How to Calculate Metabolism

langecornu
langecornu Posts: 40 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Today I was curious on how to calculate the real metabolism of my body . Since metabolism will depend on many factors such as how active you are during the day, how much you eat, how good you eat etc... I was thinking that Instead of relying on tables provided on various website I will calculate it based on my numbers for the past 3 weeks.

If some of you want to do the same exercise, here is how I did it.

metabolism.png

Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I'd just like to point out that you did not lose 16.5 pounds of pure fat, right? How did you measure this? Did you check body fat percentage before during and after when calculating this?
  • langecornu
    langecornu Posts: 40 Member
    I have lost 16.5 pounds of pure weight ;-) as I weight in on the scale.

    this is based on a pound loss is 3500 calories.
  • farahsaleem
    farahsaleem Posts: 47 Member
    bump!!
  • eduardoschoen
    eduardoschoen Posts: 56
    Interesting. If this approach works for you then keep on it. No one method works for every single person. BTW.... I did not see that you said it was 16 lbs of fat loss as the other poster said. Did I miss something?

    Congratulations on your weight loss and good luck in meeting your goals! Keep going strong! :)
  • tlynnweb
    tlynnweb Posts: 201 Member
    this should be a good read later, BUMP!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I have lost 16.5 pounds of pure weight ;-) as I weight in on the scale.

    this is based on a pound loss is 3500 calories.

    indeed but weight loss and fat loss are very different. The calculation is 3,500 calories per pound of FAT, not weight. Did you lose fat? Sure, but you probably also lost water, lean muscle mass, etc.

    Therefore, I don't believe your calculation is completely accurate.

    But, if that works for you, then best of luck!!!!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    I guess I can see why you did this, but there are countless other factors that are either impossible or difficult to measure without laboratory equipment. It's not just calories and weight. This is inaccurate at best.

    Edit: It would be a whole lot easier to gauge your metabolism when you are maintaining your weight, rather than losing weight... One less (BIG) variable to consider
  • langecornu
    langecornu Posts: 40 Member
    I understand your point. It is probably not as accurate is if you are using top notch lab equipment but I think it is probably more accurate that other formula such as:

    "To determine the number of calories you burn due to your metabolism, calculate your basal metabolic rate. A man finds his basal metabolic rate with this equation: 66 + (6.23 X your weight in pounds) + (12.7 X your height in inches) -- (6.8 X your age in years). A woman calculates her rate thus: 655 + (4.35 X your weight in lbs.) + (4.7 X your height in inches) -- (4.7 X your age in years)."

    Or even the formula used on this site when they are indicating your calories needs based on your activity level.

    Thanks for your comments :)
  • Tarin626
    Tarin626 Posts: 101 Member
    3500 calories is a lb of fat but u may have water, muscle or even bone loss - thats why the ? about how you measured body fat %
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    I understand your point. It is probably not as accurate is if you are using top notch lab equipment but I think it is probably more accurate that other formula such as:

    "To determine the number of calories you burn due to your metabolism, calculate your basal metabolic rate. A man finds his basal metabolic rate with this equation: 66 + (6.23 X your weight in pounds) + (12.7 X your height in inches) -- (6.8 X your age in years). A woman calculates her rate thus: 655 + (4.35 X your weight in lbs.) + (4.7 X your height in inches) -- (4.7 X your age in years)."

    Or even the formula used on this site when they are indicating your calories needs based on your activity level.

    Thanks for your comments :)

    The Katch McArdle Formula is usually accurate within 50 calories of your true BMR (as measured by health professionals). This formula is considered to be the most accurate because it takes into consideration body fat and other factors-


    "The Katch-McArdle formula differs from the Harris-Benedict formula in that Katch-McArdle takes lean body mass into consideration. This calculation is therefore only possible if you know your percentage body fat.

    Generally speaking, this is a better measure than Harris-Benedict because it represents your actual body composition and is not based of assumptions about what one "should" weigh.

    The formula is as follows:
    BMR = 370 + (9.79759519 X Lean Mass in pounds) "

    Maybe just try this formula and see how your calculation stacks up to it?
  • lh1626
    lh1626 Posts: 241 Member
    Bump for later
  • langecornu
    langecornu Posts: 40 Member
    Thanks to all, these are great infos
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    I like it. Run with your calculated number for a few weeks and revisit. I suspect your calculated number will likely change over time as various factors trend in various directions...but the methodology seems sound to me. (I do something similar, but less precise, by reevaluating my progress towards my goal every six or so weeks. If it is faster than I like or not fast enough (or if I don't like my composition trend), I adjust accordingly.)
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I do a very similar calculation for mine. I have thyroid disease, and the online calculators aren't accurate for me. I recalculate once a month and use the data for the next month. I am right now 7 days in to a maintenance diet break, and have found the numbers I predicted by this method to be dead-on. There are some variables that you have to make assumptions for, but it takes a lot of the guesswork out of "what activity coefficient should I use?" or guesstimating your bodyfat percentage based on circumference methods to best use K-M.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    I'm baffled. Nearly every day your net calories are 0 or negative?

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