Is it possible to 'break' your metabolism? Have I knackered mine?

[sassy]

OK, I am 34yo, 2 kids (younger is 2yo). I weigh 11st6, this is heavier than I have ever been in my life (except pgs) - my 'normal' weight is 10st7ish; my ideal weight under 10st. Since dd2 was born my weight settled at 11st2, yoyoed a bit when I ytried a no-carbs thang for a few weeks but since Xmas has been 11st6 REGARDLESS.

I am being careful about what I eat. IN fact, I prob eat less now than ever in my adult life - not excessively tiny amounts but smallish portions. I do weekly pilates and am quite good now, so bit of muscle weight there. I have recently started running 2x a week, managing about 1.5miles at the mo, want to build up to 2mi soon.

What should I be doing? I am really paranoid that the no-carb thing has shot my body and I am stuck like this now.

I was thinking exactly the same. I did no carbs for 2 weeks last month and stopped as I hadn't lost any weight.

Since then I've gone back to eating normally and sensibly and in 2 weeks have put 2lbs on. I am now the heaviest I've ever been. Like you though I'm running, so trying to convince myself its muscle. But the scales are making me depressed.

Did you see Louise Rednapp on the TV last night, she did no carbs for a month and the doctor warned her that when she stopped the diet she could end up heavier than normal because of her matabolism been changed.

So I'm hoping its only a temporary change and will soon get back to normal.

A really good thing to do is take kelp to boost metabolism and encourage the body to shed waste. Dry skin brush - this will move the lymph which filters waste out. Drink some Pure Plan from a health food shop unless bf- this will encourage toxin removal. Eat some lecithin before each meal -this will break down fat and also break down fat stored in liver and finally drink nettle tea every day to rid waste. And just eat sensibly, small portions no junk food.

Hi Sassy

Well it's not the diet par se which changes your metabolism, but the effect it has on your hormones, which can take about six months to recover. Trust me on this, I spent months being prodded by endocrinologists and the good news is there is nothing you can do to totally bugger your metabolism permanently EXCEPT perhaps removal of the pertuitary gland (I think I spelled that wrong).

Excercise is a great way to ramp things up BUT you do know you have to drink lots of water too because if your body is dehydrated it hangs on to everything.

Oh and expect to lose four pounds a month, that way you will keep it off and won't get all overexcited when you drop 10 lbs the first week and nothing for three weeks. Personally I threw the scales away and go on clothes fit. Whatever works for you.