Low RMR?

tightpantslinda
tightpantslinda Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
My RMR (resting metabolic rate) is only 1540. My nutritionist measured it with a device you breathe into. I am female, 5'5, 283, and 31 yrs. According to the RMR calculator that does averages, My RMR should be 2020. I have the RMR of a skinny person. This is why it is so hard for me. What can i do to raise my slow metabolism? Is it just gonna get worse as I lose weight?

Replies

  • tightpantslinda
    tightpantslinda Posts: 8
    Sorry guys! I just realized that my "low" number is actually normal! I did not know that BMR and RMR are two separate things. 1540 is my BMR which is only 100 calories lower than average. Phew. I feel better!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    My RMR (resting metabolic rate) is only 1540. My nutritionist measured it with a device you breathe into. I am female, 5'5, 283, and 31 yrs. According to the RMR calculator that does averages, My RMR should be 2020. I have the RMR of a skinny person. This is why it is so hard for me. What can i do to raise my slow metabolism? Is it just gonna get worse as I lose weight?

    RMR calculations are estimates and are curve fits to populations of people studied in the past. Not many of them were 280 lb women and you may be outside the range of validity of the equations. In any case the equations have a limited accuracy.

    If I estimate your body fat at 50 to 60% and use the Katch-McArdle equation for RMR I get 1764 - 1479 calories/day as a range of values and your result falls nicely in between. So maybe your metabolism is not slow at all.

    Go to http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/ and use the body fat calculators there to get a better estimate then plug the results into http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    Hope that helps, even if it isn't what you wanted to hear.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Sorry guys! I just realized that my "low" number is actually normal! I did not know that BMR and RMR are two separate things. 1540 is my BMR which is only 100 calories lower than average. Phew. I feel better!

    you weren't a mile off the first time, some equations will give you 2040 as your BMR for example at http://www.fitwatch.com/qkcalc/bmr.html and on here it says 2000.

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