Reversing metabolic damage with strategic exercise and nutrition

Metabolism is like your body's engine. When it's running smoothly, you feel energetic, burn calories efficiently, and can enjoy life without stressing over every single meal or workout.

- SAPNA VYAS

But for many people, years of restrictive diets, intense workouts, or chronic stress have thrown that engine out of whack.

What is 'metabolic damage' and how does it happen?

It is when your body slows down its calorie-burning process to conserve energy due to prolonged periods of low-calorie intake or excessive exercise. It's like when your phone's battery saver mode kicks in to make the charge last longer. But in your body's case, it means a sluggish metabolism, fatigue, stubborn weight gain and sometimes even digestive or hormonal issues.

This happens because when you are in a prolonged calorie deficit, your body senses a food shortage and makes adjustments to help you survive. Over time, it slows down your resting metabolic rate (RMR), reducing how many calories you burn at rest. Plus, if you have been doing intense exercise without enough fuel, it can trigger additional stress hormones that compound the problem. So, how do we reset things and get that engine firing again?

Feed your body

The first step in reversing metabolic damage is gradually increasing your food intake, a process known as a "reverse diet."