Restoring Metabolism

So... for the past three months I've been on a strict calorie diet. (Roughly 1200 a day). Now i reached my goal weight so I'm trying to figure out how to maintain... I know my body's been in diet mode for awhile and my metabolism has probably suffered some damage. My question now is, is there any way I can restore my body? Should i increase calorie intake slowly? and will I ever be back to normal?

Yep.  It will.  I have the most slowest metabolism, But it came back to "Normal" in the end.  I can eat up to 1,700 without gaining, Sometimes.

Original Post by thebledx3:

Yep. It will. I have the most slowest metabolism, But it came back to "Normal" in the end. I can eat up to 1,700 without gaining, Sometimes.

=) assuring to know. Thanks

Your metabolism hasn't suffered and isn't abnormal.  In fact, it's working absolutely as it should i.e slowing down because there's less food available.  As you increase your intake steadily it'll gradually speed up and catch up. You may see some small weight-gain initially but it's probably only temporary.

First; I suggest talking with a doctor. Being on that low of calorie intake may be forcing your body into a starvation mode, which means that you won't be losing any weight. The body is designed to prevent body mass loss when you are starving. By continuing on a low calorie diet, you could be damaging the body more than obtaining a healthy weight.

can any body tell me how i can also eat like normal pple but did not gain any?

You can instantly eat like a normal person but you will gain weight in the short-term.  It's an inevitable consequence of the crash/starvation diet.  Your metabolism is slow because you're starving.  You're starving to stay skinny.  Your body is fighting to hold onto every scrap of nutrition it can.  It's a vicious circle that you can only break by eating more.  You'll gain temporarily but you have to work through that and be consistent until you stop gaining.  Then you'll know your metabolism is back to full speed.

I agree about seeing your doctor.  Anyone content to live on such reduced amounts of food has to be a candidate for disordered eating behaviour and for that there is help available.

The way I changed from dieting (on 1300 calories a day) to maintaining was very gradually.  I'd add in an extra 100 calories a day for a week, then add 100 more, then more etc until I stopped losing weight.

I have always been very aware of keeping my metabolism up and the way I've tried to do it is by

1.  Eating frequent meals

2.  Eating lots of veges

3.  Doing lots of exercise

4.  Building up my muscle bulk

Anyway, I've been on 2000 calories net per day for a year and still maintaining. Because I do plenty of exercise I can usually eat 2400 calories a day.  Not bad for a 45 year old female who weighs 120 pounds!!!

god, i have the same problem =( for like two years i only consumed like 500-800 calories a day, plus i was bulimic for about 6 months. now that im trying to actually eat my recommended daily allowance (way up towards above 2000!) i instantly gain weight.

i hope this helps, but this is what i have been doing to help cure my SLOOOWW metabolism:

- slowly raise caloric intake by 100 a week, like nads27 did, so your body isnt shocked

- i try not to eat too close to bed, a safe no eating atleast 3 hrs before bed is good (lets say u go to bed at midnight, so try not to eat fter 9 p.m.)

- eat alot of small meals (i eat 5-6) scattered evenly throughout the day (every 2.5-3 hours)

-keep the calorie portion fairly similar, like dont eat 100 calorie meals and one 700 calories meal, mine are usually between 250 or 400.

=) like i said, i hope this works. i know how frustrating it can be to be told to eat all these calories and try, then cuz of your metabolism, instantly gain weight.

Lol "I was bulimic for about 6 months".

Yeah...because that's something that you have full control over and can just switch off as you please..

Its not all black & white- I was bulimic for 20+ yrs and in January this year I stopped purging- and that was that, I haven't since. it is possible for some.... 

I have just recently had a couple of appointments with a dietician because I feared my body went into severe starvation mode.  Anyway the dietician gave me some examples of meal planning for someone my weight and size along with my activity level(which is pretty sedatary right now. I had had something really scary happen. I seem to have gained up to 20+ pounds in the course of three to four months. I don't think that I was eating that much more than usual although I know I did indulge a little over the holidays. I really hope that the dietician's advice and plan will help me.

Ugh no, "anyone content to live on such reduced amounts of food has to be a candidate for disordered eating behavior and for that there is help available"

This is not a true statement.  It is an opinion.  The fact is, 1200 calories is really not that little for many people.  It all depends on the individual.

To me 1200 calories is a lot of food.  Its oatmeal and an egg for breakfast, fruit for snack, chicken salad and carrots for lunch, yogurt for a second snack, and tacos with beans for dinner.  Does that sound like an eating disorder to you?  I even eat cookies and chocolate.

What 1200 calories isnt is mcdonalds every day.  It isnt dessert every day or chips in the desk drawer. 

But if you are very sedentary or very small, you just dont have a lot of room for food.  Or need.  If you dont have the need, you dont get all that hungry.

One thing I will say is that if your caloric needs are low, you have to make every bite count,  but the very foods that are best for humans tend to be lower in calories. 

My point is just that a high quality diet of 1200 calories is perfectly fine for quite a few people out there.  Its all about individual needs. 

 

 

 

 

 

Original Post by madamq:

 Does that sound like an eating disorder to you?  I even eat cookies and chocolate.. 

If an adult (over 21) female is consuming 1200 calories in order to lose weight, no.  But if the same adult female is a healthy weight, needs 2000 cals a day  and voluntarily eats significantly less, that would be irrational behaviour.... and disordered eating may be one reason for that.   Eating cookies and chocolate doesn't preclude an eating disorder. 

i agree 1200 calories is alot, its kinda annoying when these experts* scrutize people for eating the bare minium. sometimes that works for some people and others not. 

I'm having this problem too.  I am 5'2", got down to 115 lbs. in March (45 lost total) and started eating a little more....today I weighed in at 118.  I'm frusterated and irritated with myself, but I've even upped my exercise, so I'm not sure if it's my metabolism adjusting or what the heck is going on.  *sigh* 

stick with it, in time your metabolism should adjust. and so your weight will stabilize :)