The word “metabolism” is often misunderstood, but it’s a crucial part of our health and fitness journey. It’s the process where your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. Think of it as a busy little factory inside you, working to keep everything running smoothly—from vital functions like breathing and heartbeats to activities like walking your dog or playing with your kids. 

So how does metabolism support fat loss and long-term body changes?

The Three Steps to Understanding Your Metabolism

1. Metabolism Defined: Metabolism is the process where your body converts what you eat and drink (calories) into energy. Your body utilizes food as fuel to keep you alive, alert and active.
   
2. Adequate Fuel: Consuming enough calories is like keeping your phone at 100% battery power. Your metabolism is the same – when you are fueling it properly, it can function at its absolute best! This is why tracking macros can be so effective when it comes to long term health and results: it allows you to know that you have the proper macro goals (thus, enough calories) for your body to run efficiently.
   
3. Prolonged Calorie Restrictions: A prolonged calorie restriction is like keeping your phone at 50% battery, or less. The longer you are in a calorie deficit, and the lower you go in that calorie deficit, the more the battery power is drained. When this happens, your body activates a “safety mechanism” that will cause your metabolism to prioritize vital functions (breathing, heartbeat) over non-vital functions (fat loss, digestion, libido) in order to keep you alive – what you may know as a “slow metabolism” or “metabolic damage”. 

Our body cannot tell the difference between being stranded on an island with no food vs. an intentional calorie restriction. It only knows that it needs to keep you alive. This is why many women who have been dieting for years notice:

• Unexpected weight regain, even while eating 1,200 calories.
• Digestive upset and random bloating for no reason.
• Mass energy crashes that push you to live off of your 2 PM caffeine fix.
• Increased irritability and lashing out at friends and family.
• And your libido…who knows her?

These are major signs that it’s time to heal your metabolism through a reverse diet.

Healing Your Metabolism

As someone who struggled with metabolic damage from eating 1,200 calories for many years of my life, I know that the initial realization of how our food choice impacts our day to day health can be a bit of a shock. Know that you are not alone and you are not broken, Beautiful Peach.

I have been in your shoes, have healed my own metabolism (as well as supported over 3,500+ women do the same), and I even went on to write my masters thesis ON reverse dieting for long term health and food freedom, you can be next!

What is a Reverse Diet?

A reverse diet is the process of gradually and strategically increasing your caloric intake after prolonged calorie deficits to boost your metabolism. When done properly, you will not see the mass weight regain associated with eating more.

This transition from a caloric deficit to higher intake during the reverse diet will support your body in building your battery back up, allowing your body to heal:

• You can go from 1200 calories to 2,000+ calories without the mass weight regain associated with eating more. This in turn allows you to lose fat (if that is your goal) without ever needing to drop your calories to an unhealthy low level ever again.
• Your digestive system will regulate, supporting a decrease in bloat and water retention.
• You can finally ditch the caffeine addiction…and the jitters that sometimes come with it.
• You’ll no longer lash out at friends and family.
• And your libido…she is back in full force!

Reverse dieting changed my life. It can change yours too!

Find Support in Healing Your Metabolism Through Reverse Dieting

For those feeling excited about finding a long term solution and are ready to start a reverse diet: check out my Reverse Diet Course, which offers a step-by-step guide to adjusting your macros and healing your metabolism. If you prefer more accountability and support, hop over to my Beautiful Peach Mastermind to learn if working with me as your coach is a good fit.

For those who are still on the fence and unsure if you need a reverse diet, you are also always welcome to DM me the word “quiz” on Instagram to take my quiz that tells you EXACTLY where to start based on your personal goals, history, and metabolism! All you need to do is DM me the word “quiz” on Instagram and I will send it your way

Don’t forget how worthy you are of reaching your goals!