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This is arguably the most accessible, crudest way of finding out your lean body mass. There is often a trade-off between accessibility and accuracy, with the most accurate methods being beyond many people. There are two main ways in which lean body mass is calculated. Some of the methods of lean body mass calculation are more accurate than others, whilst some are more accessible, though we will run through these all shortly. To find out your lean body mass, you often need to know your body fat percentage, though we will run through some methods below in which this isn’t the case. This will show them that, although they are gaining total weight, they are not putting on any extra body fat. If you can keep your lean body mass stable whilst bringing your overall weight down, you will know that you’re only losing fat- not muscle or bone density, as is often the case.Īlternatively, those looking to put on weight in the form of muscle will want to build their lean mass at the same rate as their overall weight. Knowing this can help those looking to lose weight maintain their weight loss purely from fat.
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Basically, if you subtract the weight that comes from fat (your body fat percentage) from your total weight, you will have your lean body mass. People can also calculate their RMR using an online calculator, such as the one provided by ACE, here.Lean body mass is your overall weight minus your weight from body fat. Examples include the Cunningham equation, which estimates RMR, and the Katch-McArdle equation, which estimates BMR. Other optionsĪ more athletic person may get a more accurate estimate using an equation that takes into account their lean body mass. Female: 9.99 x weight + 6.25 x height – 4.92 x age – 161Īccording to the ACE, the Mifflin-St Jeor equation is more accurate than the Revised Harris-Benedict BMR equation.To calculate RMR, a person can plug the following values into the relevant sections of their chosen equation: Both provide a separate estimate for men and women. The ACE provide two equations that people can use to calculate their RMR: the Revised Harris-Benedict BMR equation, and the Mifflin-St Jeor equation. This technique will still estimate the number of calories a person’s body burns at rest but is much less restrictive Calculating RMR As a result, it is unlikely that a person could accurately calculate their BMR at home.Īs a simpler alternative, people can try calculating their RMR. Experts refer to this analysis as “calorimetry.” It is a way of measuring the number of calories a person’s body is using.Īccording to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), people rarely use BMR outside of clinical settings because the test must take place in a tightly controlled environment under stringent testing parameters. Because the testing conditions of measuring the RMR are less stringent than those required to measure the BMR, the RMR may be slightly less accurate than the BMR.īMR calculations involve analyzing the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide a person breathes in and out. People do not need to fast or rest for an extended period in a controlled environment to get an estimate. The RMR estimates the number of calories a person burns during a period of inactivity. undergoing monitoring in a darkened, temperature-controlled room.sleeping for 8 hours prior to testing upon waking.However, to get an accurate estimate, a person must undergo monitoring in a clinical setting under tightly controlled conditions. The BMR estimates the minimum number of calories a person needs each day to sustain their basic life functions should they rest for the entire 24 hours of a day. However, the two tests differ slightly in what they estimate and what the test involves. People often use the terms BMR and RMR interchangeably.
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