Question for Roe, Maribeth, or other member of the educated crowd

jillybean

jillybean

Cathlete
I have heard that if you yo-yo diet, or mess with your metabolism too much, it is virtually irreparable. I have also heard the contrary, in that this is just a myth. Just wondering what you ladies (and medical science) have to say about this. Thanks!
 
I think it's a myth...

>I have heard that if you yo-yo diet, or mess with your
>metabolism too much, it is virtually irreparable. I have also
>heard the contrary, in that this is just a myth. Just
>wondering what you ladies (and medical science) have to say
>about this. Thanks!


Hi Jillybean,
I'm no scientist nor am I a medic or nuitrional expert but, I have had some experience with a messed up metabolism due to injuries and severe illnesses (not related to an eating disorder of any kind): I think it's a total myth. I've never been the kind of person to diet and it's possible that in my case, the reason may be because I didn't mess it up for long enough to break it... Nonetheless, I think it's pure hokum. Our bodies are hard wired to survive and I doubt that Mother Nature and Evolution would have designed our bodies to break irreparably after a prolonged period of starvation. Human beings would not have survived so long!

Just MHO :)
ATB,
- Lisa :)
Edit: after reading Bobbi's post, I just thought I should state that I think this is true unless you have *permanently* damaged vital organs.
 
RE: I think it's a myth...

Lisa is right. Yo yo dieting that involves starvation is probably alot like anorexia or bulimia in regard to the type of damage you can do to your organs. Look at Karen Carpenter, who irreversibly damaged her heart. However, the human body is very resilient and it takes alot of aabuse to destroy it. But look at Holocaust survivors who went on to regain their normal bodies and to live long lives. Metabolically, we are well designed to recover a normal metabolism. There have been several times in my life when I starved myself. At thirty, I weighed 100 pounds. These days with a healthy diet and exercise, I am in great health. Take heart, Jilly. Your metabolism is fine!
Bobbi http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/nosmile/peacesign.gif
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/person/smilejap.gif
 
RE: Question for Roe, Maribeth, or other member of the ...

Hmmm, I'll take a stab at this. It is my understanding that yo yo dieting can mess up your metabolism if one repeatedly diets to lose weight without doing weight-bearing exercises. As I understand it, every time one loses weight through dieting alone, part of the weight lost will be muscle. Plus as we age, we lose a certain percentage of muscle each year if we do not do weight-bearing exercises to off set this loss. So each time the person diets, they lose more muscle resulting in a slower metabolism and a lower percentage of muscle. Hence the complaint of many that each time they diet, they gain back even more weight and it becomes harder and harder to lose weight the next time around. In terms of damage to organs, I would think that over the years, if one kept trying to diet and kept losing muscle to attain the some goal weight or whatever, at some point their muscle might be reduced to the point that the body will start cannibalizing organ muscle such as heart muscle. So in the last analysis, I think this only applies to people who diet without exercise. Those who regularly work out with weights should not have this problem. However, if one exercises to the extreme, that too could backfire I should think. The metabolism might slow itself to protect the body. Does this make sense?
 
I don't have the credentials that Roe or Maribeth have, but from personal experience and a bit of studying from ACE literature, IMHO the "virtually irreparable damage" concept is greatly overstated when it comes to metabolism. As another poster noted, the human body is hard-wired to survive, AND the human soul is hard-wired to learn from its mistakes.

I will go to my grave decrying the near-complete overemphasis on food intake ("diet", "nutrition", etc.) in the healthy-body-composition issue. I know a lot of people yap about "diet is 80% of physique" and I think that's a load of hogwash. EXERCISE is at least 50% of the equation, and when one gives herself what she needs in terms of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal training, she's completing that equation. Yo-Yo dieting tends to take place in the absence of sound physical exercise, and that is where the metabolic mess-up happens.

IMHO, however, irrepable damage CAN be done to cardiac muscle by yo-yo dieting and extreme caloric deprivation. Cardiac muscle is distinct in composition from skeletal muscle, and damage done there can indeed by irreparable.

A-Jock
 
Metabolism can be repaired at any age. It is never too late. Read “The schwarzbein principle” by Dr Diana Schwarzbein it is a fantastic read and dispels the myths of dieting and metabolism. Anyone can have a health well functioning metabolism. www.schwarzbeinpinciple.com is a great website and you can see video clips of her on various programs talking about her plan. I love this plan so much. It’s such common sense. Eat health fats, meat and vegetables, and some man made carbohydrates (according to your metabolism and energy needs) and watch what happens to your body… it will change. You will gain lean body mass, lose body fat and heal your metabolism. She has received much press lately about her eating plan (all good I might add) and I have loved eating this way. Sure I still drink diet coke (not on the plan) and eat artificial sweetner, but for the most, I stick to the guildlines and feel so fab. Example of a day on Schwarzbein prinple.

Breakfast: egg (as many as you like, me – 4 and two whites) with ham and left over vegetables (for the night before), butter on 1 slice of whole wheat toast).

Lunch: Large Creaser Salad (green) with oil dressing (lots, cold pressed), chicken or turkey and handful of croutons.

Dinner: Fish or Steak with butter (or Udos choice oil). Vegetables in butter (green, all). Salad (with oil dressing) and maybe (if hungry) half a potato (baked) with sour cream.

Snacks

Apples with peanut butter
Cheese sticks
Cottage cheese
Etc… (I always eat two snacks as well)

My total calories are high (from all the good fat) and yet I now eat 1000 calories more than I did a year ago (exercise has not changed, if anything its decreased) and I am still losing body fat (1/2% per week). I love this plan so much. Its not low low carbohydrate you just limit man made carbs and eat all the vegetables you want (no limit). Give it a go, its helped me heal my metabolism (which was very unhealthy from years of messing with food intake.

Good luck.
 
You're most welcome Bobbi. Glad you liked the link. I like caffeine too, and though i'm trying to limit it, i can't live without it (or won't might be a better word)...but i still get out loads without giving it up eating this way. I have had this book for over a year now and find the things she says right on. Low fat diet myths, sat fat, high protein, etc... she also walks the walk which i really admire.
 
Yes if you keep playing around w/all the different weight loss programs out there you will most assuredly mess up your metabolism. Poor little ole me was anorexic when I was 19. It took me 10 YEARS to even gain any weight & finally become fit & healthy. And I might add that I became anorexic due to those blasted fashion mags that were telling young teens to look a certain way. Your metabolism isn't irreparable but it'll take quite some years before you can get yourself back to a healthy & fit person. Why would anybody want to do that to themselves? Just reach for food that's very nutritious; it really is that simple. Best, Kathy;-)
 
>
>My total calories are high (from all the good fat) and yet I
>now eat 1000 calories more than I did a year ago (exercise has
>not changed, if anything its decreased) and I am still losing
>body fat (1/2% per week). I love this plan so much. Its not
>low low carbohydrate you just limit man made carbs and eat all
>the vegetables you want (no limit). Give it a go, its helped
>me heal my metabolism (which was very unhealthy from years of
>messing with food intake.
>
>Good luck.
>
Hi icklemoley :) I did the same kind of thing after my metabolism crashed (long story) and have never looked back. I still eat this way today and wouldn't go back to my old habits for anything. I don't count calories (I'm too much of a foodie to count) but I'm back to the point where I know how much I need depending on my day and my health. I agree with Aquajock about exercise: my eating is just fine but if I eat too much, without slacking off my exercise program, then my body doesn't see much in the way of change. If I slack off my exercise program, my body really shows it, even if I've cut down on the amount I eat.
ATB,
- Lisa :)
 
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