Metabolism is the conversion of food (calories) into energy that is utilized by your body. Metabolic testing determines the rate at which your body burns calories. The efficiency of your body’s metabolism depends on factors such as your:
- Age
- Gender
- Body weight
- Body composition
- Hormone levels.
Metabolic testing can help your doctor identify:
- Slow metabolism, which may be the reason for difficulty with achieving weight loss
- Changes in metabolism, which can cause weight loss to taper off after some initial success with an exercise program.
In preparation for the test you should avoid:
- Eating 4 hours prior to the test
- Exercising
- Stimulants such as caffeine
You will be asked to sit or recline in a comfortable position and simply breathe into a mouth piece for about 10 minutes. Your oxygen consumption will be measured which is directly related to your metabolic rate. You can close your eyes and relax during the procedure. At the end of the procedure your metabolic efficiency will be established.
Based on your unique metabolic profile, your doctor will be able to design an individualized exercise program that will help you to reach and maintain your ideal weight.
If you don’t know how many calories you burn in a day, how can you diet appropriately? After all, we all, we are all different from one another, and so are metabolic rates. The assumption that a 2000 calorie/day diet is appropriate may be grossly incorrect. We are one of the few offices that utilizes calorimetry to actual measure you “Calories Burned.” We have seen a full range of metabolic rates, from 900 calories, to 4500 calories burned daily. By measuring your oxygen consumption over a 10-15 minute period, this non-invasive machine allows us to properly design a diet program that will keep your intake less than your calories burned, resulting in weight loss. Additionally, it may help you to decide which surgical operation is best for you.
Covered by insurance in most cases, but cash options are available.
