Nutrition · 2 min read
An RMR measurement is only as good as the conditions it was taken under. Preparation is not a formality here — an unprepared measurement produces a number that describes something other than your resting metabolism.
By Chris Gkoufas, DVOTION
The test measures energy expenditure at rest. Anything that raises expenditure above resting level during the measurement will inflate the figure, and there is no way to correct for it afterwards.
Digestion raises expenditure. Recent exercise raises it. Stimulants raise it. Being unsettled, talking or moving during the measurement raises it. Each of these produces a result that is genuinely what your body was doing at the time, and genuinely not your resting metabolic rate.
Follow the fasting instructions issued when you book. Digestion is the largest correctable source of error, and the required interval is specific to this measurement.
Avoid exercise before the test. Elevated expenditure following training can persist well beyond the session itself.
Avoid caffeine and other stimulants in line with the instructions provided. Their effect on resting expenditure is direct and independent of your metabolism.
Arrive rested. If you have travelled quickly to get to the appointment, that alone is worth mentioning on arrival.
Body mass is recorded and the preparation instructions are confirmed. If the protocol has not been followed, we will say so rather than proceed to a result that cannot be relied on — rescheduling costs less than acting on a number that is wrong.
You then rest quietly until breathing and heart rate have settled. Measuring before that has happened is one of the more common ways an RMR figure ends up inflated.
You lie or sit still and breathe normally. There is no exertion. The analyser records gas exchange continuously for twenty to thirty minutes.
Staying still and quiet matters throughout. Talking, shifting position or falling asleep all change the reading, and the last of those is more common than people expect.
Tell us on arrival. Depending on what and when, it may be better to reschedule than to take a measurement that will read high.
Water is fine. Follow the guidance issued at booking for anything else, including caffeinated drinks.
Avoid hard training the day before. Elevated expenditure after a demanding session can still be present the following morning.
Book Resting Metabolic Rate Testing