Sure signs your metabolism is high/has increased?

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pumpkinpocalypse
pumpkinpocalypse Posts: 104 Member
edited July 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
What are (good) red flags that you have a high metabolism, or that it has at least increased?
I'm very petite but I have a manly appetite, exercice 6 times a week and am overall always relatively active so that's pretty much why i probably need more fuel, but I still am amazed by how quickly i get hungry even though i do make sure i get protein, fats, good carbs etc at every meal...and i have a huge appetite! :') for someone so tiny i'm wondering if it would be normal for me to eat this much/eat even more???
Anyway, enough on that, anyone has a couple of things that could hint at a high metabolism, especially in rest state?

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  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Thread is going to be interesting.

    People who are bigger, burn more calories. Their TDEE, BMR and calorie burns through exercise will be bigger. i.e. 230lb 6ft 1 man will have a higher TDEE, BMR and calorie burn in a 20 minute run than a 140lb 5ft 7 man. Or is that not metabolism?
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,621 Member
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    So how much are you eating calories wise? I used to hear this from teenage boys all the time. "I eat a lot and anything I want too!" Then come to find out that they are eating 1600 calories a day.


    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
    9285851.png

  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    So how much are you eating calories wise? I used to hear this from teenage boys all the time. "I eat a lot and anything I want too!" Then come to find out that they are eating 1600 calories a day.


    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
    9285851.png

    This was my question as well. Just like many people eat more than they think-some eat LESS. It's all perception if you're not tracking methodically over time.

    That being said metabolism is individual and does not always fit perfectly into calculations. Besides exercise I am pretty sedentary. I am a 5'7" female, 145 lbs. and my TDEE is somewhere between 2500-2700. I do very little aerobic activity, lift 3-4x/week, a few walks and very occasional run. According to calculators I would be just under this TDEE if I was at the highest activity level. We're all different
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
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    Metabolic rate, without regard to exercise, does not vary drastically for most of the population:
    examine.com/faq/does-metabolism-vary-between-two-people
    One study[1] noted that one standard deviation of variance for resting metabolic rate (how many calories are burnt by living) was 5-8%; meaning 1 standard deviation of the population (68%) was within 6-8% of the average metabolic rate. Extending this, 2 standard deviations of the population (96%) was within 10-16% of the population average.[1]

    Extending this into practical terms and assuming an average expenditure of 2000kcal a day, 68% of the population falls into the range of 1840-2160kcal daily while 96% of the population is in the range of 1680-2320kcal daily. Comparing somebody at or below the 5th percentile with somebody at or above the 95th percentile would yield a difference of possibly 600kcal daily, and the chance of this occurring (comparing the self to a friend) is 0.50%, assuming two completely random persons.

    Generally speaking, you can expect to increase BMR by about 6 calories / pound of muscle gained versus 4 calories / pound fat (so if you stay equal weight gaining a pound of muscle and losing a pound of fat, you get a whopping extra 2 calories / day).
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
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    senecarr wrote: »
    Metabolic rate, without regard to exercise, does not vary drastically for most of the population:
    examine.com/faq/does-metabolism-vary-between-two-people
    One study[1] noted that one standard deviation of variance for resting metabolic rate (how many calories are burnt by living) was 5-8%; meaning 1 standard deviation of the population (68%) was within 6-8% of the average metabolic rate. Extending this, 2 standard deviations of the population (96%) was within 10-16% of the population average.[1]

    Extending this into practical terms and assuming an average expenditure of 2000kcal a day, 68% of the population falls into the range of 1840-2160kcal daily while 96% of the population is in the range of 1680-2320kcal daily. Comparing somebody at or below the 5th percentile with somebody at or above the 95th percentile would yield a difference of possibly 600kcal daily, and the chance of this occurring (comparing the self to a friend) is 0.50%, assuming two completely random persons.

    Generally speaking, you can expect to increase BMR by about 6 calories / pound of muscle gained versus 4 calories / pound fat (so if you stay equal weight gaining a pound of muscle and losing a pound of fat, you get a whopping extra 2 calories / day).

    That's interesting. I always figured as people gain muscle (or think they gain muscle), they are probably more active in general. So the perception is that it's the muscle buying them more calories-but really it's the increased activity overall (and possibly being more conscious of diet).
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
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    Being hungry doesn't always translate into faster metabolism either. The hunger signals can be triggered by a huge dip in your blood sugar. If you've got a medical condition such as diabetes, or anything that mimics this, the hunger signal is FALSELY triggered if you have too much in the way of carbs and sugar. Cutting down on carbs and sugar would then allow the body to feel hunger more accurately. Be careful you don't fall into this trap.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
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    pumpkinpocalypse wrote: »
    What are (good) red flags that you have a high metabolism, or that it has at least increased?
    I'm very petite but I have a manly appetite, exercice 6 times a week and am overall always relatively active so that's pretty much why i probably need more fuel, but I still am amazed by how quickly i get hungry even though i do make sure i get protein, fats, good carbs etc at every meal...and i have a huge appetite! :') for someone so tiny i'm wondering if it would be normal for me to eat this much/eat even more???
    Anyway, enough on that, anyone has a couple of things that could hint at a high metabolism, especially in rest state?

    If you're logging all you eat, it comes out at 3000+ daily and you're not gaining even after months of that, that might indicate you have a high metabolism.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
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    senecarr wrote: »
    Metabolic rate, without regard to exercise, does not vary drastically for most of the population:
    examine.com/faq/does-metabolism-vary-between-two-people
    One study[1] noted that one standard deviation of variance for resting metabolic rate (how many calories are burnt by living) was 5-8%; meaning 1 standard deviation of the population (68%) was within 6-8% of the average metabolic rate. Extending this, 2 standard deviations of the population (96%) was within 10-16% of the population average.[1]

    Extending this into practical terms and assuming an average expenditure of 2000kcal a day, 68% of the population falls into the range of 1840-2160kcal daily while 96% of the population is in the range of 1680-2320kcal daily. Comparing somebody at or below the 5th percentile with somebody at or above the 95th percentile would yield a difference of possibly 600kcal daily, and the chance of this occurring (comparing the self to a friend) is 0.50%, assuming two completely random persons.

    Generally speaking, you can expect to increase BMR by about 6 calories / pound of muscle gained versus 4 calories / pound fat (so if you stay equal weight gaining a pound of muscle and losing a pound of fat, you get a whopping extra 2 calories / day).

    http://www.researchgate.net/publication/257762811_Simulation_of_average_energy_expenditures_and_related_inhalation_rates_for_the_U.S._population
    Added to that, the highest TDEEs researchers found were about 3200 Calories for a guy and 2500 Calories for a gal (without exercise I presume).
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
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    High body temperature, high heart rate, tremors, and sweating are signs of a high metabolism. My step sons used to think that they had high metabolisms--truth is, they didn't eat as much as they thought. They ate until they were full, but it didn't take much to fill them up.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
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    Just go right on ahead and forget about everydarnedthing you *think* you know about Metabolism, OP - You'll be better off in the long run, right?
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    1600-ish calories per day doesn't sound like a "manly" appetite to me.
  • pumpkinpocalypse
    pumpkinpocalypse Posts: 104 Member
    edited July 2015
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    WBB55 wrote: »
    1600-ish calories per day doesn't sound like a "manly" appetite to me.

    Thing is, for someone my size (i'm 5'1, 103-104 lbs), it pretty much is. I eat big plates at every meal, filled with very (healthy, but still) calorie-dense foods, so whenever i eat i'm STACKEDwhen i'm done. but i still get hungry not long afterwards, unlogically. I like eating in large quantities.
    I would say i'm starving myself and have no appetite if i was eating that much at 5'5ft and higher, but i'm not, and when i see people my size eat they usually take in waaay less (at least at once, but also all through the day on a normal day).
    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    Just go right on ahead and forget about everydarnedthing you *think* you know about Metabolism, OP - You'll be better off in the long run, right?

    yeah i know, 'i've often heard that most of the stuff said about metabolism is a bunch of crap mostly made up for marketing purposes and all. Boogus and all. Buuut metabolism is still an actual, real concept (if only we got it correctly.. )and i'm mostly asking for accuracy reasons. Like, i don't want to go thinking i have a good metabolism and eat more than i should with good intentions, but actually need a lot less and i'm just throwing myself down the weight gain road in the end...
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    WBB55 wrote: »
    1600-ish calories per day doesn't sound like a "manly" appetite to me.

    That sounds like a sedentary man trying to lose weight appetite.



  • Mr_Stabbems
    Mr_Stabbems Posts: 4,771 Member
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    people think metabolism is some set num ber like engine capacity, its constantly changing.

    Love it when i see some 300lb guy eating six meals a day saying "i'm stoking my metabolism"... sure you are, put the pizza down.
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
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    stevencloser wrote: »
    pumpkinpocalypse wrote: »
    What are (good) red flags that you have a high metabolism, or that it has at least increased?
    I'm very petite but I have a manly appetite, exercice 6 times a week and am overall always relatively active so that's pretty much why i probably need more fuel, but I still am amazed by how quickly i get hungry even though i do make sure i get protein, fats, good carbs etc at every meal...and i have a huge appetite! :') for someone so tiny i'm wondering if it would be normal for me to eat this much/eat even more???
    Anyway, enough on that, anyone has a couple of things that could hint at a high metabolism, especially in rest state?

    If you're logging all you eat, it comes out at 3000+ daily and you're not gaining even after months of that, that might indicate you have a high metabolism.

    this is my fitness goal; eat ALL the foods, bust out all the trainings, gain zero of the pounds. ;)
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
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    slaite1 wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Metabolic rate, without regard to exercise, does not vary drastically for most of the population:
    examine.com/faq/does-metabolism-vary-between-two-people
    One study[1] noted that one standard deviation of variance for resting metabolic rate (how many calories are burnt by living) was 5-8%; meaning 1 standard deviation of the population (68%) was within 6-8% of the average metabolic rate. Extending this, 2 standard deviations of the population (96%) was within 10-16% of the population average.[1]

    Extending this into practical terms and assuming an average expenditure of 2000kcal a day, 68% of the population falls into the range of 1840-2160kcal daily while 96% of the population is in the range of 1680-2320kcal daily. Comparing somebody at or below the 5th percentile with somebody at or above the 95th percentile would yield a difference of possibly 600kcal daily, and the chance of this occurring (comparing the self to a friend) is 0.50%, assuming two completely random persons.

    Generally speaking, you can expect to increase BMR by about 6 calories / pound of muscle gained versus 4 calories / pound fat (so if you stay equal weight gaining a pound of muscle and losing a pound of fat, you get a whopping extra 2 calories / day).

    That's interesting. I always figured as people gain muscle (or think they gain muscle), they are probably more active in general. So the perception is that it's the muscle buying them more calories-but really it's the increased activity overall (and possibly being more conscious of diet).
    Best estimates are that adding a whole 1 pound of muscle will increase daily calorie needs by a whopping 6 calories, where as a pound of fat requires about 4 calories - these are just BMR, not actual reflections of carrying the pound around as part of NEAT, which is pretty close to nil.
    For some reason people have this junk science claim that every pound of muscle burns 50 calories - life on this planet as we know it couldn't exist if muscle was that expensive to maintain.
  • JudithNYC
    JudithNYC Posts: 80 Member
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    Oh, honey, I can put away 1600 calories in one meal, eating "healthy/clean" stuff and still have room for ice cream. Not that I do that kind of thing any more.
  • qwertymmii
    qwertymmii Posts: 34 Member
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    If you are always eating and never feel full you may have a thyroid problem. Get your labs checked with your doctor and they can tell. Your thyroid may be underpreforming and need a little medication to boost it to normal. I lost my thyroid to a benign (non-cancerous) mass that had to be removed because of where it was located. Without my thyroid I ate and ate and ate and never felt full. (Like Thanksgiving-bust-a-gut-every-meal. Gained 7 lbs in 9 days.) Started artifical thyroid hormone and that symptom went away.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    qwertymmii wrote: »
    If you are always eating and never feel full you may have a thyroid problem. Get your labs checked with your doctor and they can tell. Your thyroid may be underpreforming and need a little medication to boost it to normal. I lost my thyroid to a benign (non-cancerous) mass that had to be removed because of where it was located. Without my thyroid I ate and ate and ate and never felt full. (Like Thanksgiving-bust-a-gut-every-meal. Gained 7 lbs in 9 days.) Started artifical thyroid hormone and that symptom went away.

    Great way to revive a pretty dead thread.

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