I have a heart rate monitor, and I promise you I am working hard. I have to watch to make sure I don't get above max. I can tell that my fitness level has gotten better because it takes longer for me to get my heart rate up and more to keep it there. I where it bike riding too. My heart rate runs high even at relaxed times, around 100 or in the 90's. If I wear the hrm around I watch my heart rate go up, in the 119's and stuff just from getting up and walking around. Of course that is the initial getting up. It goes back down quickly.

I'm not on any medications other than anti-imflamitories for my planters fastiitis (sp?) and an antibiotic for acne problems.
We have arthritis, diabetes, some heart problems and high blood pressure that runs in the family and that is one of the reasons I am so desperate to get this weight off to hopefully prevent myself from getting some of this, and of course just the looking better thing that goes with it.
I was a little overweight before I had my son 12 years ago, but nothing major, just 10 or 15 lbs and it was always easy to take it off when I wanted too. Then I had my son and gained like 90 lbs and haven't been able to get it off since. I have fought it for too long. We bought our first bikes about 10 years ago and my DH and I rode pulling our son everywhere. We went on 10 to 15 miles rides 4 or 5 times a week and went on longer organized rides whenever we could. He works a lot of weekends. Then we quit when the boy got to big to pull and was still to young to ride along, but during that time I never lost any weight. I toned up some, but never lost and that was for over a year. I have gone back and forth with this for such a long time and cannot seem to get the doctor to listen. Maybe I am just not asking the right questions or for the right test.
I'm not sure the insurance covers any of the testing that some of you are talking about as far as body mass and such.
I could probably get a stress test done to check my heart and maybe that would get my metabilism checked too. I don't know, like I said I think maybe I just don't know enough to be able to go in and ask for certain test, or ask about certain types of problems I might have.