subject: Are You A Professional Dieter? [print this page] There are such people in the world that may be considered career dieters. Those who participate in the latest fad diets, become yo-yo dieters, skip meals, avoid balanced meals, consume excess carbohydrates, do not eat enough protein, shun the fat or eat mostly processed foods usually end up harming their metabolism.
As the metabolism is basically how well your body processes the food you eat when you do not eat healthily your body is unable to do its job properly. Along with creating the energy a human body burns metabolism refers to the all of the chemical processes that occur at a cellular level to sustain life. So, metabolism is not just about weight/fat loss, it is about protecting your health as well.
Many people after quick weight loss drop the amount of calories they eat way too low and this is one of the main reasons why dieters suffer from a slowed metabolism. When you slice fuel (calories) below maintenance level, your body switches on the 'survival mode' where your body will hang on to every bit of fat in an effort to hold off what it perceives to be as starvation.
If you have not been eating properly for some time and swinging between weight loss and even weight gain your metabolism will be slowed and your body's hormones will have become disrupted and unbalanced. This will mean it is difficult for you to recognize real hunger signals and you will be plagued with hunger and cravings that are hormonal in their origin. These will cause you to overeat and gain weight.
To get off this damaging merry-go-round you need to get yourself on a proper program of balanced eating. You may have to accept that weight may not be lost as you expect straight away. You did not mess up your metabolism overnight and it is not going to repair itself overnight either.
This rebuilding process can take some time and your body has to go through a healing process before it will begin melting body fat. You will need to eat a proper balance of each of the macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fats) which will help rebuild your metabolism and getting it running smoothly again.
To rebuild your metabolism it is important not to go on any more 'diets'. This may take some discipline as it may have been something that you have done for a long time. You need to accept that you will need a more conservative approach as your body is done with dieting. Eating balanced small meals every 2-3 hours throughout the day with a serving of protein is a good way to start rebuilding your metabolic engine.
A proper program of strength training exercise is the fastest way to restore your muscle tone. This is the tissue where fat is burnt for energy and its health is vital for your body composition (muscle/fat ratio). Just by getting those two major things in place will go a long way to restoring the health of your metabolism. You will be on the right track to achieve that strong, lean healthy body that you would love to live in.
