The Hidden Cost of Chronic Dieting (And How to Fix It)
Most People Aren’t Eating Enough to Lose Weight
If there’s one pattern I see over and over again, it’s this: People come in feeling frustrated, tired, and stuck—usually after trying every diet under the sun. Keto, fasting, low-carb, calorie cutting... you name it. They’re convinced their metabolism is broken. And honestly? They’re not far off
What’s actually happened is this: after years of under-eating and over-dieting, their metabolism has slowed down. Not permanently—but enough to make fat loss feel impossible. They’re eating less than ever and still not seeing progress
How We Get Here (And Why It’s So Common)
Most people think fat loss is just about eating less and moving more. But if you stay in a calorie deficit for too long—especially without strength training—your body starts to adapt. It gets more efficient at burning fewer calories. Hunger hormones shift. Energy drops. And you end up stuck in this zone where you’re eating too little to feel good, but somehow still not losing fat
This is the metabolic trap: You’ve trained your body to survive on less—but now there’s nowhere left to go
Why Eating More Might Be the Fix
This is where reverse dieting comes in. It’s a structured way of slowly increasing your calories to bring your metabolism back up. Not in a free-for-all way—but with purpose: high protein, progressive strength training, and steady increases in food intake
When done properly, it helps:
Boost your resting metabolic rate
Improve energy and training output
Balance key hormones (including those that regulate hunger and fat loss)
Reduce cravings and mental fatigue from dieting
Build lean muscle—which helps you burn more overall
It also gives people something they haven’t had in years: a break from restriction
So, What Should You Do If You Feel “Stuck”?
First, stop assuming the answer is to eat less or add more cardio. If your energy is low, your food is already minimal, and you’re not seeing results—it’s probably time to reverse out and rebuild.
Focus on:
Getting strong in the gym
Eating enough protein (1g per lb bodyweight is a solid target)
Sleeping properly
Managing stress
Gradually increasing calories instead of cutting more
This isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about long-term progress that actually sticks
The Bottom Line
Most people I coach aren’t struggling because they’re eating too much. They’re struggling because they’ve been eating too little for too long—and their body’s adapted. If you feel like your metabolism is fighting you, it’s not broken. It’s just burnt out. Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t to cut more—it’s to rebuild what’s been lost
