Exercise and Broken Metabolism

albayin · June 2014

Just hypothetically speaking, say if I had damaged metabolism, if I lift weight, or running every day, would that compensate some of the damages?

:flowerforyou:

Galatea_Stone · June 2014

Running, no. Lift and eat.

Are you sure you have metabolic damage? Has a doctor told you that you do?

albayin · June 2014

I don't know...I have been wondering about this for quite some time.. I work out every day, either lifting, running or kickboxing, sometimes twice a day. I watch what I eat, but i haven't lost one pound after like 3 years...

albayin · June 2014

i had body media core for a while and it consistenly says I burn 2500-2800 a day. I ate 1200-1800 during those days, scale didn't budge...

EvgeniZyntx · June 2014

It depends.

Metabolic modifications may be due to over exercise, stress, mitochondrial defects, etc...
Increased LBM will compensate somewhat and create an increase in metabolism. Cardio burns calories.

You'll have to be clearer about what makes you think you have a "broken" metabolism and what you think "compensation" means.

The good news is that metabolisms are rarely broken or "un-fixable".

aliakynes · June 2014

I'm pretty sure she meant lift and eat an adequate amount of calories.

EvgeniZyntx · June 2014

How well are you logging?
How long did this go on?
Did you change routines in this period?
Did you see absolutely zero weight change?

albayin · June 2014

I figured that I have been eating at maitenance for these past 3 years, or it doesn't explain why I am not losing even one ounce...Then my maintenance level is really low, like 1800 low...this sucks.

EvgeniZyntx · June 2014

How much do you weigh?

albayin · June 2014

um....thank you for your reply...but I am not comfortable to say my weight...:) I am borderline over weight for my height and frame.

EvgeniZyntx · July 2014

Well, it's difficult to give you an answer without the numbers, and without really knowing how well you log.
But in all likelihood you aren't really tracking your weight and calories closely. (Not a criticism, but it's difficult to understand that your weight hasn't fluctuated in three years)

Anyway, let's say you are eating and logging exactly 1800 and you are in the perfect plateau. You can either increase cardio (not likely a good idea if you are already very active) or like GS says, increase resistance training and try to gain some LBM which will impact your metabolism positively.

cingle87 · July 2014

If you are borderline overweight I take it you mean you are not overweight? Occording to you ticker you want to lose 20lbs so asuming you mean you want to go hight "bmi" to lower "bmi"? The reason I say this when to body is at low bf% body trys to keep hold of what little fat is left.

Now to answer you origonal question, the only real way for fixing a "broken" metabolism if it broken is to add lbm. Ive read somewhere but can't be 100% that 1lb of LBM burns roughly 6 calories, so the only way to increase you metabolism is to add LBM ie muscle.

upnorthtim · July 2014

"Metabolic damage" has become a scare tactic used to market all kinds of snake oil. Google metabolic damage and of the thousands of hits virtually all are trying to sell you something. Even many of the sites that say it is a myth are also trying to sell you something! What you will not find are any credible medical articles based on sound scientific research (Dr. Oz is NOT a credible source on anything!). Does dieting slow your metabolism? Yes it does and this is well-documented. However, it is your body's entirely natural response to caloric restriction and not "damage". Eat a little more and exercise including strength training.

Disclaimer: I am not an MD but I do have a doctorate in biology with graduate coursework in nutrition and energetics. FWIW IMHO the science of human nutrition is light years behind what we know about the nutrition of farm animals. We know exactly how much and what to feed a steer to affect it's rate of growth, fat content, marbling, and flavor. Same with many other animals. Scientists working with humans are at a disadvantage because they cannot ethically do the kinds of research that has advanced animal nutrition (i.e. feed animals certain food, and then slaughter them and determine their body composition or keep them in metabolic cages for weeks collecting feces and urine, measuring gas production etc.)

Finally, never ever believe anything that you read on the internet without doing your own research, including what I just wrote :-)

albayin · July 2014

yes, pretty much~ I want to be at the lower end of BMI.

WalkingAlong · July 2014

Borderline overweight by what measure? Are you comfortable saying your BMI? Is that you in the photo? If so, you haven't lost weight because you have no excess weight to lose. And I say that in all kindness and as someone who cares.

albayin · July 2014

by the "useless BMI" standard.

I know you have been kind to me always~ thank you~

albayin · July 2014

who says that? :sad: apparently not true...

albayin · July 2014

I want to weight less because I want to run faster, like breaking 9 min pace for my 10K or do more chin-ups.

FatFreeFrolicking · July 2014

^This.

If that's you in your picture, you aren't going to lose weight because you have no weight to lose. Our bodies aren't mean to lose weight- especially women.

All you can try to do is add lean muscle.

_Terrapin_ · July 2014

http://www.metaboliceffect.com/metabolic-damage-symptoms/

It would be helpful to know what others have asked. You height, weight, maybe your current 10k pace.

albayin · July 2014

I wish this were true "no weight to lose". I have big jiggling thighs and butt. My friends are smaller and thinner than me at same age, but they mange to lose more pounds than me by just running 2 miles a day...they made me feel stupid...I must be doing something wrong.

Exercise and Broken Metabolism

Replies

Categories