Can you really “reset” your metabolism? 

Technically – no. We don’t have a reset button at the cellular level, BUT there are several things we can do to bring things back to “factory settings” I like to say. You know, the settings your body and metabolism are supposed to have, but things get off course along the way…from years of dieting, stress, losing and gaining the same 10 pounds, maybe a pregnancy or two, etc. 

How do you know if you need to “reset” your metabolism? Here are some signs of a run-down metabolism:

• You’re struggling with weight loss resistance
• You think about food all the time OR your appetite is just not what it used to be
• You are not hungry in the morning, you don’t need breakfast
• Your weight always jumps up after one night or weekend of indulging
• You’re tired all day and exhausted, but then can’t sleep at night 
• Periods are a rollercoaster
• Your cravings are wild, you are not able to control yourself sometimes
• You have a hard time focusing during the day/brain fog
• Low BBT/pulse rate
• Frequent constipation
• Labs come back normal but something doesn’t seem right

If you’re dealing with more than one of these – it’s time for some serious metabolic love. Because here’s the thing – none of these things are normal, even though our culture makes it seem like it is. 

You’re supposed to feel fan-freakin-tabulous every day. You’re supposed to have all-day energy without a drop of coffee. You’re supposed to maintain a healthy weight effortlessly. 

Good news: no matter how many signs of a run-down metabolism you have, it’s fixable!

In order to bring our metabolism back to “factory settings” or function how it was designed to in the first place, there are 3 things you NEED to understand (they are probably going to change everything you thought you knew about weight btw).

#1: Eating less doesn’t work

How many times have you decreased your calories to lose weight? And it works….until it doesn’t. Your body starts to adapt to essentially living off of only half of a tank of gas.

Your “metabolic car” is forced to make shortcuts with less fuel in the tank and one of the first shortcuts is burning fat. Keeping your heart pumping and your lungs breathing, for example, are much more important to keep you alive.

When you think back to times when you majorly cut your calories, eventually you would start eating a normal amount again because it’s just not sustainable. Now, here is the kicker – you just put yourself into a calorie SURPLUS and weight gain is likely to occur.

…and then you start the whole process over again because you’re still trying to lose weight.

Instead? Focus on providing the body with enough protein, healthy fat, and fiber (PHFF). Fill up your “metabolic gas tank”! This will:

• Keep you satisfied – the last thing you need is to feel hangry when trying to lose weight. It’s also going to prevent you from thinking about food all the time and seeking snacks all day long.

• Balance your blood sugar (which I’ll touch on more in a bit).
• Provide your body with enough nutrients – you can’t have a revved metabolic fire without enough fuel.

Learn more about PHFF here.

#2: Exercising more doesn’t work

Typically, when you try to lose weight you probably increase your workouts, especially ones that are higher in intensity and really work up a sweat (OTF, HIIT, cardio). It works at first because you are burning more calories, however, you eventually run into problems down the road:

• You’re probably also eating a lot fewer calories so your energy TANKS and you can’t keep up long-term.
• You’re probably exercising too much and it’s too much stress to the body, creating major inflammation.
• Your body will adjust to you burning 500+ calories from workouts all the time and as soon as you stop, the weight will creep back on.

Instead?

Focus on more non-stressful movement > high calorie burning workouts.

What is non-stressful movement?

• Walking!
• Low-impact strength training
• Chores around the house
• Getting in more steps all day
• Using a standing desk
• Yoga/stretching
• Easy bike ride

When you do exercise, prioritize strength training over high-intensity cardio, HIIT training, and bootcamp classes. Strength training helps us build more muscle and this directly increases our metabolic rate. If you’re struggling with a run-down metabolism, muscle is often missing from the picture. We can get really hung up on burning the most calories, but we want to work out smarter, not harder. Stop putting your body through so much strenuous movement when, in reality, you can see amazing results and FEEL amazing when you adjust the focus.

#3: There’s something a lot more important than calories: blood sugar

If you’re thinking everything comes back to calories for weight loss…kindly think again. 

Weight loss just isn’t as simple as calories in vs. calories out. Think about it….if this were really true, would so many of us be struggling so much with weight loss and our metabolism? If you’re reading this, you have certainly tried eating in a calorie deficit before. Can you honestly say that it was a long-term solution?

What matters more than calories? Blood sugar, baby. 

Here’s why: when our blood sugar is all over the place from how we are eating or a lack of movement, our body has a really hard time staying in a fat-burning mode. We have to use more insulin to manage our blood sugars and insulin is a fat-storing hormone. This means that our fat-burning hormone, glucagon, can’t be the star of the show as much.

So stay with me here – if you’re eating in a calorie deficit, but your blood sugar is riding a crazy roller coaster all day – ***your hormones are unable to support fat burning efficiently. 

AKA: ignoring your blood sugar balance makes fat loss harder. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Metabolism Makeover® (@themetabolismmakeover)

Learn more about eating for balanced blood sugar here. 

Did I just completely turn your view of weight loss upside down? I hope so!

We are a team of Registered Dietitians who help women just like you unlearn everything about their dieting mindsets and blast through their weight loss resistance. 

How do we do this? We teach you how your metabolism actually works! It’s so much more than eating less and exercising more, and the diet industry has been a disservice to you by not explaining that.

We are different from almost anything you’ve tried before because this isn’t a quick fix. We actually tell our clients to NOT expect weight loss in the first 30 days. 

We are helping you provide metabolic repair, and this is something that takes several months. Think of it like this: for every year of undereating or yo-yo dieting, your body needs at least a month to repair and recover from that.

Good news though: we have the support you need for your journey. 

VIP 1:1 coaching is our most high-touch and individualized support for women exactly like you:

• You want to lose weight and it’s not happening
• You have several signs of a broken metabolism
• You have years of dieting and food rules to unlearn (yes, you can eat carbs!)
• You need someone to tell you exactly what to do and focus on, no more beating around the bush
• You’re READY. You know you deserve to feel your best. You have the motivation and drive, you just need to pull the trigger with the right support.

Learn more about resetting your metabolism here by watching this free webinar: Sneaky Signs of a Broken Metabolism. 

If you’re ready for 1:1 support and to make sure you’re a good fit to work with our team, fill out an application here. 

Coach Elle