5 Probable Reasons for Your Slow Metabolism and How to Fix It

I simply cannot recollect the number of times I have come across this statement. “I can’t lose weight. My metabolism is slow.” Over the years, whenever I have heard these statements from various individuals, I have only wondered about one question – How do you know your metabolism is slow?

Metabolism is the process by which your body converts the food and beverages that you drink into energy. This energy is measured in calories. The calories burnt in your body determine the rate of metabolism. There is no single measuring technique that can be considered the best way to determine the amount of calorie burn; however, through the indirect calorimetry process, a machine measures the oxygen consumption in the body, and in a very short span of ten minutes, you can know your RMR (Resting Metabolism Rate).

Metabolism is not a simple process. It is instead very complex in execution, and even after you eat and exercise, your metabolism rate could still be sabotaged. Several lifestyle mistakes may be responsible for slowing down your metabolism. These are everyday practices and could also lead to weight gain in the future.

The probable five reasons for slow metabolism and the ways to fix it:

Hormones:

One of the probable reasons for slow metabolism is hormones or the lack of it. Research shows that lack of estrogen receptors in the brain due to aging can slow down the rate of metabolism. Even after you eat healthy food that burns sufficient calories, you would still gain weight. To find out more about how hormonal balance plays crucial role in metabolism and weight loss, it is recommended to check out metabolic factor program by Dr. Jonny Bowden.

Another probable reason is the decrease in testosterone hormone in both men and women as they age. Testosterone is responsible for regulating muscle mass. The more muscles you have, the more are the calories burnt even while you are resting. However, with a decline in testosterone, the process of metabolism slows down. Men can prevent this decline by intaking more vitamin D, but there are no clear medical instructions for improving a woman’s body’s hormone levels. Vitamin D enriched foods would include egg yolks, vitamin induced breakfast cereals, salmon, and fatty fishes.

Stress and lack of sleep:

When you are in stress, your cortisol hormones level rises, and it can harm your metabolism. An increase in the percentage of cortisol hormones in the body makes you overheat. When you eat more than desired, you tend to gain weight. With weight gain, your metabolism slows down. So how do you counter stress? The basic answer is to avoid people and situations that spike up your stress levels. A stress-busting exercise routine is also useful for maintaining your stress levels and, subsequently, your weight.

Lack of sleep is a probable reason for slow metabolism. Stress and sleep are related. More stress might lead to less sleep. An average adult needs to sleep for seven hours or more every day. Studies suggest that individuals sleeping for less than five hours have difficulty in breaking down carbohydrates in the body. When you don’t metabolize carbohydrates, your blood sugar level rises, which spikes the body’s insulin level. The increased insulin is responsible for storing unused energy in the body as fats. Always get sound sleep to maintain your metabolism level.

Medicines:

Medication can be a possible reason for slowing down the rate of metabolism in your body. Some medicines cause your metabolism to slow down and increase your waistline. Medicines like diabetic drugs, antidepressants, steroids, and hormone therapy drugs are known to change the body’s metabolism speed. If you feel that your medicines are making you fat, you should talk to your doctor. He can get the medicine changed or have a different set of instructions regarding the medicine dosage.

Eating less calorie content food:

Eating very little calorie content food can decrease metabolism. We know that calorie deficit is needed for weight loss, but it can be counterproductive if the calorie consumption is far less than the deficit. Most of the time, we reduce our calorie content drastically without knowing the deficit yardsticks in our pursuit to lose weight. Your body sensing that food is not available in the right proportions slows down the calorie-burning process. Studies indicate that consuming less than 1000 calories per day can have an effect on the rate of metabolism in the body. Even the RMR or the Resting Metabolism Rate is slow in such bodies that intake less than desired levels of calories.

If you intend to lose weight by cutting down calories, do not restrict your calorie consumption too much for too long. Follow a middle path.

Leading a stationary lifestyle:

Many people have a sedentary lifestyle, which decreases the rate of metabolism in the body. People involved in jobs that require mostly sitting are likely to have a slowed metabolism rate. The overall health of these people is also hampered.

We know that playing a sport or working out can help you burn sufficient calories; however, other physical activities like taking the stairs, standing up, or walking can also help burn calories and increase the metabolism rate. These activity types are referred to as Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). Studies indicate that NEAT could help to burn an additional 2000 calories per day; however, it doesn’t seem realistic for an average individual. 

When you sit and watch television, you burn eight percent less calories. The best possible solution for this lifestyle would be to mix and match the sitting hours. Stand up at intervals while doing a sitting job. Walk as much as possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. These are small ways to increase the rate of metabolism. Also, drink a lot of water and beverages like green tea and coffee. Green tea and coffee have caffeine and antioxidants that help you burn calories and fats and increase your metabolism rate.

The Conclusion:

Various factors are responsible for the rate of metabolism in your body. Not all can be identified immediately. Some would require specialized help and treatment. However, the most common reason for slow metabolism has been discussed above. These are very simple reasons and with proper fixes. Control as many reasons as possible by leading a healthy lifestyle and proper food habits. Also, exercise if possible. The rate of metabolism will automatically be taken care of.