Thinking you’ve irreparably ruined your metabolism through years of crash or yo-yo dieting is a fear that many women have. I want you to know that it is possible to improve your metabolism! By focusing on strength training, the right number of carbohydrates for your body, and working with your Basal Metabolic Rate, you can start to fix your body’s metabolism.

 

How to Improve Your Metabolism

1. Start a Strength Training Routine
2. Understand Your Body’s Response to Carbohydrates
3. Learn your Base Metabolic Rate
4. Consider a Reverse Diet

 

The Chief Complaint: “I Ruined My Metabolism”

One of the most common concerns my coaching clients come to me with is that they think they’ve ruined their metabolism. The reasons for thinking this stem from restrictive diets in the past that don’t work anymore. Or possibly gaining weight even while on an eating regime.

 

Metabolism and Your Basal Metabolic Rate

To be perfectly honest, there are conflicting opinions out there about whether it’s physically possible to ruin your metabolism. In my experience, I’ve certainly seen some women who have it harder than others to change their body composition. And yes, some of it can be down to previous dietary decisions.

To make headway in repairing your metabolism - or, at least, figuring out what you should do to work on your body composition - I recommend figuring out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the number of calories your individual body needs to run and work the way it’s supposed to.

Your BMR is personal to you and it’s based on many different factors, including your current weight and height, activity level, and body fat percentage. Once you know your BMR, it’s more straightforward for you to figure out how many calories you should eat to change your body composition.

 

How to Improve Your Metabolism

In more extreme cases, I’d suggest trying something like a reverse diet. This essentially means that you gradually increase your calories over time in an attempt to kickstart your metabolism again.

But this isn’t the only way I’d suggest to improve your metabolism. Strength training plays a big part in your body’s metabolism and its ability to make body composition changes. This is why I always, always recommend that women, no matter their age, find a sustainable and healthy way to incorporate weight training into their regular routine.

When you’re following a stricter eating plan, especially one that involves any kind of calorie restriction, I always recommend planning a regular Power Meal. This is a higher calorie meal that works similar to the reverse diet, reminding your body what it’s like to eat more.

 

Homework for Women Physicians

What’s your favorite strength training exercise? What does your ideal weight loss (or gain) plan look like? Let me know in the comments on the episode page.

 

In This Episode 

• Why you might think you’ve ruined your metabolism [2:00]
• What you need to know about your Basal Metabolic Rate [7:30]
• How Reverse Dieting works to help your metabolism [13:00]
• Why you need to start strength training [15:00]
• How a Power Meal can impact your metabolism [20:30]

 

Quotes

“I want to start by saying that wherever you are if you are choosing to make a change, it is possible.” [3:07]

“I think the idea of constantly being able to make small changes and fluctuate things is actually super healthy.” [19:53]

“The way that I approach weight loss with individuals is to lose the weight the way that you plan to maintain the weight loss.” [23:11]

“Find that contentment in every day. Enjoy this journey because the happiness is not going to come at the end of the journey. The happiness will be discovered in the journey.” [26:26]

 

Resources Mentioned

Check out the full episode page here

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Podcast production by the team at Counterweight Creative

 

Related Episodes

Episode 34: "I Don't Lose Weight As Fast As Others"

Episode 37: “I Don’t Understand Macros”

Episode 36: “I Am Not Motivated To Improve My Health”