Recovering Metabolism

SavedByAmazingGrace

I've been eating around 800-1000 calories for while, I realize the damage I've done to my metabolism and im ready to fix this damage. I'm 5'2 and I'm having trouble finding the amount of calories I should eat. Should I eat my maintenance or the amount for fat loss. I plan on doing the 30 day shred for 2 days a week and her boost metabolism workout 3 days. How long do you think it would take for my metabolism to recover? If you have any other tips please tell me.

PikaKnight

If you want, check out this link by MFPer Heliotsdan - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

It'll give you a detailed walkthrough (with pictures even) on finding your TDEE and calculating what you should be eating.

Also, if you are worried about the calorie intake, I also suggest you read this thread that has numerous people who met their goals and are maintaining. Some for years and they also provide their calorie intake and how often they work out.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/816542-let-s-hear-it-for-maintainenance

And if you are looking for foods to help with upping your calorie intake, I suggest checking this out:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/410771-i-can-t-reach-my-calorie-goal-it-s-too-much-food

AntWrig

I've been eating around 800-1000 calories for while, I realize the damage I've done to my metabolism and im ready to fix this damage. I'm 5'2 and I'm having trouble finding the amount of calories I should eat. Should I eat my maintenance or the amount for fat loss. I plan on doing the 30 day shred for 2 days a week and her boost metabolism workout 3 days. How long do you think it would take for my metabolism to recover? If you have any other tips please tell me.

The amount of time it takes to rehab is based on the individual. That being said, what are your current macros?

SavedByAmazingGrace

I have them set to the ones MFP gave me

SavedByAmazingGrace

Thanks Joylia

mareeee1234

bump!

SavedByAmazingGrace

Bump

AntWrig

Joylia, provides some great links. Just know that your body will reset, so expect to gain some lbs on the scale. After you calculate your now marcos, I owuld increase calories by 100 every week until you reach your new macros. 25+ grams of carbs one week, 25+ grams of protein the next week, and 10 grams of fat another week.

DopeItUp

How long have you been eating at such a low calorie intake? The general suggestion is usually a MINIMUM of 7-10 days of your calculated maintenance. 2-4 weeks is pretty typical especially if you've been starving yourself for a long time. You might put on a couple pounds as you readjust.

AbsoluteNG

I've been eating around 800-1000 calories for while, I realize the damage I've done to my metabolism and im ready to fix this damage. I'm 5'2 and I'm having trouble finding the amount of calories I should eat. Should I eat my maintenance or the amount for fat loss. I plan on doing the 30 day shred for 2 days a week and her boost metabolism workout 3 days. How long do you think it would take for my metabolism to recover? If you have any other tips please tell me.

You have not damaged your metabolism. That's just nonsense. Your metabolism depends a great deal on your activity level and not how much you eat. If you want to know what it truly means to have a damaged metabolism, talk to someone with diabetes type 2. Their body literally can not use sugar anymore because they ate too much, not too little. There is no known disease associated with destroying your metabolism when you eat so little, only if you eat too much. If you are thinking Anorexia, you should know that it is a mental disorder and not a physical condition that could permently destroy how your body uses food. You might lose your period if you eat too little though.

AntWrig

I've been eating around 800-1000 calories for while, I realize the damage I've done to my metabolism and im ready to fix this damage. I'm 5'2 and I'm having trouble finding the amount of calories I should eat. Should I eat my maintenance or the amount for fat loss. I plan on doing the 30 day shred for 2 days a week and her boost metabolism workout 3 days. How long do you think it would take for my metabolism to recover? If you have any other tips please tell me.

You have not damaged your metabolism. That's just nonsense. Your metabolism depends a great deal on your activity level and not how much you eat. If you want to know what it truly means to have a damaged metabolism, talk to someone with diabetes type 2. Their body literally can not use sugar anymore because they ate too much, not too little. There is no known disease associated with destroying your metabolism when you eat so little, only if you eat too much. If you are thinking Anorexia, you should know that it is a mental disorder and not a physical condition that could permently destroy how your body uses food. You might lose your period if you eat too little though.

Prolonged dieting will result in a slower metabolism.

SavedByAmazingGrace

How long have you been eating at such a low calorie intake? The general suggestion is usually a MINIMUM of 7-10 days of your calculated maintenance. 2-4 weeks is pretty typical especially if you've been starving yourself for a long time. You might put on a couple pounds as you readjust.

I've been yo-yo dieting for 2 years so I would eat normal then restrict to 800-1000 calories so would it still take about a month and is there anyway to know that your metabolism is back to normal

alzaman5925

Just curious, how do you know that your metabolism is damaged? Has your weight loss plateaued out? If you don't know how to tell that your metabolism is back to normal, how can you be certain it's that damaged now? xx

SavedByAmazingGrace

Just curious, how do you know that your metabolism is damaged? Has your weight loss plateaued out? If you don't know how to tell that your metabolism is back to normal, how can you be certain it's that damaged now? xx

I can't lose any weight unless I eat low low amounts

LisaGirlfriend

I agree you HAVE damaged your metabolism because you can't lose weight eating so low... you need to follow the advice above and do your research with the links. There is so much great information on here. Good luck.

anzi888

You have not damaged your metabolism. That's just nonsense. Your metabolism depends a great deal on your activity level and not how much you eat. If you want to know what it truly means to have a damaged metabolism, talk to someone with diabetes type 2. Their body literally can not use sugar anymore because they ate too much, not too little. There is no known disease associated with destroying your metabolism when you eat so little, only if you eat too much. If you are thinking Anorexia, you should know that it is a mental disorder and not a physical condition that could permently destroy how your body uses food. You might lose your period if you eat too little though.
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You don't need to have diabetes to have a screwed up metabolism! ... My mother's physician told her that her metabolism had slowed wayyyy down due to years of dieting and eating too little. (this is years, not days).
There was a post on here about a woman that was eating at like 900cals and was stuck. She had to eat something like 1800(not sure about the number) a day to boost her metabolism (she gained a little until her body got used to it) and then she went back down to a healthy deficit and lost.

alzaman5925

Oh also, take someone who's been restricting their daily calories to maybe about 500 or lower for say two years, I've read that it may take months if not a year and then some to recover from the metabolic side effects of this. Relatively speaking, your calorie limit hasn't actually been that low, along with the fact that you've only been intermittently crash dieting, so I wouldn't worry too much about the time period. Maybe weeks? A couple of months at most! Provided of course that you have actually damaged your metabolism at all!

I ate at 800 calories for three months, along with exercising 4-5 times a week, and lost roughly 1.4 pounds a week without fail. (Though this will depend on one's body frame and size. 800 for a six foot male is pretty extreme!) So just focus on consuming enough nutrients and vitamins from your food, and work out your TDEE so that you can figure out a reasonable, slow deficit, if you're still set on losing more weight.

Others probably won't agree with me on this, but I'm just putting across what I've found from my own dieting experience. This weight loss stuff is really very individual, so you're just going to have to go with the flow of your own unique physiology!

alzaman5925

Though, I would lay off trying to lose any more weight at this point and just concentrate on maintaining for a couple of months. Again, work out your TDEE and eat to that number of calories, whilst expecting to gain a little. Pretty much what everyone else is saying. I doubt that your metabolism is shot - people hit plateaus when they reach a lower body fat percentage. You may just need a bit of a boost by giving your body a rest from dieting.

SavedByAmazingGrace

So it's okay for me to eat at maintenance? and I will be know my metabolism is better once I stop gaining weight?

Scandinavia

I am 5'8 and was in recovery for an eating disorder for about a month and a half. When I was inpatient, it took me about 3 weeks eating 2100+ a day with no exercise to boost my metabolism,

alzaman5925

So it's okay for me to eat at maintenance? and I will be know my metabolism is better once I stop gaining weight?

If your maintenance calories are a lot higher than what you're used to eating on a regular basis, then I would add on 100-200 cals a week until you reach maintenance happily. And yes, at some point after maintenance you should stop putting on any weight, and this is the moment at which you might consider losing those last three pounds, as well as anything else you might have put on, though this shouldn't be significant. Likely this will mostly be food and water weight. Try to exercise a little every day and keep as active as you can, as this will help boost your metabolism, so the fitness DVD's you mentioned are a good idea.

SavedByAmazingGrace

Okay, so I should still do weekly weight in?

alzaman5925

Okay, so I should still do weekly weight in?

Honestly, that's up to you. It might be helpful for you to check your weight every week since you're concerned about the state of your metabolism, and weighing yourself may be a good way to understand how your body is reacting to your increase in cals. When I reach maintenance in the future, this is what I will do.

SavedByAmazingGrace

Okay thanks, any more advice?

cmriverside

Okay thanks, any more advice?

Yes. Relax. Just eat at maintenance. Your 120 pound goal may or may not be realistic. You are so young - the one thing you don't need to do is become obsessed over this, and when you undereat your hormones and brain processes are out of whack. Be careful of doing damage to yourself - I know that's not what you want. Just live your life - eat healthy food. Get some exercise. You shouldn't need to be so worried over five pounds.

SavedByAmazingGrace

Okay thanks, any more advice?

Yes. Relax. Just eat at maintenance. Your 120 pound goal may or may not be realistic. You are so young - the one thing you don't need to do is become obsessed over this, and when you undereat your hormones and brain processes are out of whack. Be careful of doing damage to yourself - I know that's not what you want. Just live your life - eat healthy food. Get some exercise. You shouldn't need to be so worried over five pounds.

Thank You!

2hobbit1

Okay thanks, any more advice?

Yes. Relax. Just eat at maintenance. Your 120 pound goal may or may not be realistic. You are so young - the one thing you don't need to do is become obsessed over this, and when you undereat your hormones and brain processes are out of whack. Be careful of doing damage to yourself - I know that's not what you want. Just live your life - eat healthy food. Get some exercise. You shouldn't need to be so worried over five pounds.

Thank You!

You are already at a healthy weight and do not really need to lose weight. If you are not happy with you body shape then you need to look at changing your body composition. Look at your body fat percentage and amount of muscle you have. Take a look at strength training programs for beginners like stronglifts 5x5, starting strength, or new rules of lifting for women.

The new rules of lifting for women has a very good chapter on nutrition for woman that helps you see what your protein/carb/fat/calorie intake should be to help build strength and trim/modify you shape.

Check out the tools section at fat2fit radio they have a couple that will let you estimate your bodyfat% .http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/

You can lose inches without losing pounds with strength training rather than a lot of cardio. The 30DS is primarily cardio, check out New Rules of Lifting for Women - there is an active group here - there have been some amazing shape changes!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/119-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w-

SavedByAmazingGrace

Okay thanks, any more advice?

Yes. Relax. Just eat at maintenance. Your 120 pound goal may or may not be realistic. You are so young - the one thing you don't need to do is become obsessed over this, and when you undereat your hormones and brain processes are out of whack. Be careful of doing damage to yourself - I know that's not what you want. Just live your life - eat healthy food. Get some exercise. You shouldn't need to be so worried over five pounds.

Thank You!

You are already at a healthy weight and do not really need to lose weight. If you are not happy with you body shape then you need to look at changing your body composition. Look at your body fat percentage and amount of muscle you have. Take a look at strength training programs for beginners like stronglifts 5x5, starting strength, or new rules of lifting for women.

The new rules of lifting for women has a very good chapter on nutrition for woman that helps you see what your protein/carb/fat/calorie intake should be to help build strength and trim/modify you shape.

Check out the tools section at fat2fit radio they have a couple that will let you estimate your bodyfat% .http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/

You can lose inches without losing pounds with strength training rather than a lot of cardio. The 30DS is primarily cardio, check out New Rules of Lifting for Women - there is an active group here - there have been some amazing shape changes!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/119-new-rules-of-lifting-for-women-nrol4w-

Thanks