Post: #1

Hi all,


I've never been able to find an answer to this-

How much variances is there between a low, average and high metabolism?

E.g all things being equal in terms of body comp, diet, exercise... What percentage variance might there be if a person has a low, ave or high metabolism?

I'm 25, male, 155 pounds, run 5 miles pd 5 days pw, do weights 3 days.

If my metabolism is low what do you estimate my BMR is?

If average?

If high?

Really interested in and grateful for any replies...

Post: #2

Depends on a number of factors. The body adapts rather quickly. We can't tell you what your Basal metabolic rate is since everyone is different. Have you counted calories and macronutrients before?

Post: #3

your 155lbs?

what height are you?

Post: #4

Studies tend to conflict with anecdotal evidence here. Generally speaking it is found that (barring thyroid dysfunction), metabolism is pegged to body mass and gender. Bigger, heavier people (fatter people count as well) have higher metabolisms than skinnier (lean or fatty) people. When skinny people say that "I eat all the time and never put on a pound" what's interesting but not surprising is that it's been proven that they still eat significantly less than much fatter people. They tend to eat when they stop being hungry while fatties and upcoming fatties eat until they are full.

Really all you need to do to find your metabolism is to type your gender, height, body weight, and general fatness into a chart on the internet somewhere and it should be pretty accurate to within about 200 calories a day I would guess.
Short version - fatties don't have a slow metabolism.

Post: #5

(02-27-2013 02:02 PM)Hades Wrote:  Studies tend to conflict with anecdotal evidence here. Generally speaking it is found that (barring thyroid dysfunction), metabolism is pegged to body mass and gender. Bigger, heavier people (fatter people count as well) have higher metabolisms than skinnier (lean or fatty) people. When skinny people say that "I eat all the time and never put on a pound" what's interesting but not surprising is that it's been proven that they still eat significantly less than much fatter people. They tend to eat when they stop being hungry while fatties and upcoming fatties eat until they are full.

Really all you need to do to find your metabolism is to type your gender, height, body weight, and general fatness into a chart on the internet somewhere and it should be pretty accurate to within about 200 calories a day I would guess.
Short version - fatties don't have a slow metabolism.

Great response thanks.


Thanks for the replies.

I'm 5' 8.5"

Working on bulking up muscle a bit. I have no illusions of it happening fat and am thinking of it as a 12 month plus endeavour.

I'm about 16% bf - I want to keep that down so only aiming for around 200-300 cal surplus and not on days where I'm not sore or lifting.

Compound exercises only, mostly upper body because of my running. Always to killer failure.

Sound okay plan?

Post: #6

(02-27-2013 02:02 PM)Hades Wrote:  Studies tend to conflict with anecdotal evidence here. Generally speaking it is found that (barring thyroid dysfunction), metabolism is pegged to body mass and gender. Bigger, heavier people (fatter people count as well) have higher metabolisms than skinnier (lean or fatty) people. When skinny people say that "I eat all the time and never put on a pound" what's interesting but not surprising is that it's been proven that they still eat significantly less than much fatter people. They tend to eat when they stop being hungry while fatties and upcoming fatties eat until they are full.

Really all you need to do to find your metabolism is to type your gender, height, body weight, and general fatness into a chart on the internet somewhere and it should be pretty accurate to within about 200 calories a day I would guess.
Short version - fatties don't have a slow metabolism.

Is this the reason they sweat at the slightest movements?

Post: #7

(02-27-2013 05:30 PM)Jbk Wrote:  

(02-27-2013 02:02 PM)Hades Wrote:  Studies tend to conflict with anecdotal evidence here. Generally speaking it is found that (barring thyroid dysfunction), metabolism is pegged to body mass and gender. Bigger, heavier people (fatter people count as well) have higher metabolisms than skinnier (lean or fatty) people. When skinny people say that "I eat all the time and never put on a pound" what's interesting but not surprising is that it's been proven that they still eat significantly less than much fatter people. They tend to eat when they stop being hungry while fatties and upcoming fatties eat until they are full.

Really all you need to do to find your metabolism is to type your gender, height, body weight, and general fatness into a chart on the internet somewhere and it should be pretty accurate to within about 200 calories a day I would guess.
Short version - fatties don't have a slow metabolism.

Great response thanks.


Thanks for the replies.

I'm 5' 8.5"

Working on bulking up muscle a bit. I have no illusions of it happening fat and am thinking of it as a 12 month plus endeavour.

I'm about 16% bf - I want to keep that down so only aiming for around 200-300 cal surplus and not on days where I'm not sore or lifting.

Compound exercises only, mostly upper body because of my running. Always to killer failure.

Sound okay plan?

if your looking to bulk up I would suggest cutting back on running. As much as you do as chances are you are probably burning a lot of muscle in the process. Not saying you cant still bulk up but I think it would be more efficient to do less cardio during your bulk.

I would up your workout days decrease your cardio days and eat clean in a surplus so you dont put on too much fat. You might want to think about cutting to maybe around 10-12 before you bulk too so that you dont end up fat as shit like 20-25% at the end of your bulk.

A mini cut could also help you keep your bf levels lower during your bulk

Post: #8

(02-28-2013 03:39 AM)AlphaEnchantment Wrote:  I would up your workout days decrease your cardio days and eat clean in a surplus so you dont put on too much fat. You might want to think about cutting to maybe around 10-12 before you bulk too so that you dont end up fat as shit like 20-25% at the end of your bulk.

A mini cut could also help you keep your bf levels lower during your bulk

You have no idea what you're talking about.

Post: #9

he knows exactly what he is talking about. one concept that gets ignored often by novices is called calorie partitioning and you get better leaner gains the closet to 10 - 12% bf you are seek info here http://forums.steroid.com/ & http://thinksteroids.com/forum/

Post: #10

(02-27-2013 05:30 PM)Jbk Wrote:  Great response thanks.
Thanks for the replies.
I'm 5' 8.5
Working on bulking up muscle a bit. I have no illusions of it happening fat and am thinking of it as a 12 month plus endeavour.
I'm about 16% bf - I want to keep that down so only aiming for around 200-300 cal surplus and not on days where I'm not sore or lifting.
Compound exercises only, mostly upper body because of my running. Always to killer failure.
Sound okay plan?

Here is a BMR calculator that should be pretty good.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

Basically what I have to say is that if you must run, don't expect your gains to be all that excellent. Every time I get into rugby season my squat and deadlift numbers go down (or stall at the least). I don't know if I'm losing muscle but I suspect I drop at least a pound or so. And I still lift anyway.

If you want to make gains despite running, I would recommend doing heavy lifts and a PTTP rep scheme. So just go to the gym five days a week for twenty minutes and do this


If you want to do some extra upper body more power to you. A little moderate bench pressing can't hurt. I would recommend it if you're up to it.

Then eat an extra couple servings of protein and fat. Even though you're going to be sore from running you must deadlift. The reason why I recommend PTTP is because a lot of cyclists and distance athletes have given it great reviews on Amazon. You're going to hate the routine for probably a month before you adjust and like it.

Post: #11

Thanks for the replies and info.

I am going to tone down the running to three 5 milers pw and two seshs of hill training (hiit).

I drink a smoothy before my run for sugar energy and from what I have read average glycogen stores will last way longer than 5 miles so I can't see it affecting running. I will of course have to eat even more to supplement this running.