Resting Metabolic Rate: Best Ways to Measure It—And Raise It, Too

By Mark P. Kelly, Ph.D.

Unless you have been living on an island or mountaintop somewhere (or simply don’t watch television), you’ve undoubtedly seen numerous infomercials talking about resting metabolic rate (RMR) and how one exercise or another will increase it, causing body fat to just melt away. Not surprisingly, there are many fallacies about how to measure RMR, how accurate those measurements are, and what particular exercises or diets will affect it. The purpose of this article is to clear up some of the confusion surrounding RMR and its energy expenditure cousins: non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). We’ll do a quick review of the basics of metabolism, discuss the relative accuracy of different methods and formulas for calculating RMR and cover some tricks of the trade you can use to help your clients raise their RMRs, both acutely and chronically. 

What Is Resting Metabolic Rate? 

Metabolic processes in the body require energy and are comprised of anabolic processes, which build up tissues, and catabolic processes, which break down tissues and fuel sources for energy. The rate at which these processes occur is measured in calories per unit of time, and is most often given in calories per day. 

The term basal metabolic rate (BMR) is often confused and/or interchanged with RMR or resting energy expenditure (REE). Basal metabolic rate, however, can only be found during an awake, but totally rested and post-absorptive state, and in a neutrally temperate environment. Thus, it is quite restrictive and only used in clinical or laboratory settings. The total amount of calories an individual burns in a given day is known as total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and it comes from several sources including RMR, the thermogenic effect of food (TEF), non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and, of course, exercise (Ex).

TDEE = RMR + TEF + NEAT + EPOC + Ex 

RMR and TEF are relatively constant, with minor fluctuations due to muscle mass and conditioning, and to dietary shifts, respectively. The NEAT and exercise components have large variability and can greatly influence one’s total caloric expenditure.

How Do I Calculate RMR?

There are two main ways to determine how many calories you or your client burns in a given day. A relatively accurate (but more difficult) method is called indirect calorimetry, which uses expired gases to calculate the amounts and types of fuel being utilized. The Weir equation below can be used to calculate the number of calories burned per minute. Thus, to work it up to a full 24-hour day, simply multiply the total by 1,440. The respiratory quotient (RQ) is helpful in determining what type of fuel is being catabolized for energy. RQ values are typically in the mid-70s when an individual is at rest; this figure will increase to the 90s as activity level increases. Popular devices such as the BodyGem utilize respiratory gases and the Weir equation for a more accurate metabolic-rate determination.

Abbreviated Weir Equation:

REE = [3.9 (VO₂) + 1.1 (VCO₂)] 1.44
VO₂ = volume of oxygen uptake (mL/min)
VCO₂ = volume of carbon dioxide output (mL/min) 

Respiratory quotient (RQ) = VCO₂/VO₂

• fat 0.70
• underfeeding <0.71
• protein 0.80
• mixed energy 0.85
• carbohydrate 1.00
• fat storage >1.00
• ketosis <0.70

A less accurate, but much easier, method for determining RMR is to use one of several different formulas (see sidebar, "RMR Formulas in Action"). Keep in mind, however, that some sources claim these formulas can be off by as much as 1,000 calories, with the majority of error or variation occurring in the calculation of daily energy expenditure. Several websites, including Health-calc, make it possible to more accurately record daily activity, which can increase the accuracy of the RMR calculation.

 

What Is the Impact of Activity on Total Daily Calories Expended?

Exercise is easily the most adjustable variable in total daily energy expenditure. Some sedentary people expend just a little bit above their RMR in a given day, while others can more than double it. The following list defines various activity levels and applies an “activity factor” that can be multiplied by BMR or RMR to calculate TDEE. 

• Sedentary — desk job and little to no exercise (multiply by 1.2)
• Lightly Active — light exercise/sports 1–3 days/week (multiply by 1.375)
• Moderately Active — moderate exercise/sports 3–5 days/week (multiply by 1.55)
• Very Active — hard exercise/sports 6–7 days/week (multiply by 1.725)
• Extremely Active — hard daily exercise/sports and physical job or training (multiply by 1.9) 

What Variables Affect Metabolic Rate?

1. Genetics. Some people are born with faster metabolisms, while others naturally have slower metabolisms. 
2. Gender. Because men, on average, have a greater muscle mass and a lower body-fat percentage than women, they generally have a higher basal metabolic rate. 
3. Age. BMR is greater in childhood than in adulthood. After age 20, BMR is estimated to drop about 2 percent to 3 percent each decade. 
4. Weight. The more an individual weighs, the higher his or her BMR will be. For example, the metabolic rate of very overweight individuals is generally higher than that of their normal-weight counterparts.  
5. Height. Taller people typically have greater body surface area and more lean body mass (LBM).
6. Body-fat Percentage. All other things being equal, people with a higher body-fat percentage have a lower BMR than those with a lower-body fat percentage. 
7. Diet. Starvation or serious abrupt calorie-reduction can dramatically reduce BMR by up to 30 percent. Likewise, restrictive, low-calorie weight-loss diets may cause BMR to drop by as much as 20 percent. (See sidebar, What Does Reducing Caloric Intake Do to RMR?) 
8. Body Temperature/Health. For every increase of 0.5 degrees C in internal temperature of the body, BMR increases by about 7 percent. The chemical reactions in the body actually occur more quickly at higher temperatures. Therefore, a person with a fever of 42 degrees C (about 4 degrees C above normal) would have an increase of about 50 percent in BMR. 
9. External temperature. Temperature outside the body also affects basal metabolic rate. Exposure to cold temperature causes an increase in the BMR, as the body tries to create the extra heat needed to maintain its internal temperature. A short exposure to hot temperature has little effect on the body’s metabolism because of compensatory increases in heat loss. However, prolonged exposure to heat can raise BMR. 
10. Glands. Thyroxin (produced by the thyroid gland) is a key BMR regulator that speeds up the body’s metabolic activity. The more thyroxin produced, the higher the BMR. If too much thyroxin is produced (a condition known as thyrotoxicosis), BMR can actually double. If too little thyroxin is produced (myxoedema), BMR may shrink to 30 percent to 40 percent of normal. Like thyroxin, adrenaline also increases the BMR, but to a lesser extent. 
11. Exercise. Physical exercise not only influences body weight by burning calories, it also helps raise BMR by building extra muscle. The greater the exercise intensity, the longer it takes the body to recover, which results in a longer and higher excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

 

What Are the Best Exercises For Raising Metabolic Rate and Losing Weight?

Unfortunately, this question does not have one simple answer and research has shown conflicting results (Connolly, Romano and Patruno, 1999). Currently, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) appears to be a leading contender for the title of best RMR enhancer, and the exercises that build muscle (i.e., resistance training) are believed to have the greatest effect on the resting metabolic rate. It is worth noting that hypertrophy-focused workouts, with high resistance to maximize muscle building, don’t burn a high number of calories and, likewise, the EPOC is small. A proper HIIT approach, however, which involves raising the heart rate and calorie expenditure to a high level and results in a significant EPOC, may be one of the most effective methods of increasing RMR. 

References

Connolly, J. Romano, T. and Patruno, M. (1999). Effects of dieting and exercise on resting metabolic rate and implications for weight management. Family Practice, 16, 2, 196–201.

Johnstone, A.M. et al. (2005). Factors influencing variation in basal metabolic rate include fat-free mass, fat mass, age and circulating thyroxine, but not sex, circulating leptin or triiodothyronine. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82, 5, 941–948.

van Dale, D., Saris, W.H., ten Hoor, F. (1990). Weight maintenance and resting metabolic rate 18–40 months after a diet/exercise treatment. International Journal of Obesity, 14, 4, 347–359.

 

 

 

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Mark P. Kelly, Ph.D., ACE-CPT, C.S.C.S., is an exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. He has been involved in exercise sciences as an author, presenter, trainer and athlete for more than 25 years. He has been teaching sciences in universities and performing research and physiological assessments in exercise science for more than 20 years. He has had his scientific studies published by ACSM, NSCA and FASEB and was a nationally ranked duathlete. He currently creates workshops, presentations, webinars and articles to bridge the gap between science and application for trainers and the general public.