How to FIX your Metabolism in ED Recovery

How often have you seen an article with a title along the lines of “HOW TO FIX YOUR BROKEN METABOLISM” or “REVERSE METABOLIC DAMAGE”? Personally, I’ve seen way too many. 

The main issue with the term “broken metabolism” or “metabolic damage” is that you simply cannot *break* your metabolism—your body is not a piece of porcelain or carefully crafted pottery. Your body is an incredibly intelligent, biologically beautiful vessel that allows you to breath, eat, sleep, move, think, and express yourself in the ways that bring you joy.

When people use the term “broken metabolism”, what they really mean is a metabolism that has slowed down as a result of chronic dieting. However, a better name for this concept is metabolic adaptation, because the slowing down of our metabolism is simply a survival mechanism.

It’s seen as a negative thing in our fat-phobic society, but metabolic adaptation literally saves lives! In times of famine or food scarcity, those who could preserve as much energy as possible would be most likely to stay alive.

For your body, underfueling—whether that be through restriction, over-exercise, or both—is the exact same as a food famine. Your body thinks that food is scarce and thus, will do everything it can to increase your chances of survival. It’s all an effort to preserve energy for vital functions such as breathing, digestion, and doing what your body does best: KEEPING YOU ALIVE.

One question i get asked a lot is “how do i speed up my metabolism after a restrictive eating disorder?” and the answer is really simple: eat more. Prove to your body that it doesn’t need to adapt it’s metabolism—because there is no food scarcity!