It’s often said that weight loss is a journey, not a destination. The unfortunate consequence of this is that weight loss can come to feel like a never-ending cycle of trying new diets and then, inevitably, going back to what you were doing before.
It frequently happens because there are so many diets you can follow— from fad diets like the keto diet and intermittent fasting to more sustainable methods like calorie counting and macronutrient ratios. This can be overwhelming for many people who find it difficult to understand which way is best for them.
Weight loss is indeed a process, not a destination. But there’s another reason why it’s important to view weight loss as a journey. That’s because most people don’t know how long it takes to lose weight and maintain their new lifestyle, or what leads them to regain the weight they’ve lost—and then how much more (and in what form) they will have gained back!
Losing weight and staying that way is an ongoing process that doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, energy, and commitment—a commitment to plan so you can successfully implement new habits and keep at it for long-term success.
That’s why it’s essential to keep track of important body measurements like BMR, RMR, REE, and RQ, which help you keep an eye on your overall weight loss journey. Let’s look at each one in more detail.
BMR or Basal Metabolic Rate
BMR is the minimum numberof calories your body neeeds to function while its at rest. It is the amount of energy needed to fuel basic bodily functions. This measurement determines how many calories you can eat daily without gaining weight.
For example, if your BMR is 2,000 calories and you eat more than that, you will most likely gain weight. This is particularly important for people who want to lose weight because it helps them control their calorie intake properly. If someone has a lower BMR than other people eating the same amount of food, they may need to eat less than others to maintain their current weight or lose weight.
If you want to lose weight, you need to understand this measurement and learn how to measure it correctly. BMR has a significant effect on the number of calories you burn daily. An overweight person will have a higher BMR than a person with an ideal weight since they carry around more body fat and thus burn more calories.
There are various formulas available for measuring your body’s BMR, or you can easily use an online BMR calculator, where you can put your age, sex, height, and weight. However, there’s a common formula that many experts and individuals use to determine their BMR.
It’s also important to note that online BMR calculators and equations are not always accurate. A little discrepancy in the calculation can affect your weight loss goals and daily nutritional requirements. You must always use the latest weight management tools, like Breezing, that give you accurate measurements and help you track your weight loss progress more efficiently.
RMR or Resting Metabolic Rate
In the simplest terms, resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories a person uses up when they are at rest. This concept is a cornerstone in understanding how your body operates and what it needs to maintain good health.
Research into RMR can also indicate potential weight loss or gain goals for people who are trying to lose or maintain weight. Your RMR will tell you how many calories you need every day to maintain your current weight.
RMR has been used for decades as the foundation for several different dieting plans and strategies. RMR is one of the many factors that contribute to overall body composition and health.
RMR is important because energy homeostasis is an essential process in the body that regulates not only weight but also other physiological processes such as temperature, salt retention, protein synthesis, and muscle repair.
REE or Resting Energy Expenditure
REE or resting energy expenditure is the number of calories your body burns at rest for all essential activities, including breathing, circulation, digestion, etc. It is roughly equivalent to the number of calories burned in a day if you lay still in bed all day.
REE can be measured with a whole-room calorimeter or doubly labeled water. For a long time, the only widely used method for measuring REE was indirect calorimetry, using oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production as a proxy for energy expenditure.
RQ or Respiratory quotient
RQ is a parameter that relates the energy released in respiration to the tissues of the body through which oxygen is transported. RQ can be calculated by dividing oxygen uptake (VO2) by carbon dioxide production (VCO2).
While it’s potentially possible to calculate the carbon dioxide present in the blood in the form of gas, measuring the amount of carbon dioxide in the body tissue can often be complicated.
RQ Range
In people on a high-protein diet, respiratory quotients are usually higher since they’re metabolizing more amount of protein as a source of energy than they’re metabolizing fat. While at rest, respiratory quotients can usually range between 0.7 to 1.0.
RQ = 1
An RQ value of 1 indicates that the body’s major source of energy is carbohydrates. The carbs are oxidized completely, and an equal amount of O2 and CO2 is consumed by your body.
The number of carbs oxidized per mole of O2 consumed is called the coefficient of carbohydrate oxidation. Several other factors might affect this value, including reaction pathway, temperature, and the molecular weight of the molecule that is being oxidized.
In addition, several respirometry instruments can be used to measure RQ, with a variety of differences in measurement methods that depends on whether they are measuring partial pressures or calculating concentrations.
When RQ<1
An RQ value of less than oneshows that the body’s respiration is currently utilizing fats as substrate. The body is using much protein or fat for fuel. Another way to look at this is that your body’s cells are not getting enough nutrients (e.g., carbohydrates) to perform well, and thus they must use other nutrients (i.e., fats and proteins) to maintain normal function and performance in the absence of sufficient glucose (sugar) in the blood.
Ideal Diet for Weight Loss
A low-carb diet plan is an effective way to lose weight and lower blood pressure levels. If you want to lose weight, however, you must avoid processed foods that are high in sugar, grains, and dairy products, such as ice cream.
Also, note that low-carb diets should not be used for long-term goals because they can lead to diabetes and other health problems. Low-carb diets should be used under medical supervision only.
You want to deny yourself certain foods when on a weight loss diet so that you can effectively create a calorie deficit that pushes your metabolism into a state of catabolism (burning more calories than you consume) and thus helps to reduce body fat.
However, you also want to make sure that you are eating the correct variety of food and enough of it so that you are not starving yourself or getting too few calories to keep your body working. You want to maintain a certain calorie level every day.
For example, if you choose to eat only 900 calories a day, your body will go into starvation mode and start slowing down your metabolism, conserving energy by burning fewer calories. This can be detrimental because you may not be losing fat but instead losing lean muscle mass.When your body burns more energy (calories) than it consumes over time, it loses weight since the caloric deficit created forces the body to use stored energy (fat).
Why do you need to track your weight loss progress?
If you’re serious about losing weight, you should know the importance of tracking your progress. Weight loss is a journey, and it’s important to keep track of where you are on your journey so that you can take stock of what is and isn’t working for you.
To do that, it’s helpful to have a way to track your progress, but there are also many other reasons why tracking your weight loss might be beneficial for you. We thought it would be helpful to share ten reasons you should track your weight loss.
- It might motivate you to eat healthier and to exercise more. Dieting is tough, even when it’s not hard work. You might find it hard to eat a well-balanced diet with regular exercise and a positive attitude on your own, but if you’re tracking your results, then you’re more likely to stay motivated and make healthier choices.
- It might help you understand how food is affecting your health. Different foods affect your body differently, and your weight loss can also be affected because of how different foods make you feel.
- It might help you understand what your body is telling you. If you’re mindful of your physical and emotional health, then whatever the results of your weight loss test are, it’s helpful to know what the numbers are saying so that you can respond accordingly.
- You might develop new techniques or habitsthat will make it easier to succeed in the future. Tracking your progress helps you develop new habits and techniques that will serve you well in the long run.
- It might motivate you to stick with it: If you think about the time and effort you put into making changes, tracking your results is a great way to stay motivated and committed to your goals.
- It might foster confidence in yourself: When people lose weight, they often become more confident in themselves as they see their numbers improving over time.
- It might make you feel good: Regardless of your weight loss results, tracking your progress can make you feel good about yourself when you achieve small goals over time.
- You might reach your goals faster: Tracking your progress can help you reach goals faster because the added structure will give you something to shoot for and will help to keep you focused on your long-term goals.
- It might help keep you accountableif there’s someone interested in your results. Not only that, but it might encourage you to stay on track because you don’t want to let down the person who is supporting you, like your trainer or your workout partner.
- Finally, it might alsokeep you on track or help you get back on track when your progress stalls or something unexpected comes up.
With Breezing, Tracking Your Weight Loss Progress is Easier Than Ever!
If you want to track your weight loss journey with precise tools and accurate measurements, Breezing can help you. With the help of world-renowned professors and an innovative design team, Breezing has successfully developed the world’s first mobile metabolic rate analyzer. The company offers two products: BreezingPro and BreezingMed.
BreezingPro is widely used by researchers and high-performing athletes to keep track of their vital body measurements. BreezingMed, on the other hand, is for personal and professional use. The user can simply wear the device and breathe into it for about 10 minutes. The readings are then transmitted to the Breezing app on their phones.
The Breezing devices allow you to accurately measure your BMR, RMR, RQ, and REE and help you to keep track of your weight loss journey in real-time on your smartphone and other iOS devices. You can easily sync your weight management data across multiple devices and your history with your physicians.
Breezing uses the latest sensor technologies that require no technical knowledge and set up guides, which makes it easier than ever to reach your weight loss goals in a limited time. If you want to learn more about our obesity management products, visit ourwebsite today.