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by Healthetech
Indiana Center for Health and Nutrition is the first medical office in the country to utilize the revolutiuonary BodyGem. BodyGem is a new handheld device that measures resting metabolism, providing an accurate and scientific measurement of the number of calories a person burns at rest each day. Understanding a person's unique metabolism and monitoring changes provides ultimate control in managing nutrition, weight, and general fitness.
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Why Do We Gain Weight?
It's simple. Most of us consume more calories than we burn. Food is abundant. Portion sizes are bigger than ever, and most of us lead relatively sedentary lives.
More than 60 million Americans are actively trying to loose weight and 61% of us are either overweight or obese. Losing weight is not just about looking better; it's a major health issue. Being overweight directly contributes to increased heart disease, Type II Diabetes, hypertension and other preventable diseases.
Strategies For Successful Weight Management
Weight management is really a matter of simple arithmetic: balancing the number of calories in against the number of calories out. If you eat more calories than you burn, you'll gain weight. If you eat fewer calories, you'll loose weight.
It has been proven people are most successful in managing weight if they keep a daily record of the calories in the foods they eat. Software programs which conveniently track calories, such as BalanceLog, by HealtheTech, provides a quick and easy way to log food and exercise as well as monitor progress and make healthier choices.
Why Measure Your Own Metabolism?
Paying attention to what you eat and tracking calorie intake is certainly an important part of the equation, but what about your metabolism, or burn rate? Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the amount of energy (or number of calories ) your body burns each day at rest. RMR accounts for up to 80% of the calories you burn each day. It also provides the foundation for establishing total caloric expenditure and a successful weight management program!
By monitoring changes in your metabolism you can adjust your weight management program based on your body's needs. Restricting calories and losing weight generally results in a decrease in metabolism. Without further modifying calorie consumption or increasing exercise, weight loss can slow or stop altogether.
What Is Metabolism?
Metabolism is the body's process of combining nutrients with oxygen to release the energy required to power our bodies. This energy, measured in calories, is used to keep the body functioning and to fuel daily activities and exercise. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) is the number of calories the body needs just to maintain basic body function. It typically represents 60-75% of a person's total metabolism. The key to weight management is balancing caloric intake with the calories we burn. Until now we haven't been able to conveniently measure calories burned.
Why Measure RMR?
Resting Metabolism varies from person to person. Current methods of estimating RMR are inaccurate for many individuals. This leads to ineffective weight management plans. In addition, each individual's metabolism will change over time as a result of weight loss, caloric restriction, age, exercise or change in body composition. Frequent measurement provides valuable information required to adjust your health and fitness plans.