MedGem RMR test

[Bytsi]

We got a MedGem at work, so today I measured my RMR with it. Not 100% accurate because I hadn't waited 4-18 hours (yikes on that 18!) since my last meal . I figure since TEF is up to 10% of daily burn, I could take about o 10% off the number just to be "safe" (weird logic, but it's mine ).

Good news is I'm eating right where I need to be, if I believe this machine! It says my RMR is 1750, and to lose 1#/week I can eat 1550 kcal OR add exercise in. So - I'm happy because I'm eating at 1500/1700, which is pretty much exactly what it says I should be doing. I entered sedentary for my daily activity level and only moderate for exercise because I'd rather it underestimate my kcals than tell me to eat too much .

I felt bad for our intern, though - she got a RMR of 1380 and it said she has to eat around 1200/day to lose weight . I think she needs to LIFT (we're about the same height and I'm not much heavier than she is) and get some lean mass!

I might redo it if I can manage to skip breakfast and do it as soon as I get to work, but even with allowing for the error of not fasting before, I think I'm pretty good, and it mostly just backs up what I've been doing .

[Fang]

I had my RMR tested at 1400. My nutritionist was kind of dismayed since I have 120 lbs of lean mass and my RMR is very low considering. I don't think I can gain much more lean mass so that was kind of depressing. But it does confirm why I have so much trouble losing scale weight. Sigh. Slow and steady wins the race, right? : )

[LaraT]

Originally Posted by Bytsi

We got a MedGem at work, so today I measured my RMR with it. Not 100% accurate because I hadn't waited 4-18 hours (yikes on that 18!) since my last meal . I figure since TEF is up to 10% of daily burn, I could take about o 10% off the number just to be "safe" (weird logic, but it's mine ).

Good news is I'm eating right where I need to be, if I believe this machine! It says my RMR is 1750, and to lose 1#/week I can eat 1550 kcal OR add exercise in. So - I'm happy because I'm eating at 1500/1700, which is pretty much exactly what it says I should be doing. I entered sedentary for my daily activity level and only moderate for exercise because I'd rather it underestimate my kcals than tell me to eat too much .

I felt bad for our intern, though - she got a RMR of 1380 and it said she has to eat around 1200/day to lose weight . I think she needs to LIFT (we're about the same height and I'm not much heavier than she is) and get some lean mass!

I might redo it if I can manage to skip breakfast and do it as soon as I get to work, but even with allowing for the error of not fasting before, I think I'm pretty good, and it mostly just backs up what I've been doing .

It is my understanding that you never eat below the RMR. You multiply the RMR by the activity factor and then subtract a bit from there. 1500 cals would put you at a huge deficit after figuring in activity.

I have had medgem done on 3 different occasions under similar circumstances and have gotten 3 very different numbers. So I am a bit skeptical of it!

[LaraT]

I just looked at the papers I got when I had the Medgem done last and it stressed NEVER to eat below your results. These were papers that came from the company that makes the machine thing-y.

[Bytsi]

Originally Posted by LaraT

It is my understanding that you never eat below the RMR. You multiply the RMR by the activity factor and then subtract a bit from there. 1500 cals would put you at a huge deficit after figuring in activity.

I have had medgem done on 3 different occasions under similar circumstances and have gotten 3 very different numbers. So I am a bit skeptical of it!

Originally Posted by LaraT

I just looked at the papers I got when I had the Medgem done last and it stressed NEVER to eat below your results. These were papers that came from the company that makes the machine thing-y.

I'm not 100% sold on the results, mostly because I didn't fast before the test. But since I'm doing well and they seem to agree with everything else I've been working around, it's probably pretty close.

As for my eating though - the medgem printout itself suggested the 1500kcals for weightloss. I know I had to enter my activity level and sleep and such, so maybe the 1750 was my daily burn (pre-exercise) and not the RMR? I'll have to reread the papers... hmmmmm... seems like 1500 wouldn't be enough to lose much weight if my daily burn was 1750.

[LaraT]

I believe the medgem number is what your body burns just laying around all day. You then figure in activity (everything from your regular daily activity like work even if you have a sedentary job) and then any planned exercise you do on top of that. You then have a total number of calories burned and you substract 300-500 calories from there.

I know in NROL4W they suggest not cutting out more than 300 calories off your maintenance number and it is generally not recommended to cut more than 500 cals/day

[Leigh P.]

MedGem is the estimation of your Basal Metabolic Rate (IE-Bedrest for 24 hours). Anything added to sitting basically becomes part of your activity multiplier.

If you do nothing but sit all day then yes that is basically what you will burn all day. If you move, training, walk, shop, play, etc then you will increase you burn added in addition to that number.

It is perfectly safe to work below you BMR given that you are doing so with smart training, decent nutrition, and for short periods of times met with re-feed when needed based on body fat levels.

Its accuracy lays most in the test giver and how strict pre-test instructions are followed. The results can change from what you ate, drank, where you are located during the test, nervousness, or just the rhythm of your natural breath.

I find that rarely is it accurate in gym setting tests. Its accuracy is much better in lab and study testing. Meaning people who don't know what they are doing or how sensitive the test is, mess stuff up for the accuracy mean of those who do know what they are doing.

So if you get it done at a lab, college, or a really good gym that puts you in a dark room with a soothing layout and charts you for an hour examining the mean of your peaks and lows first thing in the morning before food...then trust the results better. If it is anything other than that I would start to be wary.

I personally think there are better ways to test BMR personally but it can work.