Resting Metabolic Rate Testing in Aberdeen
If you're guessing how much to eat, you're guessing wrong. Our 60-minute RMR test measures exactly how many calories your body burns at rest, so you can lose weight, fuel training and recover properly from a real number, not an app's estimate.
Measured by indirect calorimetry: the oxygen you use and carbon dioxide you produce, analysed breath by breath.
It's not your willpower. It's your number.
Every plan you've tried was built on a calorie target that someone guessed. When the starting number is wrong, nothing built on it can work.
I'm eating less and still not losing weight
Your metabolism may burn far less (or more) than the calculators assume. If your target is wrong, no diet built on it can work. One test ends the guessing.
I train hard but I'm always tired, flat and hungry
Under-fuelling quietly wrecks recovery, performance and hormones. Find out what your body needs before your training pays the price.
I don't know how much I should be eating
Online calculators can be out by hundreds of calories a day. Measure your real number once and every food decision gets easier.
You already have a calorie number.
Here's the problem with it.
Apps, watches and online calculators all use a formula. They take your height, weight, age and sex and assume your metabolism is average. Real metabolisms vary enormously, and if you've dieted before, yours has probably adapted, which makes the formula even less accurate for you.
Estimates, often out by 300–500 kcal a day
A population average dressed up as your number. It doesn't know your training load, muscle mass, dieting history or how your metabolism has adapted. Eat 400 calories under a wrong number and you stall, lose muscle and blame yourself.
Measure your actual calorie burn
You rest and breathe normally through a mask connected to a metabolic analyser. From the oxygen you use and the carbon dioxide you produce, we calculate the calories your body is burning, using indirect calorimetry, the same method used in clinical and sports science research.
What is resting metabolic rate?
Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the number of calories your body burns at rest to keep you alive: breathing, circulation, brain function and repairing tissue. For most people it makes up 60–70% of total daily calorie burn.
Because RMR is the biggest part of your daily energy use, getting it right matters more than anything else in a nutrition plan. Once we know your measured RMR, we add your training and daily activity to work out your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), the number you actually eat to.
An RMR test is sometimes called a metabolic rate test, calorie burn test or resting metabolism test. They all describe the same thing.
RMR vs BMR: what's the difference?
| RMR | BMR | |
|---|---|---|
| Stands for | Resting metabolic rate | Basal metabolic rate |
| Conditions | Rested and fasted, measured in a calm clinic setting | Strict lab conditions, usually straight after waking overnight in the lab |
| Practical? | Yes: quick, comfortable and repeatable | Rarely tested outside research |
| Difference | RMR is typically within about 10% of BMR, so it's the practical, accurate measure for setting calorie and fuelling targets. | |
Built around your goal
You don't need to be an athlete. Whether you want to lose weight, perform better or understand why your body isn't responding, your RMR is the starting point.
RMR testing for weight loss
Eating less and exercising more, but the scales won't move? Long-term under-eating can slow your metabolism. Your test shows what your body needs, which is often more than you think.
Book your test →Runners, cyclists & triathletes
Precise fuelling data lets you train hard and recover properly. Pair RMR with a VO2 max or lactate threshold test for a complete performance and nutrition picture.
See combined tests →RMR testing for swimmers
Under-fuelling is common in swimming and raises RED-S risk, performance plateaus and weight that won't shift despite hard training.
Swimmer testing →RMR testing for HYROX
HYROX demands strength, endurance and metabolic capacity. RMR testing is the nutritional foundation of our HYROX Metabolic Profile.
Ask about HYROX testing →Simple, non-invasive, done in under an hour
No needles, no exercise, no discomfort. You rest, breathe normally and we do the rest.
Arrive fasted
No food for 8 hours beforehand. Water is fine. Avoid caffeine and exercise on the morning of your test.
Rest & breathe
Relax comfortably and breathe through a metabolic mask for 20–30 minutes while we measure your breath.
Get your report
A written report with your RMR, total daily energy needs, macronutrient targets and fuelling guidance.
Results debrief
We walk you through every number and answer your questions, so you leave with a plan, not just a spreadsheet.
- 8-hour fast (water only)
- No caffeine that morning
- No exercise that morning
- Comfortable clothing
What your RMR report tells you
More than a single calorie number: a full picture of how your body uses energy, and what to do about it.
Exact resting calorie burn
The calories your body burns at rest every day: your true metabolic baseline.
Total daily energy needs
Your RMR plus your activity level gives the daily calorie figure to actually eat to.
Macronutrient targets
Protein, carbohydrate and fat targets based on your metabolism, goals and training.
Metabolic adaptation signals
Whether long-term under-fuelling has slowed your metabolism, and by how much.
Fuelling strategy
How to time nutrition around training: before, during and after sessions.
Clear next steps
Specific recommendations, not generic advice, to hit your weight or performance goal.
RMR test price & add-on testing
Start with the RMR test, then add a VO2 max or lactate threshold test if you want the complete picture: how your body uses energy at rest and how it performs during exercise.
Resting Metabolic Rate Test
Everything you need to understand your metabolic baseline and daily energy requirements.
- RMR test by indirect calorimetry
- Full written report
- Total daily energy calculation
- Macronutrient targets
- Fuelling recommendations
- 30-minute results debrief
Results explained before you leave. Same-week appointments usually available.
Book RMR testAdd more testing
Optional. Combine with your RMR test for a deeper picture.VO2 max test
Measure your aerobic capacity on a treadmill or your own bike and get accurate heart rate training zones to sit alongside your calorie and fuelling targets. Around 1 hour, with a written report.
Lactate threshold test
Find your lactate thresholds and get exact heart rate, power or pace zones to train by, so your fuelling targets and your training intensities come from the same session of real data.
Follow-up RMR retest
Retest within 12 months to track how your metabolism responds to changes in training, body composition or diet, with a progress comparison report.
RMR testing in Aberdeen, done properly
Measured, not estimated
Indirect calorimetry with a calibrated metabolic analyser, the method used in clinical and sports science research.
Explained by experts
Your results are interpreted by coaches and physiologists who work with endurance athletes every day.
One place for everything
RMR, VO2 max and lactate testing, bike fitting and run analysis, all under one roof.
Easy to reach
Based in Bucksburn, minutes from Aberdeen city centre, Dyce and the A96. Serving Aberdeenshire and the north-east of Scotland.
RMR testing questions, answered
What is an RMR test?
An RMR (resting metabolic rate) test measures how many calories your body burns at rest. You breathe normally through a mask connected to a metabolic analyser for 20–30 minutes, and we calculate your calorie burn from the oxygen you use and the carbon dioxide you produce.
How much does RMR testing cost in Aberdeen?
An RMR test at Total Endurance costs £120 and includes the test, a full written report and a 30-minute results debrief. You can book RMR + VO2 max together for £200, RMR + lactate threshold testing together for £250, or choose an RMR + follow-up retest package (£200).
How accurate is RMR testing compared to online calculators?
Online calculators and apps estimate your calorie burn from height, weight, age and sex, and can be out by 300–500 calories a day for an individual. An RMR test measures your actual gas exchange, so it reflects your own metabolism, including any adaptation from past dieting or heavy training.
How do I prepare for an RMR test?
Arrive fasted (no food for 8 hours; water is fine). Avoid caffeine and exercise on the morning of your test. Most people book an early-morning appointment so the fast happens overnight.
Can RMR testing help me lose weight?
Yes. Knowing your measured RMR lets you set a calorie target that creates a sensible deficit without under-eating. If you've hit a weight loss plateau, the test can also show whether long-term dieting has slowed your metabolism, which changes the right approach.
Can RMR testing help endurance athletes perform better?
Yes. Under-fuelling is common in runners, cyclists, triathletes and swimmers, and it hurts recovery, adaptation and hormone health. Your RMR gives an accurate baseline to build daily and training-day fuelling around. Adding a VO2 max or lactate threshold test gives you training zones and paces to match.
Do I need to be an athlete to have an RMR test?
No. RMR testing is useful for anyone who wants to know how much they should eat, whether that's for weight loss, general health or sport.
What's the difference between RMR and BMR?
BMR (basal metabolic rate) is measured under very strict lab conditions, usually straight after sleeping in the lab. RMR is measured rested and fasted in a normal clinic setting and is typically within about 10% of BMR, so it's the practical measure used to set calorie targets.
How often should I retest my RMR?
Retest after a big change in training load, body composition or diet, or every 6–12 months to track progress. Our RMR + Follow-Up package includes a second test within 12 months and a progress comparison report.
Find out what your body actually needs
Book your RMR test in Aberdeen and get the number that changes how you eat, train and recover, in under an hour.
Total Endurance, 4 Old Meldrum Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9DT · 01224 900500 · info@total-endurance.co.uk
Tue–Sat 9am–5pm · Same-week appointments usually available