Healing your metabolism after dieting
One of the side effects of dieting is slowed metabolism. When we diet, our bodies respond as if we were in a famine or starving. It goes into protection mode to keep us alive… which is such a good thing for our survival. But not for our metabolism.
There are a few things that happen physiologically in your body when you go on a diet. Your hunger hormone increases so you feel hungrier, fat storage increases, and metabolism slows down.
So you might be wondering, can I heal my metabolism after dieting? Is it possible to increase our metabolism? Absolutely.
What is metabolism?
So, what is metabolism? Metabolism is the process your body goes through to convert the food that you eat into energy.
There are 3 factors that go into your metabolism:
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) also sometimes referred to as Resting metabolic rate (RMR). This is just the energy that your body needs for it’s basic functions (organs functioning, thinking, breathing, etc. And this is about 60% of your overall metabolism.
Active energy expenditure which is the energy your body uses when you’re active. So, whether that’s exercise as well as what’s called non-exercise activity thermogenesis or NEAT.
Thermic effect of food. So, different foods require different amounts of energy to be processed in our body.
Signs of a slower metabolism
One of the first things people usually think about is weight gain with a lower metabolism. But it’s so much more than that. With a slower metabolism, your body isn’t functioning as it should. Just think, your body’s not getting the energy that it needs. So we want to be doing things to help support our metabolism.
Some signs of slow metabolism:
Weight gain
Constipation
Fatigue
Mood changes
Abnormal cycle/ periods in women
Being cold often
How to increase your metabolism after dieting
Stop dieting & practice intuitive eating.
The absolute first thing we need to do is stop dieting. Dieting, as we already said, works against our bodies and is actually the source a lot of times for slower metabolism.
And then, we really just want to practice intuitive eating. Listening to our bodies. Eating when we’re hungry. Stopping when we’re full. Eating foods that are satisfying and that nourish our bodies.
Strength & resistance training.
Another thing we can do is strength and resistance training. Building muscle is a great way to support our metabolism. Muscle uses a lot of energy at rest (your BMR we talked about earlier). Make sure you’re doing exercise you enjoy and we’re doing it from the mindset of “this is to take care of my body” vs “this is to change my body”.
Basic self care
And then there’s just basic self care. Staying hydrated. Getting enough sleep. Managing and coping with stress.
This is just part of the episode all about healing your metabolism after dieting on the Redefining Health Podcast. You can find this episode wherever you listen to podcasts on Apple, Spotify, or Google.
And when you listen, I'd love to hear your thoughts and what your takeaways were from this episode! Send me a DM on Instagram and share :)
PS: I hope after this episode you feel encouraged that your metabolism can heal and can get back to a healthy place. Your body can heal and wants to heal. And if you are wanting support and someone to help you walk through exactly how to do this, I’d love to help you. Click HERE to book a free consult to take the first step.