If you’re beginning to eat in a sustainable way and are wondering why you’re not dropping weight right away, there may be an answer for you! Your metabolism needs to recover in order to work optimally. If you have been a chronic yo-yo dieter for many years, your body is going to have to adjust to the increased amount of food you are giving it before it begins to lose the fat you are working to lose.
From Restricting to Increasing
If you have been eating 1,000-1,200 calories per day or fewer for a long period of time, this most likely has not been enough for your body. Once you begin to increase your caloric intake your body begins to adjust. Your body will not be used to an increase of 300-600 calories per day. Although this is a great way to reset your metabolism into a fat burning mode it does take time for your body to adjust, keep reading to understand why!
Starvation Mode to Fat Burning Mode
If you have been eating too few calories for a long period of time, your body has most likely gone into a starvation mode. You might have lost a few pounds the first few weeks you were dieting on a restricted calorie amount, but then your weight loss began to slow or stop. Your energy level probably began to decrease during the day and you might have started to crave lots of sweet and salty foods. You may have even begun to put on weight and your hunger and craving levels began to increase as well. When in a starvation mode, your body responds as if it will not be fed again for a long time and holds on to the weight you are trying to lose. Your body cannot possibly lose fat when you are not giving it enough calories. Increasing your exercise and decreasing your calories to a very low amount is not the answer to fat loss. This is why you must make slow shifts in your eating and exercise habits to move you toward a fat burning mode. Fat loss won’t happen right away at this point, and your metabolism will not instantly be fixed. Your metabolism is a work in progress and some adjustments to your macronutrients may need to be made to begin to see the best success for your body.
Quick Fix to Long-Term Sustainable Weight Loss
When you begin to increase your carbohydrate and calorie intake, you may feel bloated and feel overwhelmed by the amount of food you are having. However, this is your metabolism adjusting to the amount of calories and food you are having. After a few weeks of revving up your metabolism and possibly shifting macronutrient percentages, you will most likely begin to see slight results. Don’t get discouraged if it takes some time to see results. This is just your body getting used to a more sustainable way of eating. Remember, you’re taking care of your body and giving it the fuel that it needs to be fully energized!
