Does Your Metabolism Break After Years Of Dieting?
Broken metabolism is a widely accepted notion that I often come across in the weight loss circles. Not only do we have women believing that their metabolisms are damaged but we also have many weight loss coaches who promise to revive these broken metabolisms. And on the extreme side, we have women who think that their metabolisms are too far gone for them to ever lose weight. But does metabolism break?
Is broken metabolism a thing or are people throwing in the towel too soon? That is what we will get into in this guide. As always, there is a link to the video I made on this, which you can watch using the link below.
The Reasoning behind Why Metabolism Breaks.
Before I can get into whether metabolism breaks, we have to cover what makes many women believe in it. And I have a short story to share with you which you might even find relatable.
I like watching Hannah Alonzo’s videos on multi-level marketing (MLM) horror stories. As much as MLMs are not a big deal where I come from, we have a few such companies that prey on people, and it is interesting to hear how pervasive they are in America.
In one of her videos which was her 100th MLM horror story compilation, she featured a story about a lady who had tried Optavia’s fuelings that helped her lose about 80 pounds in just 3 months. All she was doing was drinking pre-packaged shakes that had her eating about 800 calories a day.
During the diet, she was tired and moody, but the results were worth it…a whole 80 pounds! However, as soon as she went back to eating ‘normally,’ she started gaining weight fast and could not keep it off no matter what she did. And when she went to her doctor, he simply told her that there was nothing she could do about it.
In fact, he stated that he had seen so many women go through the same thing after a fad diet and it all came down to the negative effects of these diets on their metabolisms. As you can imagine, she was devastated because she had to choose between gaining weight and continuing with a restrictive diet.
But she is not alone in this. Many women who have tried one diet after another often get to a point where they feel that no matter what they do, their bodies just will not respond to their efforts. And each time they restrict food and then regain the weight, they start thinking that their metabolisms are damaged beyond repair.
I cannot even count the number of times that a client in my Better in 90 program has told me that they think that the issue is their slow metabolism. It is a very common belief.
At the same time, we have people online claiming that being on extreme calorie cuts or engaging in yo-yo dieting can break your metabolism. And they make videos talking about the signs of slow metabolism which often relate to weight gain after a diet.
Such videos are very common on social media and they spread the message that if we cannot lose weight, then we can always blame our slow or damaged metabolisms.
So, whenever women try to lose weight, and see it creeping back up after they have stopped dieting, they think that they are living proof that metabolisms do indeed have a breaking point. That metabolism breaks.
Can Metabolism Break?
While people think that their metabolism can break, the truth is that our metabolisms are adaptable to our needs and current states. So, rather than get damaged, your metabolism adapts to current circumstances, as I stated in this guide.
As such, when you cut back on calories, your body finds ways to conserve energy in lieu of the reduced energy intake. Therefore, you find that it:
Subconsciously gets you to move less.
Lowers its resting metabolic rate.
Increases your hunger signals.
Now, these changes do not stop weight loss. Instead, the reduced metabolic rate just makes it harder for you to lose weight. For example, if you are barely moving, then your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) reduces, and this lowers your calorie deficit.
However, you still lose weight if you remain in the deficit.
But can you avoid this decline in metabolism? Yes! These metabolism-related changes are reversible. In fact, according to research, even if you have undertaken one extreme diet after another, your body’s metabolism can still normalize.
Once you go back to eating at maintenance and couple this with healthy habits, such as strength training and eating adequate protein, your body adjusts accordingly and increases its metabolic rate.
Remember the lady I mentioned earlier from Hannah’s video? Well, she did not allow her doctor’s opinion or that of naysayers to get in her way. She embraced whole foods, started walking more, and has now lost the extra weight and kept it off. You can follow the whole story in this video. Her story is just one of the many success stories we have to date.
Of course, while you can reverse these negative changes that come from reduced metabolic rates, it helps to note that extreme dieting has additional negative impacts on health, and these include the loss of muscle mass and long-term health issues, as we discussed in previous myths.
So, if you are yet to engage in an extreme or aggressive calorie deficit, it is best to avoid trying one as the trade-offs can be significant.
What If It Is Not Metabolic Decline?
Sometimes, women state that the reason they are not losing weight is because they have a slow metabolism or a metabolism break. But if we are being honest, there are many people who blame their metabolism, while in reality, they are eating at maintenance or in a surplus.
We live in a world where we have to be conscious about our lifestyle choices if we want to maintain healthy weights. For example, I strength train often, go on runs, do walks, get my steps in, sleep at least 8 hours every night, eat more at home than out, and make tons of other decisions geared at helping me lead a healthy life.
It is not that I have a fast metabolism as some people may think. On the contrary, I have slow metabolism because I have hypothyroidism.
So, while people may think that some people are just lucky, the truth is that people make conscious and repetitive choices to achieve weight loss and maintain their results in the long run. And if you are on a weight loss journey, the only way to lose weight is to be in a consistent calorie deficit and this means paying attention to the small things, including the bites and tastes you have throughout the day.
Unless you are keeping track of what you are eating, it is quite easy to eat more calories than you are aware of, and that could lead you to think that your metabolism is slow or broken, when you are not eating in a calorie deficit.
Metabolism Does Not Break – Embracing its Adaptability.
According to studies, years of following extreme diets can impact your metabolism by causing it to slow down, which many interpret as metabolism break. However, they cannot break it as it is highly adaptive.
To get back on track, it is advisable to support it in ways such as:
Embracing nutritious foods…
Engaging in strength training, and
Building balanced habits such as getting enough sleep and managing your stress levels.
Over time, the combined effects of these efforts will have your metabolism ramping up again.
Need Help Boosting Your Metabolism?
The idea that your metabolism is slow or broken can make you feel like you have no power over your body. But you always have tools available to you to take charge of your health, and with some changes, you can raise your metabolism even if you think you are dealing with a metabolism break.
Those are exactly the kinds of strategies that I use in my Better in 90 program, which was designed to help women lose weight and keep it off sustainably. If you would like to learn more about this service, I invite you to check out this page.
107 WEIGHT LOSS LIES THAT KEEP WOMEN STUCK
Did you know that the average woman spends 17 to 21 years of her life on a diet?
And it makes sense. After all, weight loss advice is all over the place. One plan tells you to quit carbs, and the other tells you that they are safe till 6 pm. It is all very confusing, and millions of women find themselves stuck yo-yo dieting, forever frustrated by their never-ending weight loss journeys.
This book is different.
By breaking down weight loss beliefs based on the existing scientific literature and women’s lived experiences, we get down into the nuances behind common weight loss beliefs and what actually works in their place. And once you have mastered what actual data says about metabolism, habits, and human biology, you will be able to quickly tell weight loss lies apart from the truths.
So, instead of another book that promises you quick fixes or one that has you following rigid rules, you will walk away with practical insights on how to build a sustainable lifestyle. You will:
Finally stop guessing what works for your body,
Start trusting yourself again to make the healthy choice, and
Embrace a fulfilling journey to a healthier you.
Written by Daisy Njeri, a health and wellness coach who spent years trapped in yo-yo dieting before finally finding her way out, this book is not only empathetic but also empowering.
