is fast metabolism really a myth?

[rumiakthar]

I realize a lot of people who claim they have a fast metabolism are really just not eating enough but is there really no such thing as a fast metabolism? I feel like some of us get away with eating more while not getting noticibly fat.

 

[esperanza20]

@rumiakthar Your basal/resting metabolic rates will vary with your age and body composition, are generally higher for males than females, and vary between individuals even if those factors are all the same.

meta-analysis

 

[kvolm]

@rumiakthar You have to understand the difference between BMR and TDEE.

BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the amount of calories your body would require to function if you were in a coma. The variability of BMR between people varies somewhat, but not much.

TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is the total number of calories you burn in a day both at rest and through activity. This can vary WILDLY between people for a huge variety of reasons. Usually when people refer to a “fast” or “slow” metabolism, they’re actually talking about TDEE.

 

[rumiakthar]

@kvolm do we really need to know our tdee if we know how many calories we need in all?

 

[kvolm]

@rumiakthar Do you mean BMR? If so, no, it’s not important. TDEE is the one that matters.

 

[rumiakthar]

@kvolm yea but it says online you have to use or bmr to calculate tdee so wouldn't you need to know both?

 

[kvolm]

@rumiakthar No you don’t. Go on a TDEE calculator website and type in the stats it asks for (usually height, weight, age, and activity level). That will give you a ballpark estimate of TDEE.

Based on that number, adjust your calories according to your goals. Weight yourself regularly in the morning before eating and track the weekly average of that number. If it isn’t moving in the direction you want at the rate you want, adjust calories accordingly.

 

[rumiakthar]

@kvolm not sure why my trainer is telling me I don't need to worry about my tdee but I may stop paying for sessions

 

[davebhere]

@rumiakthar Because there is a prevailing narrative even among a lot of fitness professionals that "(kilo)calories don't matter" as if the laws of thermodynamics don't exist

Yes it's vastly more complicated than that and there are huge social, behavioural and endocrinological variances between people and there are so many different feedback loops and ways to fail that 90+% of people don't long term succeed...

But 4,184 joules is 4,184 joules, and no amount of activists saying "some people still get fat eating less than their TDEE" makes it true.

If you eat less calories than you burn, long term, you lose weight. If this is not true, then entropy is not true.

 

[rumiakthar]

@kvolm nvm I think I read it wrong

 

[thunderchildau]

@kvolm do you know if theres a way i can find out my BMR?