Pump up your metabolism

bopper

I came across this article and wanted to pass it on.

Q: I've tried every diet under the sun in my life, and I'm really afraid I've ruined my metabolism. I seem to gain weight no matter what I eat now! Is there any way to get back on track?

This is such a good question — I'm so glad you asked! Many people suffer from the backlash that can result from years of yo-yo diets. What happens is this: When people let their calorie levels drop too low, their body's survival mechanism kicks in, lowering their metabolic set point (or basal metabolic rate). When they go off that crash diet and begin to eat normally again, they gain back any weight lost — plus. And what follows that? Yup, another crash diet.

The cycle is often very frustrating, but it CAN be reversed with time, consistency, and patience. What you'll need to do is the exact opposite of what we call shocking the metabolism; you have to allow your body time to adapt to a new metabolic set point — by being consistent, you'll force your body to adapt.

Okay, here's the game plan: First, set your daily caloric intake at 12 calories per pound of body weight. (For example, my weight is 117; 117 x 12 = 1,404 calories a day.) Then stick like glue to that calorie allowance for at least one to two months, depending on your metabolism. This will allow your body time to readjust your metabolic set point accordingly.

Now, here's the other part of the equation: The absolute best way to pump up your metabolism is to EXERCISE. You'll be burning calories not only during your workout but also up to 48 hours after — all the while increasing lean muscle tissue, which speeds the metabolism over the long term. Aim for five hours of exercise a week if possible, but no fewer than three hours a week.

chocolateandvodka

that puts me at around 2,000 calories a day in order to lose weight whereas MFP has me at 1200 and i'm barely dropping a pound or two a week with moderate exercise. where does she get the 12:1 cals to pounds ratio?

ashlee954

that puts me at around 2,000 calories a day in order to lose weight whereas MFP has me at 1200 and i'm barely dropping a pound or two a week with moderate exercise. where does she get the 12:1 cals to pounds ratio?

This scenario is for people who have actually in fact messed up their metabolisms. Doing this if you already have a healthy metabolism can cause one to gain weight.

Leah1177

I'm confused as to what to do to lose the weight now. MFP has me at 1200 as well and according to the body weight x 12 ration, I should be consuming 1740 per day. I am exercising daily as well, but still haven't dropped any weight after almost a month at this plan. What am I doing wrong?

Beth720

That is to re-set your metabolism. You only stay on that for a couple of months, then you can begin to drop the calories down.

You keep the exercise up, and as your metabolism evens out and gets back on track, it'll start to show.

cdsledge09

I am living proof that the 12:1 calorie thingy works. I worked out and dropped my calories to the 1200 that many diets recommend and actually gained weight. I paid a nutritionist and personal trainer that made me start eating about 1900 calories per day (all healthy, much more protein that I was accustomed to, small 200 to 250 calorie meals 6x per day.) Within about 4 weeks of eating that many calories, which I might add took a great deal of effort and planning on my part, I lost 6 lbs all at once. I am now in more of a maintenance point with about 1400 calories per day, still eating small meals, many times per day and I am losing at about 1lb per week. I have had a few weeks where my weight loss was less than 1lb but that had more to do with sodium intake and chocolate benders. Hope this helps, and I wish you the best!

samiko

I am living proof that the 12:1 calorie thingy works. I worked out and dropped my calories to the 1200 that many diets recommend and actually gained weight. I paid a nutritionist and personal trainer that made me start eating about 1900 calories per day (all healthy, much more protein that I was accustomed to, small 200 to 250 calorie meals 6x per day.) Within about 4 weeks of eating that many calories, which I might add took a great deal of effort and planning on my part, I lost 6 lbs all at once. I am now in more of a maintenance point with about 1400 calories per day, still eating small meals, many times per day and I am losing at about 1lb per week. I have had a few weeks where my weight loss was less than 1lb but that had more to do with sodium intake and chocolate benders. Hope this helps, and I wish you the best!

This "idea" also worked for me..I did not have a personal trainer, however I did the Food Lovers program, and it really did a good job of "fixing" my metabolism and have been losing weight ever since. It is very similiar in thought to the above statement. Their website is www.dietFREElife.com BTW I have actually lost a total of 50 lbs since February this year. What I loved about it the most is how it EDUCATES you on eating. Far from starving...the BEST thing I ever did for my body.

bopper

Here is another interesting article:

We know that large serving sizes influence dieters to eat more... but what about server sizes?

A study published earlier this year in the Journal of Consumer Psychology reported that restaurant goers order differently, depending on the size of the waiter taking the order.

The study conducted two experiments: one measuring quantity of food eaten, and one looking at food choices of both dieters and non-dieters when ordering food from obese and non-obese servers.

The results may surprise you.

In short, the study showed that dieters and non-dieters had opposite responses. Dieters overindulged when the server was heavy, while non-dieters ate more when the server was thin. Dieters were also more influenced by a heavy (versus a thin) server, opting for both healthy and unhealthy choices more often when recommended to them.

When I first read about this study, I considered the possibility that the servers' personalities had something to do with the results, but interestingly, the "fat" and "thin" servers were actually one and the same woman -- she wore a fat suit when posing as the overweight server.

The authors conclude: "Since chronic dieters feel a constant desire to lose weight, it is possible that they identify more with those who are overweight or obese (rather than thin), resulting in assimilation towards behaviors associated with obesity (eating more) and selecting food choices that they explicitly recommend. However, non-dieters should assimilate to a greater degree towards a thin (vs. obese) server, resulting in the opposite effects."

Does this mean you should avoid restaurants where the waiting staff are overweight? Of course not -- this is merely a message that we should be mindful of how our surroundings influence our food choices, and that we need to stay focused on our goals and plan our healthy meals accordingly.

It's easy to let social and environmental factors guide our food intake: what others are eating (how could you not join your friends in that plate of nachos at the bar?), what is around you (hey, who brought in those donuts in the break room?), and old habits (like the clean plate club). But being mindful about these subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) factors will prevent diet derailment and keep us on track.

sassiebritches

this puts me at 3108 cals.....that is crazy. If I was following cals this would freak me out. Who else has tried this?

Mepheston

Folks, this is ONLY to reset your metabolism when your body puts itself into a perpetual starvation mode and holds onto every single calorie you eat no matter how little or how much exercise you do. The sudden increase in calories shocks your metabolism into action and sends a signal that the body no longer has to store everything and it can resume normal functioning. As stated by others this is usually only recommended for 2-4 weeks and then you can cut the calories back down and start losing weight.