As a nutritionist who helps clients recover from eating disorders, I’ve found that the biggest misconceptions people have are about metabolism. This is not surprising, because metabolism is a complex physiological set of functions that has not yet been sufficiently studied. Simply put, metabolism is how the body manages the energy it receives from food. Although we don’t understand everything about this process yet, let’s debunk some popular myths that have developed about this process.
Myth #1. If the metabolism is disturbed, it will never return to normal.
When the body is not getting the energy it needs (eg, dietary restriction, purging, prolonged malnutrition), metabolism, or energy demand, is severely reduced. If you have an eating disorder, you’ve probably experienced a slow heart rate, a drop in body temperature, a blunted feeling of hunger, and slow digestion, just to name a few. Over time, however, if the body begins to receive biologically adequate amounts of nutrients, the metabolism responds to the changes. First, nutrition must change: it stimulates the metabolism, makes it use the energy it receives to build healthy muscle tissue, and this speeds up the metabolism.

Myth #2. Metabolism should be the same as that of peers.
In the process of recovery, the body restores muscles, bones, tissues of the internal organs and the necessary reserves of fat. It takes a lot of energy, more than what people usually need. Often, due to an eating disorder, a person is not sure how much to eat, and he tries to compare his diet and even portion size with that of others. If you do not take into account the treatment for an eating disorder, such a comparison cannot be correct, because everyone’s metabolism is different. Also, don’t forget that we don’t know what others are eating when we can’t see it!

Myth #3. Metabolism is the same as resting metabolic rate, or basal metabolic rate.
The resting metabolic rate is the amount of energy the body needs to maintain its basic functions in order to stay alive (basal metabolic rate). In other words, it is the energy that goes into making the heart beat. the lungs contracted, the blood sugar level was maintained and the desired body temperature was maintained. These are bodily functions that are maintained automatically, even if you don’t get out of bed all day. We spend energy not only on basic metabolism – we also need energy for what we do every day, for example, doing laundry, drinking water, etc. Even if your lifestyle is not too active, for example, you mostly study or work at a desk, your body still spends much more energy than it needs to maintain the basic functions of the body. You rarely hear about the energy that is spent on digestion. Yes, yes, to eat, you also need energy! This is called the “thermal effect of food”.

And finally, let’s think about physical activity outside of your usual activities. For example, about yoga, walking with friends, playing sports, etc. We often assume that metabolism is such a straight line process: calories eaten versus calories expended during exercise. But this is a delusion. A simplified formula for this complex phenomenon would look like this: metabolism = basal metabolic rate + our usual activities + the thermic effect of food + physical activity. Many will be surprised if they find out that 50-65% of their energy consumption is spent on the main metabolism. For example, a 25-year-old woman weighing 63.5 kg needs approximately 1300 calories per day just to maintain basic body functions.

Myth number 4. If you eat more than usual, the weight will increase.
It is generally accepted that if there is more than the body needs at the moment, the “extra” energy will be stored “in reserve” (read: in fat). Actually, not necessarily. The body can temporarily store energy in other ways. The liver and muscles store a lot of carbohydrates, the body uses them as needed, and they help maintain the right blood sugar levels throughout the day! Our body tries to maintain balance, therefore, many processes take place in it that help maintain body weight.

Myth number 5. Green tea and spices speed up the metabolism.
Few studies suggest that green tea and spices can speed up metabolism due to the thermic effect discussed above. However, the effect of these products on metabolism is so small that, most likely, don’t count on them. If you like green tea and its antioxidant properties, if you love the taste of spiced foods, great, but if you’re only consuming these foods to boost your metabolism, then it’s best to start eating normally and maintaining a comfortable level of physical activity.

About the Author: Erica Cushion is a Dietitian and Licensed Nutritionist who works with private clients to help them understand their relationship with food and its effect on the mind and body. Erica teaches clients how to eat intuitively and free themselves from negative thoughts about food. It also helps people understand the connection between the biological and psychological aspects of eating disorders.