Have you asked yourself this?
“If I haven’t been dieting recently, do I really need to reverse diet?”
And the answer? It depends on your metabolism.
Reverse dieting isn’t just for women coming off a calorie deficit or hardcore cut.
If your metabolism has adapted (aka slowed down) — whether from years of on-and-off diets or unintentional under-eating — a reverse diet could be the missing piece that gets you out of your plateau and into fat-burning mode again.
Two Common Scenarios I See Every Day
Let’s walk through both.
Scenario 1: You’ve never “dieted” before, and you’re eating 2,000+ calories a day.
You want to lose weight, and you’re wondering if you can just go straight into a calorie deficit.
✅ Yes, you can, as long as your metabolism is healthy.
❌ No, you shouldn’t slash to 1200 calories just because a random diet on IG or MyFitnessPal said so.
What most women don’t realize is that even after a calorie deficit, you’ll still need to reverse diet back up to maintenance.
Why?
To keep the fat off long term and avoid rebound weight gain.
Scenario 2: You’ve been in a deficit for a while and it’s no longer working.
You started at 2000… dropped to 1500… now you’re eating 1200 and nothing is changing.
Cue: fatigue, cravings, bloating, loss of period, hormonal disruption, food guilt, and wondering why nothing works.
👉 This is what I studied in my Master’s thesis: metabolic adaptation.
Your body isn’t broken, it’s just adapted to what it thinks is “normal” for survival.
What Is Metabolic Adaptation? And Why It Matters
Metabolic adaptation is your body’s natural way of protecting you when calories stay too low for too long.
📉 You might notice:
- Low energy
- Crazy hunger (or none at all)
- Mood swings
- Hormonal imbalances
- Plateaued fat loss, even on low calories
Your body starts turning down the dial on every system to preserve energy — and that includes fat burning. This is why it feels like your metabolism is fighting you… because it kinda is.
So Who Really Needs a Reverse Diet?
If you’re stuck, plateaued, or even gaining fat at low intake…a reverse diet isn’t optional. It’s essential.
Even if you’re “eating clean,” tracking protein, or doing all the “right” things… if your metabolism is working against you, none of it will matter.
If you’re unsure where your metabolism currently sits, this is a great place to start. My free starter kit helps you assess your intake and decide whether a reverse diet is your next best move.
Fat Loss Is NOT About Eating Less
It’s about eating enough, and of the right things, to get your body into a place where fat loss is even possible.
You can’t force results from a broken system.
But you can rebuild.
And if you’re still unsure whether you “qualify” for a reverse, I’d also check out this episode about needing one even with 10+ pounds to lose.
The Hard Truth About Waiting
You can spend another 6 months bouncing from plan to plan, wondering why your body isn’t changing.
Or you can decide today to fix the root problem: your metabolism.
Because once it’s healed?
That’s when everything starts working again — your energy, your hunger cues, your mood, and yes, your fat loss results.
And if you’ve been tracking macros but still feel stuck, it might be time to check if those macros are actually aligned with your metabolism right now.
This doesn’t have to be the year you stay stuck.
Let it be the year you start over — smarter.
