Is it possible to "re set" metabolism?

[Bluesheep8]

Hi. In brief, I lost several stone doing ww propoints over a number of years and have kept it off for over 6 years. I've done this by eating very little during the day, salad and fruit, and eating carefully for my evening meal during the week (think cauli rice for example and lots of ww recipes) then drinking as much wine as I want and relaxing quite a lot food wise at the weekends. I maintained my weight for 6 years by doing this. In the last year, I have gained almost a stone and have honestly done nothing differently. I have just returned to Ww and am doing smart points. This means that I am supposed to be eating MORE during the week. I am meant to have 23 sp per day, but the habit I've got into meant that by the end of my first day, yesterday I had only eaten 14 sp. Is it possible I will lose weight eating MORE? I am well aware that my weekend wine has to be reduced and will spend my weeklies on that but it feels odd and a bit scary to be eating MORE. All advice welcome, tia

Hopeful bump

From what I understand, yes is the answer. You be slowed your metabolism down by eating so little. I'd install the MyFitnessPal app and spend the next 2-3 weeks eating at least 1800 calories a day. You are almost certain to put on some pounds but your metabolism will be more or less back to normal and you can revert to your low calorie intake and will lose weight again.

I have read that the body goes into “starvation mode” if you don’t consume enough calories. Also your metabolism does adjust to what you eat so can burn the same number of calories less effectively. I am not a nutritionist or PT have read a lot about weight loss and fitness. If I were you I would try to eat three balanced meals a day, stop counting calories etc, and see how you go. A little bit of exercise would probably help you.

I would recommend reading Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes. He explains about metabolism, how it becomes broken and how it can be fixed.

Thank you so much for the replies. I'm well aware that the little I eat Monday to Friday is probably putting me into some sort of starvation mode, then I see weekends as treat time so my body is probably grabbing hold of everything at the weekend, including the habitual wine in readiness for the drop in calories to come on Monday! I'm going to carry on with ww as it will encourage me to eat more during the week. I even had breakfast at work today (overnight oats) for the first time in about 5 years. I am also up to my full 23 points today so I'm really pleased with that. Thanks again

I will also look at that book. My metabolism is definitely broken! Thank you

Following as I have similar eating (and drinking!) habits.

Download Paul McKenna I can make you slim app. It teaches your body how to recognise when it's full and retrains your brain to only eat when hungry and not emotional eating. It talks about metabolism and how to work with your bodies.

I eat like you op.

Today I had a protein shake and some cous cous salad with prawns . That's it. I've had 3 g&t (slimline)

But I am still overweight and my metabolism seems broken. I run 5k every other day. I don't lose a bean so I'm watching with interest!

I think you can. I had BED unbeknownst to me for 12yrs. I would eat jack all for days, then binge. My body did seem to ve in starvation mode, as my weight crept up and up due to clinging to the calories in those binges so hard! After diagnosis i was told it would take 18mo to reset my metabolism. I started eating more, and regularly. I put on a stone, and it took every ounce of strength in my mind not to panic and starve myself! Exactly 18mo on, i suddenly started losing! Now 6kg down in 2mo and my hair is thick and shiny, my skin suddenly bloomed too. I can only think i have finally successfully made my body believe the famine is over and it can relax a lil!

Er I don't think so. Sounds like you're eating /drinking more than you realise at the weekend

I’d guess that it’s your drinking wrecking havoc.

All good points and interesting replies. Thank you

Also, I maintained my weight eating (And drinking) like this for 5 years. Nothing I'm doing has changed but my weight has increased in the last year. Thyroid normal apparently.

Bluesheep i was the same, i went to the docs in a panic because nothing had changed, but my weight went up? I screwed down what i ate more, weight continued to steadily clock up! It was out of control, truly.

How old are you OP?
I’m in my 40s and have had to take drastic action. Unfortunately it’s a harsh choice-I could eat what I want (I’m not really a drinker) and be around two stone overweight (I naturally sit at a particular weight). But I hate it so instead I have deployed Taubes’ methods (see the book mentioned above) and weigh two stone less.

It is a considerable sacrifice and not for everyone. The foods which cause me weight gain and cravings I simply no longer eat them. I miss them sometimes but frankly being slim is worth it.

The foods are: cereal grains, potatoes, sugar/sweeteners*

I limit starchy veg and legumes and the only fruit I eat is berries. *I do eat 85% chocolate so I’m not entirely sugar free (and the berries) but this doesn’t affect me re cravings. My big problem was starchy carbs. If I ate one bit of bread I wanted the whole loaf.

the key here is to increase your muscle mass so it burns more fuel.
so yes you can reset your metabolism but you need to do so by increasing your muscle mass via fitness.
as you age you naturally loose muscle mass and our body's become for efficient in how they move/work.

All interesting replies, Thank you. In answer to a pp, I'm 45 and this weight gain has happened over the last year. As I said, I am doing nothing different from what I was doing in order to maintain my weight, honestly!

onlinealienator thank you for sharing your story. It's definitely not B.E.D but my body probably thinks it is iyswim as weekend eating/drinking is vastly different from weekdays

45 that is a typical age for this. It partially due to perimenopause.

Thanks knitclub so yes, it's the truth when the doctor just shrugs and says "it's your age, bluesheep"

Also had hormone levels checked and was told they are "normal" same as thyroid. I think normal is my drs favourite word!

And the good news is, re joining WW has made me think seriously about my drinking. I don't drink at all Monday to Thursday but then start the weekend with a bottle of wine on a Friday. Last night, I had two of the little individual bottles with 1 glass in each instead. That is a huge achievement for me as coming home from work on Friday is my danger time. Instead, I went shopping to look for low SP food so got home later than normal. Next week I will go for a walk at danger time and continue like that.

On a calorie basis, you’ll find a gin and slimline tonic a huge saving vs. a glass of wine. Sometimes its making small changes.

Sadly some of us reach an age when our metabolism just puts the breaks on, and we have to really reassess what we eat and drink.
You’re not alone!

I’m off to buy that book.

I don’t think metabolism breaks quite that easily. Otherwise our distant ancestors (who probably starved quite often in between successful hunts) would all have been fat... For starvation mode to happen you have to actually starve (as in, people can count your ribs through your tshirt).

most likely it's a few different factors :

• your age (you probably need less energy than before, so no, eating more probably isn't a solution)
• you may have slowly started drinking more and more
• are you sure you count calories/points properly ? Don't eyeball portions, at least at first - weigh and measure first so that you know what it's supposed to look like

What I'd do :

• do not force yourself to eat more during the week. Check your portion sizes and count everything (including coffee if you put milk/sugar in it that's 75-100 kcal per cup)
• Keep being active
• set a limit on your drinking (no more than 2-3 glasses per day, only during the weekend).

Try that for a couple of months and see how it's working for you.