I used to think that same thing- that wouldn't having an efficient metabolism be better? You need less food that way, right? So it costs less overall?
Unfortunately, I think that whole theory that a metabolism can be permanently ruined is bunk. More and more science is coming forth that shows our metabolisms can be altered.
I hope it's bunk, because I really don't like the idea of having a slower metabolism for life. It's hard enough breaking all the old habits, creating new habits, and then to add to that we need LESSS food - forever and ever... well, that's depressing.
There is just so much we don't know and understand yet and they probably won't have it all figured out in my lifetime either.
Your body is also better able to absorb nutrients in a famished state - same with pregnancy. When you're pregnant your body absorbs about 30% more calcium from your food than it normally would if you ate the same things because it needs the calcium for baby. If you're famished and your vitamin stores get depleted absorption goes way up to try and compensate for that...so you'll be getting more out of every little bit of food you eat.
If there was a famine, we'd be the lucky ones for sure. But now that food is abundant it works to our disadvantage. But I've always wondered, if someone maintains their weight long-term, like 5-10 years, could their metabolism eventually go back to where it should be if they had always been thin, after the body has had a long time to adapt after the weight loss and hormonal changes?
If there was a famine, we'd be the lucky ones for sure. But now that food is abundant it works to our disadvantage. But I've always wondered, if someone maintains their weight long-term, like 5-10 years, could their metabolism eventually go back to where it should be if they had always been thin, after the body has had a long time to adapt after the weight loss and hormonal changes?
I don't know if there's ever been a large enough sample to do a study to see.
Maybe there has - someone here would know if there was.
Another thing I want to know is if I keep up with exercise - cardio and strength, will I be able to keep my metabolism up, even post menopause? or no matter way, does it slow down?
I think exercise helps to boost hormone levels that keep your metabolism up. Another big factor is estrogen. It really regulates many aspects of a women's body. Maybe some short term therapy after menopause sets in would be good. It seems to not have the cancer risks that long term estrogen therapy brings. Estrogen and the levels of its receptors definitely influence obesity.
I used to weigh more than 100 pounds than I do now & to be honest I don't think my metabolism is significantly lower than it would be if I had never been at that higher weight & I don't think science has ever proved that everyone who was ever heavy has a slowed metabolism because they were heavy, although they may (inevitably) gain back some weight through reverting more or less to less exercise & more food sometimes. I certainly do.
Age, which always increases during life, also impacts metabolism.
It's a very smart question. From what I understand, food started being more plentiful in America in the Fifties. Have you ever read the book by Bill Bryson, "The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid"? The inside cover is a photograph of a family in the Fifties, posed in front of the new abundance that was their annual intake. We are the result of that, I think. Evolution (metabolic adaptation) will catch up, I think, but it will take a few generations. We're stuck in the middle.
Another thing, along that thought process, I believe, is that doctors underinformed a generation of women how MUCH they would have to cut back calories if they had hysterectomies (maybe 40%?) not to gain weight. (My mom is in that group.)
Last edited by HungryHungryHippo; 02-08-2013 at 09:23 PM.
There are a couple good studies that have looked at this and the readers digest version is that our BMRs don't slow down much due to weight loss but there is an adaptive component such that NEAT and SPA are reduced.
