing for $99. (https://www.lifetimefitness.com/en/programs-and-events/fitness/training/get-a-fitness-assessment-from-a-personal-trainer.html)

Any thoughts as to whether it's worth it? And, by worth it, I guess I mean is it reliable and a useful number?

In part I'm just morbidly curious. But if I thought it was reliable, it might help me to define what's an appropriate maintenance level for me. After 2.5 years of eating at a deficit (i've lost a total of 25 lb but in the last 1.5 yrs i've only lost 7 lbs or so but have been really focused on building muscle and progressing my lifts), I am consciously trying to slowly increase my intake (right now I'm averaging around 1300 cals a day, my goal is to get up to 1400-1500 which I'm guessing is maintenance for me. I weigh around 123 at 5'6" and I don't track coffee, gum, truvia or pam spray, so my guess is that my actual intake is at least 100 cals / day higher than what i'm tracking). All that to say - am I better off just keeping doing what I'm doing and slowly increasing until I start to gain, or do I get the test and then use that to set my intake goals?

open to input from all - thanks!

SideSteel

My personal opinion is that this is a waste of money.

You do not need a test to tell you what your maintenance calories might be. Accurate logging and mindfulness of results can accomplish this.

Sarauk2sf

^^this

Also, I am not sure how useful knowing your RMR is, as this does not take into account activity levels - both formal exercise or day to day activity.

DopeItUp

I got it done. Would not do it again. Waste of time and money. Results trump tests and calculations always. It told me I had a TDEE of 3700 calories, but if I actually maintain at under 3000. I lose moderate weight at about 2500 a day (about .5lb/week).

geekyjock76

Resting and Active Metabolic Tests are more valuable prior to engaging in fat loss interventions, imo. Then again, only you can define value in estimates that assess your body's present potential to burn energy compared to what it optimally could.

DSeay88

Thanks for asking this. I belong to Lifetime Fitness as well and was given the same sales pitch about metabolic testing. I haven't done it, but I was wondering. I think they also told me it would give information about oxygen levels? VO2 levels? I don't remember the term. It was essentially supposed to tell you your optimal heart rate at which to do cardio to burn fat. If you exceed this heart rate range, you are apparently not burning fat as efficiently. Does anyone know if this is legitimate?

Sarauk2sf

Thanks for asking this. I belong to Lifetime Fitness as well and was given the same sales pitch about metabolic testing. I haven't done it, but I was wondering. I think they also told me it would give information about oxygen levels? VO2 levels? I don't remember the term. It was essentially supposed to tell you your optimal heart rate at which to do cardio to burn fat. If you exceed this heart rate range, you are apparently not burning fat as efficiently. Does anyone know if this is legitimate?

Theoretically, yes. In practice, not really.

http://www.builtlean.com/2013/04/01/fat-burning-zone-myth/

DSeay88

Thanks for asking this. I belong to Lifetime Fitness as well and was given the same sales pitch about metabolic testing. I haven't done it, but I was wondering. I think they also told me it would give information about oxygen levels? VO2 levels? I don't remember the term. It was essentially supposed to tell you your optimal heart rate at which to do cardio to burn fat. If you exceed this heart rate range, you are apparently not burning fat as efficiently. Does anyone know if this is legitimate?

Theoretically, yes. In practice, not really.

http://www.builtlean.com/2013/04/01/fat-burning-zone-myth/

Thanks for the response. That was a great article and cleared things up very well.