Metabolism Education BodyGem by HealthETech Now Available at Vital Choice Health Store 440-885-9505 You hear it all the time: metabolism. Most people understand metabolism as how slowly or quickly their bodies burn calories. Unfortunately, they don't understand how important knowledge of metabolism is for successful weight management. Being overweight contributes to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and other preventable diseases. Losing weight isn't just about looking better - it's a health issue. Metabolism is the body's process of converting food into energy to keep the body running and fuel daily activities. Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) or Metabolic Fingerprint is the number of calories your body burns to maintain vital body functions such as heart rate, brain function and breathing. RMR accounts for a majority of the calories you burn each day. Knowledge of your unique Metabolic Fingerprint is the missing link to personalizing your weight management plan, and is critical to success. Weight management is really a matter of simple arithmetic - balancing the number of calories taken in against the number of calories out. If you know how many calories you're burning, you'll know how many calories you can eat to meet your goals. Many people, including health professionals, estimate RMR using equations that are averages based on thousands of people, but are often inaccurate for an individual person. Until now, it hasn't been practical or affordable to measure metabolic rate. But with HealtheTech's BodyGem and MedGem devices, healthcare professionals and wellness advisors have the tools to quickly and accurately determine RMR. Armed with knowledge of their own unique RMR, individuals can personalize BalanceLog software to efficiently and effectively attain their weight management and overall health and fitness goals. Recommended Reading: Metabolism Basics RMR Glossary
Metabolism Basics What Is Metabolism? Metabolism is the biochemical process of combining nutrients with oxygen to release the energy our bodies need to function. Metabolism is typically measured in kilocalories or, more commonly, calories. Total metabolic rate represents the calories needed for maintaining body functions, daily activity (occupational and lifestyle), and the energy cost of exercise or planned activity. What is RMR? Resting metabolic rate (RMR) represents the calories the body burns to maintain vital body functions (heart rate, brain function, breathing). In simple terms, it is the number of calories a person would burn if they were awake, but at rest all day. RMR can represent up to 75% of a person s total metabolism if they are inactive or lead a sedentary lifestyle. Why is it necessary to measure RMR? Since RMR accounts for up to 75% of the total calories we need each day, it s a critical piece of information to appropriately establish daily calorie needs, whether we re trying to lose or maintain weight. Most healthcare and fitness professionals recognize that metabolism is impacted by a variety of characteristics such as fever, illness, high fitness, obesity, active weight loss, etc. When managing a client or patient s nutritional needs and calorie requirements, knowledge of RMR is critically important. Traditionally, healthcare professionals, who have not had access to measurement technology, have relied on estimates of RMR. Because metabolism is different among individuals, estimating can lead to errors, and inaccurate calorie budgets. As a result of these estimates, individuals can be both over- or undereating, and not be successful in reaching their personal goals. As technology advances, professionals must reassess their practices. The most accurate assessment of caloric needs is by measuring oxygen consumption and determining individual metabolism. The BodyGem and MedGem devices by HealtheTech are tools that will provide information vital for determining a personalized calorie budget, based on individual metabolism, necessary to achieve and maintain proper weight and nutrition. Additionally, the BodyGem and MedGem devices play a significant role in providing individual s daily caloric needs to improve individual care through nutrition assessment. How do you measure RMR? Metabolic rate is traditionally assessed using either direct or indirect calorimetry. Direct calorimetry requires the precise measure of heat output using a large, expensive and technically complex whole body calorimeter. Indirect calorimetry determines metabolic rate from the oxygen consumption of an individual. Oxygen consumption measurements are typically done with a medical device called a metabolic cart. These devices are relatively expensive, $20,000 - $50,000, require technical expertise to operate, and require routine maintenance and calibration. Over the past 10 years, HealtheTech has harnessed revolutionary new technology
to develop the BodyGem and MedGem, handheld devices that can measure oxygen consumption and determine an individual s caloric needs. Measuring oxygen consumption, rather than using population-based predictive equations, allows health and fitness professionals to make the most accurate decisions for their clients. With a simple breath test of 10 minutes or less, an individual can now have their unique metabolism measured, for determination of a personalized calorie budget. Why is RMR Unique to Each Individual? Why Would It Change? RMR is influenced by a number of factors, such as: body mass, body composition (the amount of fat and muscle), age, gender and hormones. Muscle burns more calories than fat; a person with a higher percentage of muscle will have a higher RMR. In an example from a recent weight management study, subject 1 is a woman who weighs 158 pounds, a body fat percentage of 33%, and a measured RMR of 1571 calories per day. Subject 2 is a woman who also weighs 158 pounds, but has a body fat percentage of 48% and a measured RMR of 1252 calories per day. At the same weight, similar height, and same age, these women have very different RMR values due to differences in body composition. RMR declines naturally in adults at a rate of about 2% per decade, however, this decrease is primarily a result of muscle loss. Men normally have a higher metabolism than women, partly because they tend to have a higher percentage of muscle compared to women. Certain hormones can also increase or decrease metabolism. Additionally, the metabolic response to stress and injury influences RMR and necessitates measurement of VO2 rather than using formula-based estimates. Estimation equations do not take into account individual variability, pre-existing medical conditions, or the numerous other factors present that can affect RMR. Weight Loss When individuals lose weight, their metabolism may decrease. This should not be alarming because the decrease in metabolism is a result of tissue loss (fat and muscle). Weight loss ideally results in proportionately more fat loss and some muscle loss. Strength training during weight loss can lessen the muscle loss, but most people will experience some muscle loss. During weight loss, the body may also lower metabolism in response to a lower calorie intake. Most people experience this change in metabolism without realizing it. Weight loss may be easy for the first few pounds and then weight loss becomes more difficult and may even plateau. At a lower metabolism, an individual must adjust dietary intake or increase activity through exercise to lose additional weight. The good news is that after weight loss, metabolism may increase slightly once the individual s weight is stable. During weight loss, it is helpful to monitor changes in metabolism and make necessary adjustments to food intake for successful weight management.
RMR Glossary BalanceLog : BalanceLog by HealtheTech is a comprehensive nutrition and weight management software solution that allows individuals to quickly and easily establish a personalized nutrition and weight management program based on their unique resting metabolic rates (RMR). basal metabolic rate (BMR): The number of calories burned in a basal (or lying) position. BMR is approximately 10% less than resting metabolic rate (RMR). body composition: The ratio of fat to muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest. People with a higher percentage of lean muscle mass will usually have a higher metabolism. BodyGem : The BodyGem by HealtheTech is a handheld device that measures resting metabolic rate (RMR), the number of calories your body burns each day at rest. body mass index (BMI): The ratio between your height and weight. According to the National Institutes of Health, anyone with BMI of 25 or above is considered overweight, and anyone with a BMI of 30 or above is considered obese. BMI = body weight in kilograms/(height in meters) 2 calorie: A unit of measurement that describes the amount of energy that food will provide to your body. One pound of fat stores 3500 calories. disposable: An item designed for one-time use. The disposable mouthpieces and masks used with the BodyGem and MedGem should be discarded at the end of a successful measurement. energy balance equation: The number of calories you burn versus the number of calories you consume. Harris-Benedict equation: A formula created in 1919 to estimate resting metabolic rate (RMR). This formula uses the factors of height, age, weight, and sex to determine metabolic rate. indirect calorimetry: Determines an individual's metabolic rate by measuring the oxygen consumed through breathing. Since the consumption of oxygen serves only one purpose - which is to burn calories - the measurement of oxygen consumption directly corresponds to an individual's metabolic rate. MedGem : The MedGem by HealtheTech is a handheld, portable indirect calorimeter that measures oxygen consumption (VO2) and determines resting metabolic rate (RMR).
metabolism: The body's process of using oxygen to convert food and stored fat into energy. Metabolism is typically measured in calories. obesity: A condition characterized by excessive body fat. Anyone with BMI of 30 or above is considered obese, according to the National Institutes of Health. Being overweight and obese puts you at greater risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and other preventable diseases. oxygen consumption (VO 2 ): The amount of oxygen a person consumes, usually expressed in milliliters (ml) per minute. When oxygen is combined with carbohydrates, fats, or proteins, a certain amount of energy is released. If oxygen consumption is known, resting metabolic rate can be determined. resting metabolic rate (RMR): The number of calories the body burns to maintain vital body functions such as heart rate, brain function, and breathing. It is the number of calories a person would burn if awake, but at rest, all day. RMR typically represents up to 75% of a healthy person's total metabolism. single-use: An item designed for one-time use. The disposable mouthpieces and masks used with BodyGem and MedGem should be discarded at the end of a successful measurement. total energy expenditure (TEE): The number of calories the body burns to maintain body functions, daily activity, and exercise. All information furnished from HealthETech - http://www.healthetech.com/store/bodygem.php