What is a Resting Metabolic Rate Test?
Metabolism is the process of converting food (calories) into energy. The efficiency with which your body does this is referred to as your metabolic rate. Many factors affect a person’s metabolic rate: weight, age, body composition, hormone levels, and gender making it a highly unique number.
Why Test your Metabolic Rate?
Understanding your body’s unique metabolic rate will allow your health care team to customize your weight loss or maintenance program around your needs. (1) It can screen for a slowed metabolism that may explain frustrated attempts to lose weight in the past. (2) It can reveal changes in your metabolism during the weight loss process that can help trouble shoot a frustrating plateau. (3) Once you reach your goal, an RMR measurement can give you the precise caloric requirement for maintenance to help you sustain your goal weight.
How does the test work?
KORR Metabolic Analyzers utilize the same technology as hospital metabolic testing. Because every calorie a person consumes requires a fixed amount of oxygen to be converted to energy, the KORR Analyzer measures the oxygen you consume to calculate calories burned. All of the air exhaled by the patient is be collected to measure oxygen consumption. Two one-way valves in the KORR MetaBreather ensure that only fresh air is inhaled and all exhaled air passes through the hose and into the machine.