By:  Kristi Larsen and Mike Rebuck

"I must have a slow metabolism."  You hear it all the time from people struggling to lose or maintain their weight.  Did you know there is a way to find out exactly how many calories you burn in a day; exactly how much you can eat everyday and all the while incinerating that stubborn body fat?  What you need to know is your Resting Metabolic Rate or RMR. 

Current research confirms that the key to weight loss lies in energy balance.  It seems so simple - burn more calories than you eat.  Yet anyone who has ever been on a diet knows it's not that easy.  Losing weight and keeping it off is the single-most frustrating task thousands of people undertake each year.  When RMR is calculated by estimations or formulas (i.e. 12 times bodyweight), it is subject to significant error - as much as 20 to 25 per cent.  This can lead to an inappropriate nutritional plan and a lack of results - despite a concerted effort to diet and exercise.  The "gold standard" for determining RMR is metabolic testing through indirect calorimetry.

Metabolic testing illustrates exactly how to tip the scales in your favor.  Everyone has a unique metabolic rate. Scientific studies show that even people with similar attributes like age, height, weight and body composition can have very different metabolic rates.  Also, if your metabolic rate is slower than average, you may gain weight even while dieting. Conversely, if your metabolic rate is higher than normal, you may never need to diet to lose weight.

The Test

Mike and I contacted Registered Dietician Isabel Canez of Your Whole Body Nutrition in Chandler to arrange for our individual tests.  Metabolic testing is just one of the many services Isabel offers her clients.  From grocery tours to pantry makeovers, customized meal plans and nutrition analysis, Isabel is an expert on all things nutrition-related. 

We arrived for our tests, having abstained from food, our morning coffee and exercise for the previous 4 hours.  (You should avoid activities such as exercise or stressful situations that will prevent you from relaxing for at least two hours prior to your test.  Digesting a large meal, as well as taking stimulants, such as caffeine, can raise your metabolic rate and should also be avoided prior to your test.)   We completed a brief questionnaire and Isabel entered my body data (age, height, etc.) into the MetaCheck machine.  I sat comfortably, clamped my nose closed with the nose piece and breathed into a hose connected to her machine.  It is very important that you breathe only through the mouthpiece so this measurement will be completely accurate.  Both the mouthpiece and the tubing are sterile, disposable items that will be used only for you.  I simply relaxed and breathed normally for about 10 minutes into the tube until the machine indicated the test was complete.  Isabel printed my results and that was it.  As easy as that! 

How It Works: 

Your body consumes a fixed amount of oxygen per calorie burned. The MetaCheck measures the amount of oxygen in the air you exhale to calculate how much oxygen your body is consuming. Based on your oxygen consumption, the testing software computes the exact amount of calories you are burning.  This is unique to each individual. 

Once completed, your metabolic rate is used to calculate your Target Caloric Zones, complete with color charts and graphs explaining what you burn and how much you should eat.  Your zones will show you how to eat the maximum amount of food possible and still lose weight.  The test also yields a comparison of how your metabolic rate matches up with others of your sex, age, height and weight – i.e. whether your metabolism is faster or slower than average.   

The test measures your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR).  This is the number of calories your body would burn if you did nothing more than sit in a chair all day. Your RMR is related to your lean body mass or the fat-free part of your body. Your lean body mass is made up of bones and internal organs, but also your muscle mass.  The more lean body mass you have, the greater your metabolism. 

When you move your body burns energy. The more you move the more energy you burn. Your activity during the day is the biggest part of your body's energy output that you can directly control.  Your RMR measurement predicts the additional calories you burn during the day.  Even the simplest activities can double the rate at which your body burns energy.  Whether doing household chores, playing with your kids, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, simple activities are the key to tipping the scales of energy in your favor.  Of course, the best way to increase your RMR (and thus daily calorie burn) is by adding lean muscle tissue through strength training. 

She Says:

I was really looking forward to getting the results of this test because it is such valuable information for anyone who exercises or watches what they eat (i.e. me).  The test was quick, simple and pain-free – well except for the nose clip.  It was a little snug so I must have a big nose.  Isabel said I was the first person to complain about that, and really it was not that big of a deal.  During the breathing test, it takes a minute to adjust your breathing and relax.  You feel like you need to swallow or you will drool, but that was also not a big deal.  In less than 10 minutes, the machine was shooting out my results.  Now I can exercise and diet intelligently, based on facts, instead of guesswork!  I highly recommend this test to anyone dieting or exercising (which means 95% of the population in January, right?).

He Says:

I have been looking forward to this test for a while.  I knew it would be quick and painless, yet give me some great information for my New Year’s fitness program.  It took me several minutes to adjust to the breathing tube, so my test took a bit longer than it normally would have.  I predicted (like everyone else) that I have a really slow metabolism, but surprisingly, I scored right about average.  Isabel is incredibly nice.  She answered all of my questions and sent me on my way with an invaluable piece of paper!  I definitely suggest you contact Isabel for your own metabolic test!

Registered Dietician and nutrition expert Isabel Canez received her Masters Degree from Tufts University in Boston, MA.  Her private practice includes metabolic testing, customized meal plans, nutrition presentations, pantry makeovers and much more.  Contact her at 480.258.3653 or www.yourwholebodynutrition.com