Repair damaged metabolism

Huiminlovesfood
Huiminlovesfood Posts: 85
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all, I just joined this awesome network today! Well, I actually need some great advice from people that have first hand experience on this issue- damaged metabolic rate. To be honest, I am at a healthy weight, weighing 49kg with a height Of 153cm. However, I would like to drop to 45 kg, just so I could look better in clothes. I was on a crazy diet 1.5 years ago, taking in lesser than 600 calories daily and exercising 5 days a week.I managed to shed lots of weight but at the same time could feel the drastic impact this diet had on my body. I decided to up my calories to 1000 and still continue to lose weight. However, after reading several articles on the net, I decided to up my calories even more in order to stay healthy. I began to eat 1500 calories per day and stopped all exercise. However, I wasted these calores on unhealthy food, mainly carbs and sugar! Now, I have gained back Around 75% of my weight! I need to lose some off! A few weeks ago, I started a diet That consists of high protein and low carbs , allowing myself to indulge once or twice a week. I managed to shed some 1 kg, but remained stagnant thereafter. I wanted to try to repair my damaged metabolism And was so shocked to hear that I had to eat more to gain weight. I just dont want to! I dont mind Remaining the same weight while repairing my metabolic rate, but definitely no weight gain please! I have a plan here and please advice me as to whether it works. Thanks. 1)Have 5 meals per day instead of my current 2 big meals 2) alternate 1200 to 1300 calories daily consisting of only highly nutritious food and no sweet tooth but allowing muscle to indulge once a week. ( question: is it possible to repair metabolism by switching to highly nutritious food but remaining at 1200- 1300 calories? I weight 49kg, 153 cm, and is currently a salesgirl. Not much walking , only standing. I swim twice a week with a duration of 45 mins yi an hour for each session

Replies

  • Jambe
    Jambe Posts: 58 Member
    High protein is great with as many low starch greens as you like and what I do 90% of the time. The other 10% is basically just days where ****'s going on. Kids Birthday or BBQ at the beach. Cycle carbs on those days. Two days a week of eating above maintenance works great.

    I would go from 1200-1400 calories About 250g Protein, to close to 2500 on the weekends and closer to 350g of Protein. Fill in the gaps with whatever your heart desires :p My choice was usually pizza and chinese food. Oatmeal and cheerios and lotsa milk. Mmm... milk.

    I am also quite a bit bigger than you.

    Right now I am just hovering around 2000 or so. Still losing fat%. Went from 341 to 191 over about 8 months, then I did a whole month of just eating everything in sight. Literally 6000+ calories a day. At least. I gained about 10 lbs over a month but I fixed everything and dropped it back off again within a few weeks by going back to my deficit. Took full advantage of it too by lifting very heavily. Yokin comments crack me up. Something like 200 fat 500 carb 500 protein a day. Hour of strength training and 20min of cardio a day.

    Muscle memory is a wonderful thing.

    Just make sure you supplement what you're lacking from diet. Potassium, calcium, multivitamin and fish oil are the big ones.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    1) eating more often than twice a day sounds sensible in general. 3 meals and two snacks perhaps.
    2) the difference between 1200 and 1300 isn't enough to get excited about or even notice.

    Your BMI is 21 so healthy as you say. Seems you just need to find your maintenance calories - your BMR is 1200-1300 calories, sedentary lifestyle would take that up to 1400-1600. A small deficit from that should work ok so try 1200-1300 for 4 weeks and see how the weight stabilises with 50g protein per day.

    If you gain steadily trim something off the food or add in a another (different) exercise session for 30-40 mins a week.
  • Huiminlovesfood
    Huiminlovesfood Posts: 85
    Hey thanks for your awesome advice! So u are with me with my idea on 1200 to 1300 calories per day? 2500 calories on weekend may sound to much. Perhaps I shall up my calories to 1800on cheat days. Sounds good?
  • Huiminlovesfood
    Huiminlovesfood Posts: 85
    Hey thanks for your advice! Hmm... Considering the fact that I have damaged my metabolism, I would say that my bmr is around 1000? So I would need around 1200 to 1400 calories per day? If I would like to repair my metabolism, how many calories should I aim for? Can I aim for 1200 and slowly increase it by 100 calories per week till 1400? I shall weigh myself every week to see the progress
  • leserpent
    leserpent Posts: 27 Member
    Hey thanks for your advice! Hmm... Considering the fact that I have damaged my metabolism, I would say that my bmr is around 1000? So I would need around 1200 to 1400 calories per day? If I would like to repair my metabolism, how many calories should I aim for? Can I aim for 1200 and slowly increase it by 100 calories per week till 1400? I shall weigh myself every week to see the progress

    metabolism is based on muscle mass. unless you've experience significant muscle atrophy, your metabolism isn't as "damaged" as you think. if you want to "increase" your metabolism, you can try lifting weights to increase or, at the minimum, retain lean muscle mass.
  • Huiminlovesfood
    Huiminlovesfood Posts: 85
    [/quote] metabolism is based on muscle mass. unless you've experience significant muscle atrophy, your metabolism isn't as "damaged" as you think. if you want to "increase" your metabolism, you can try lifting weights to increase or, at the minimum, retain lean muscle mass.
    [/quote] thanks
  • Huiminlovesfood
    Huiminlovesfood Posts: 85
    Also, will I look bulky by lifting weights?
  • theycallmebubba
    theycallmebubba Posts: 15
    There is no such thing as a "damaged metabolism". If your metabolic rate is lower it is because you have lost muscle mass. To put muscle back on you have to eat more and exercise with predominately strengh training instead of cardio. More lean muscle mass will raise your metabolic rate. It ain't magic it's muscle. You can view my diary if you want. I started a week ago and every single day have eaten over 2000 calories, and several days almost 3000. In that week I have also lost 9 lbs. The trick is exercising to compensate (eating back) for the calories. Just my two cents.
  • Huiminlovesfood
    Huiminlovesfood Posts: 85
    There is no such thing as a "damaged metabolism". If your metabolic rate is lower it is because you have lost muscle mass. To put muscle back on you have to eat more and exercise with predominately strengh training instead of cardio. More lean muscle mass will raise your metabolic rate. It ain't magic it's muscle. You can view my diary if you want. I started a week ago and every single day have eaten over 2000 calories, and several days almost 3000. In that week I have also lost 9 lbs. The trick is exercising to compensate (eating back) for the calories. Just my two cents.
    Thanks. I feel so much better hearing that metabolism cannot be damaged. But if that's the case, why do people metabolism slow down as they aged? Is it due the loss of muscle mass? But how?
  • theycallmebubba
    theycallmebubba Posts: 15
    People require fewer calories as they age for many reasons. Muscle loss is a big part of that. Also cell division starts to slow after 30 and this process is progressive. The idea of a "damaged metabolism" is an old one and more recent data contradicts it. The body is an amazing machine and can recover if you start treating yourself right. Read up on good nutrition and don't be afraid to eat enough calories to thrive. Just have a good understanding of your caloric needs. For myself, I had to come to an understanding of how many calories I was actually consuming. That's where the logging comes in handy.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    People also get less active as they age.
  • healthymission92
    healthymission92 Posts: 157
    metabolism is based on muscle mass. unless you've experience significant muscle atrophy, your metabolism isn't as "damaged" as you think. if you want to "increase" your metabolism, you can try lifting weights to increase or, at the minimum, retain lean muscle mass.
    [/quote] thanks
    [/quote]

    Is this true? about metablosim based on muscle mass? I was worried mine may be damaged after doing a few fad diets. But my muscle mass has actually increased, so maybe not?
  • Huiminlovesfood
    Huiminlovesfood Posts: 85
    People require fewer calories as they age for many reasons. Muscle loss is a big part of that. Also cell division starts to slow after 30 and this process is progressive. The idea of a "damaged metabolism" is an old one and more recent data contradicts it. The body is an amazing machine and can recover if you start treating yourself right. Read up on good nutrition and don't be afraid to eat enough calories to thrive. Just have a good understanding of your caloric needs. For myself, I had to come to an understanding of how many calories I was actually consuming. That's where the logging comes in handy.
    Cool! Thanks for the information that there is no such thing as damaged metabolism. If I were to continue to eat at a deficit of approximately 200 calories daily, but switch my food choices to those that are highly nutritious, will that do the job?
  • recoiljpr
    recoiljpr Posts: 292
    Cool! Thanks for the information that there is no such thing as damaged metabolism. If I were to continue to eat at a deficit of approximately 200 calories daily, but switch my food choices to those that are highly nutritious, will that do the job?

    My diary is open, feel free to take a look. I knocked out all of the garbage carbs, etc out of my diet. Like others, I have upped my protein and try to get at least 3+ cups of veggies a day. I've dropped 25 lbs in the past 40 days just doing that (along with my weight and cardio workouts).

    My wife, who like you had lost her weight by eating very little (600 - 800 calories) got stuck in a year long rut. With her seeing what i've done for myself in the past month has switched her diet to mirror mine. She is already starting to see great results! (She is 5' 8" 145 lbs and is averaging around 1200 - 1300 calories).
  • theycallmebubba
    theycallmebubba Posts: 15
    ]Cool! Thanks for the information that there is no such thing as damaged metabolism. If I were to continue to eat at a deficit of approximately 200 calories daily, but switch my food choices to those that are highly nutritious, will that do the job?

    You should probably get some exercise too. Also, one pound of fat has roughly 3500 calories. To lose one pound a week that means you have to have a deficit of 500 calories a day. But the number that mfp gives you already has that deficit included, if you put in the right information. You don't need to eat less than that number. If you do get exercise, eat those calories on top of your daily number. Best, Jeff
  • PrincessNikkiBoo
    PrincessNikkiBoo Posts: 330 Member
    Save for later
  • NoleGirl0918
    NoleGirl0918 Posts: 213 Member
    bump for later

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