The cabbage soup diet or drinking only water with maple syrup, lemon juice and cayenne pepper, are two examples of unhealthy, yet popular crash diets. Crash diets usually involve eating very few calories and sometimes skipping out on entire food groups in order to lose weight. The Nemours Foundation states that crash diets can lead to dangerous problems like weakness and fainting. In addition, Iron Magazine explains that crash dieting damages your metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight in the long run. It is possible to recovery from crash dieting and repair your damaged metabolism, but it takes a special effort.
Step 1
Workout by doing resistance training at least three times per week. Iron Magazine states that training with weights allows your body to retain and build muscle mass, which speeds up your metabolism. Unlike fad diets, resistance training can continue to boost your metabolism, as long as you do it consistently. This is because the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body will burn while at rest.
Step 2
Eat a healthy diet instead of processed, high-sugar foods. The National Institutes of Health states that a healthy diet includes foods like fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains like brown rice and 100-percent whole wheat bread. Lean proteins like skinless chicken breasts and tofu are also a good choice. These foods are lower in calories than foods like chips, candy and pastries, and when eaten consistently, will help to repair your metabolism. Avoid the temptation to go on the latest fad diet because it may harm your metabolism even more.
Step 3
Plan your meals ahead of time so that you never skip a meal. Iron Magazine states that skipping meals actually damages your metabolism more. Your body needs consistent, small frequent meals to keep it working and repair the damage done by crash dieting. Use a food journal to plan and record your daily meals.
Step 4
Carry healthy snacks with you so that you can get good nutrition in when you are in your car, at work or on the go. If you don't pack a lunch but you have a busy day at work, you may end up having to skip lunch. If you keep a bag of almonds in your desk or a protein bar and a piece of fruit in your bag, you will be able to snack when needed, so you can help repair your metabolism.
Things You'll Need
- A food journal
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