How to Fix a Slow Metabolism

LAST UPDATED NOVEMBER 1, 2022. PUBLISHED OCTOBER 20, 2022 BY ABBEY SHARP 24 COMMENTS

MEDICALLY REVIEWED BY ABBEY SHARP, REGISTERED DIETITIAN (RD), BASC.

We look into how to fix a slow metabolism, discuss metabolic damage and metabolic adaptation, and explore the Reverse Dieting and All In approaches.

Diet culture is powerful stuff. The allure of a new weight loss diet is so enticing, we often assume that even though the last 10 diets didn’t work, this next one will do the trick. Unfortunately, research suggests that for most people, weight loss diets are not sustainable in the long term and often result in re-gaining the lost weight – and then some. The reason for this weight cycling (aka weight loss and weight regain) is metabolic adaptation.

Metabolic adaptation, better known as metabolic damage or starvation mode, is the body’s response to long term caloric restriction or starvation. The term “metabolic damage” tends to make this seem like a really negative unfortunate side effect of caloric restriction or extreme dieting. In fact, metabolic adaptation is a normal and natural survival mechanism. When our body doesn’t have enough energy (calories) available to use, it slows down our metabolism to burn fewer calories throughout the day. This is literally a desperate attempt to preserve energy for the body to use for normal everyday functions like breathing, digestion, walking, standing, etc.

Based on what we know about metabolic adaptation and weight cycling, the ability of a person to lose a significant amount of weight for good and keep it off is up for debate. So let’s look at this from a calculation perspective and consider what would be required to change your body weight. A lot of people might believe that it’s as simple as energy in minus energy out, but it’s a lot more nuanced than that.