Does your metabolism eventually speed up?

nxd10

This stint on MFP is my first ever attempt to lose weight. I'm 55. I hit my goal range 18 months ago. I'm 5'10", with a goal range of 150-155. I was between 150-153 for about a year, mostly at the 153 end during the winter, at the 150 end when it is warmer.

Starting in June I first dropped down 150 and am now at 146. I've lost even more inches than pounds. I haven't changed anything much. I am netting the same as I was in the winter, although I am walking a few thousand steps more a day. This weight is fine for me, although lighter than anything I've been as an adult when I wasn't nursing my sons. I'm still losing a tiny bit every week, but I think some of it will come back in the fall. That has been my pattern for the last 35 years - a few pounds up in the fall, down in the spring.

My question: I don't want to lose much more weight - and hadn't planned this weight loss at all. Does your metabolism eventually speed up when you are at a lower weight? I'm trying to figure out why I'm losing and whether to increase my calories. I have not been hungry, but there are always ways to add more into your day if you need them.

3laine75

Yes, your metabolism starts to catch up when you start eating more. We have a maintenance range, rather than a set number.

I wouldn't say it speeds up because you get lighter though. You are maybe more active than normal but haven't noticed?

Spiderkeys

I've learn to completely control mine, for me 2 or 3 big meals a day, is more effiective than 6 little meals a day, only downside I'm starving between them.

heybales

Like many, you likely did suppress to some degree your daily burn, it's more than just your metabolism though, it's everything.

But either you didn't do it to a bad extent, or you kept eating less to get around it.

Study has shown that then eating at maintenance, even that suppressed maintenance, will slowly recover.

So you probably have, so now you can eat more.

One of the first things suppressed is other daily movement outside what is needed or exercise.
That leaves more calories for what the body really needs them for.

So you may be moving now more like you used to, or actually more since it might be easier to move.

So add 100 extra daily.

Just to keep your fears in check with that amount.

If you ate 100 calories daily over true maintenance, and your metabolism did NOT go up, it would take 35 days to slowly gain 1 lb.
Reread that.

So if eating 100 extra for a few days causes 2 lb gain and no inches, then you were still eating suppressed, and just topped off some more glycogen stores in your muscles. Kind of desired weight by the body, just like extra blood volume in the summer.
You wouldn't drain blood just to lose weight hopefully.

elisa123gal

I thought maintenance was eating the amount calories it takes to maintain a certain body weight. so just eat more and weigh youreself everyday and see how much you need to be eating to weigh what you want.

NuggetLovesEdie

I'm definitely no expert, just another wingnut on the internet.

However something that struck me when I read your post is that you've lost inches if not necessarily weight.

This means you have more muscle mass than you did before.

Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue.

Maybe that's part of the answer to your question?