Today, We’re talking about causes of slow metabolism. Welcome Back FitSquad, today I want to talk about the causes of slow metabolism. Let’s face it…age, diet, and lifestyle, can all affect your metabolic rate and even cause it to slump.
The good news is that there are proven ways to rev up your failing metabolism by simply adding a few metabolism-boosting foods and beverages to your diet. And by adding a few things to your daily routine, so why is having a fast metabolism important?
You see, keeping your metabolism cranked up is essential…
And it’s not just for losing weight but also for keeping it off and staying healthy. Unfortunately, just like there are things that help boost metabolism and speed it up, there are also things that may be slowing it down.
These common causes of slow metabolism could make it more difficult for you to lose weight, and even make you more prone to gain weight in the future.
Plus, the causes of slow metabolism could also be damaging your body in the long term. I have 10 causes of a slow to metabolism to share with you in this video. But before I do, let's talk about what metabolism is in the first place.
When you consume food or beverages, your body converts what you’ve consumed into energy, which is needed for proper bodily functions.
This process is known as metabolism. When slow metabolism occurs, fewer calories from the food and beverages you consumed are burned for energy, and the energy burst is short.
However, with a fast metabolism, your calories burn at a faster rate and convert into more energy for longer periods. With a slow metabolism, it’s more difficult for you to lose weight.
And it can make it almost impossible to keep weight off after losing it. Your metabolism has three functions:
One…to convert food and beverages into energy to run cellular processes
Two…to convert food and beverages into building blocks for carbs, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids
And 3…
Eliminate waste from your body (what goes in, must come out). Metabolism helps with the maintenance, growth, and reproduction of the body's cells and organs.
And there are two main classifications of metabolism…
The first is catabolism which is the breaking down of raw material (foods and beverages consumed) to release energy like carbs, protein, and fat. And the second is anabolism: Building up of raw material using the energy released during catabolism
The natural and correct way for a healthy metabolism is for catabolism to occur more often than anabolism. However, a slow metabolism means the process of anabolism occurs more often than catabolism. The thyroid also plays an important role in metabolism and the body as it produces, stores, and releases
hormones, Triiodothyronine (T3) Thyroxine (T4), into the bloodstream.
The thyroid keeps your metabolism under control by extracting iodine from the foods and beverages you consume and converting them into these hormones. These hormones then help convert calories into energy.
and the rate of your metabolism depends on how efficiently this process happens. That’s why it's so important to feed your body with metabolism-boosting food and beverages to burn calories faster.
And yes…your metabolic rate can also be determined by age, gender, height, and genetics. But a change in your diet and lifestyle can STILL have a positive impact on your metabolism regardless.
In fact, more often than not….
The causes of slow metabolism are due to your diet and lifestyle. Let's take a look at what could be the cause of your slow metabolism by talking about the 10 common causes of a slow metabolism.
1) Age
With age, comes a natural slump in your metabolism. Once you hit the age of 30, every year after that your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) decreases about one to two percent per year.
RMR means the rate at which your body burns calories for energy while resting. As you get older, this is likely one of the many reasons why most people gain weight.
While our fat content increases, our muscle mass decreases, because the metabolic rate at which our body usually burns fat decreases as well.
To improve your metabolic rate when you're older you can simply eat better and stay active. Eating and living a healthy lifestyle is essential for your longevity. And it’s even more important the older we get.
2). Calorie Intake is Too Low
It's important to eat the right number of calories per day to maintain a healthy metabolic rate. And while a calorie deficit is needed when you're trying to lose weight, if it’s too low it can affect your metabolism.
A significant drop in calorie intake causes your body to go into starvation mode by slowing down your metabolism. If you're going to decrease your calorie intake for the sake of losing weight, it's important that you don't lower it too much or for too long.
That way, you can still maintain a healthy metabolic rate of catabolism. The recommended daily calorie intake for women is 2000 and men 2500. However, this may vary depending on age, metabolism, levels of physical activity, as well as other things.
3). Protein Intake is Too Low
Consuming enough protein is essential in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight. Protein-rich foods burn calories and release energy much faster as it takes longer to digest the food.
This means that it improves your metabolism and gives it the boost it needs. It also keeps you fuller for longer and prevents overeating. This process is known as the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), or Diet-Induced Thermogenesis (DIT).
Protein increases your metabolic rate more than carbs, fat, or sugary foods because these foods cause a spike in your blood sugar, where protein causes a healthy long-lasting boost of energy.
When you consume carbs, fatty, and sugary foods, your blood sugar level spikes and falls, leaving you feeling hungry again.
Try protein-rich foods such as chicken, eggs, vegetables, fish, grains, legumes, meat, nuts, and seeds, to help improve and boost your metabolic rate.
4) Not Drinking Enough Water
Water is a natural metabolism booster. It is also essential to all your bodily functions and one of the best ways to stay hydrated.
Without water, your metabolism may stop working properly. Drinking too little water causes you to burn fewer calories.
But drinking water throughout the day can keep you fuller for longer, which could also aid as a weight loss technique.
Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. However, on hot and humid days you should consume more water than usual as well as when you sweat.
5). Sugar Intake is Too High
Consuming too many sugary foods may lower your metabolism because it burns and releases energy much faster than usual, leaving you craving for more.
Which can lead to overeating because it spikes your blood sugar then falls, giving you instant energy for a short period.
Too much sugar can also cause addiction. And increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Reduce your sugar intake by substituting sugary foods and beverages with low sugar alternatives.
6) Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep is a key factor in losing and gaining weight because when you sleep your body repairs itself. Sleep is also essential for your metabolism and overall health.
You tend to crave starchy, sugary, and fatty foods when you lack sleep, which can cause you to gain weight. To improve your metabolism and quality of sleep, go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep at night to be fully rested and functional, and to give your metabolism time to do its job.
7). Not Active Enough
Not exercising causes the fat in your body to be stored instead of being burned for energy. The fat will eventually build up and cause your metabolism to be slow.
When you exercise your heart rate increases so that blood can transport the nutrients your muscles need to keep moving. This also speeds up your metabolism. Try high-intensity workouts such as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and strength training which is more effective than low-intensity training when it comes to boosting your metabolism.
Regular exercise and especially interval training will not only speed up your metabolism in the long term, but it will burn more calories as well.
8). Stressing Too Much
Stress causes harm to your metabolism, mental well-being, and overall health. Stress increases the production of cortisol (stress hormone), which increases your appetite and makes you reach for comfort food, which ultimately causes you to gain weight.
Abnormal cortisol levels can slow your metabolism and may affect your mood as well. Stress can also disrupt your sleep, which can also affect your metabolic rate.
A good way of regulating stress is through exercise and meditation because this helps release natural brain chemicals called endorphins to help make you feel good.
9). Drinking Too Much Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol causes your liver to focus more on removing its toxic waste instead of burning fat, which can affect your metabolic rate.
Alcohol is also high in calories which can cause weight gain. It also impacts your blood sugar, leading you to crave other sugary and fatty foods.
To keep your metabolic rate healthy, it is recommended that women drink no more than one glass and men drink no more than two glasses of alcohol daily.
Finally…
10). Medication
Certain medications can slow down your metabolism and cause you to gain weight.
Some of these medications include antidepressants, antipsychotics used to treat schizophrenia, medications that slow the heart rate, diabetic medication, steroids, antithyroid agents, and hormone therapies.
If you suspect your weight gain is related to your medication, talk to your doctor right away. Your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternative, change your dosage, or even suggest a better time of day to take it.
These 10 causes of slow metabolism are reversible, so don’t worry. And if you’re not sure whether or not you have a slow metabolism here are a few ways to tell…
Unexplained Weight Gain
You tend to gain more weight when you have a slow metabolism. With a slow metabolism, you also struggle to lose weight because your body produces more fat and fails to burn a lot of calories at once.
Eating metabolism-boosting foods and beverages as well as being more active can help boost your metabolism and help you maintain or lose the desired weight.
Cravings for Sugar and Carbs
Slow metabolism is linked to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a hormone produced by your pancreas to control how your cells absorb energy.
Your cells are unable to absorb the glucose in your body when it isn't making proper use of the insulin, which leads you to crave sugar and refined carbs.
The more sugar and refined carbs you consume, the more likely you are to gain weight because your body struggles to digest them, leading to energy drops and you feeling worn out.
Constant Fatigue
Always feeling tired is a sign of slow metabolism as well as a lack of physical activity. Slow metabolism makes AND burns energy at a slower rate than desired, which leaves you feeling tired more frequently.
Being more active will not only improve your metabolic rate but will leave you feeling more energetic. Consuming metabolism-boosting foods and beverages will also leave you feeling less sluggish.
Constant Headaches
Constant headaches or even migraines can be a sign of a slow metabolism caused by underactive thyroid hormones.
An unhealthy spike and drop in the level of the stress hormone, cortisol, can cause an imbalance in your metabolism, which may also cause headaches.
Depression or Mood Swings
Metabolism impacts your gut, and believe it or not gut health plays a huge role in mood and mental health. Slow metabolism slows down your bodily functions and affects your brain as well as your mood, which could leave you feeling depressed.
Should you recognize a connection between your depression and metabolic rate, it can be treated or perhaps resolved through changes to your diet and lifestyle.
However, if your depression becomes difficult to manage, you should see your doctor or a mental health professional to figure out a suitable treatment plan.
A Wandering Mind
Your brain survives off the nutrients consumed from food and beverages. Slow metabolism causes a decrease in the number of nutrients processed to your brain.
Lack of nutrients can affect your normal brain function, concentration, alertness, and even make you forgetful. When you're feeding your hunger, remember to feed your brain as well.
Dry Skin, Brittle Nails, and Loss of Hair
Your metabolism controls almost all your bodily functions, including your skin, nails, and hair. Slow metabolism causes dry skin, brittle nails, and loss of hair because your body fails to make use of the vitamins and minerals in the food and beverages you consume.
Consume foods and beverages that are high in nutrients, minerals, and vitamins to not only improve your metabolism but keep your skin, nails, and hair strong and healthy.
Constipation
The number of times you go to the bathroom is also linked to your metabolic rate. Slow metabolism causes food to take longer to digest and travel to the GI tract, causing you to be constipated. To improve your frequency, eat foods high in fiber.
Always Cold
When you eat, your metabolism naturally increases because food creates heat in your body to burn calories for energy. Feeling cold can be related to a slow metabolism due to an underactive thyroid. Consume foods that will improve your metabolism and thyroid activity while also improving your body temperature.
Hormonal Problems
The thyroid gland is responsible for producing hormones to regulate your metabolism and functions of the reproductive hormone. Low levels of the thyroid hormone cause problems with the reproductive hormones, which can lead to menstrual problems.
It also causes problems with the sex hormone, testosterone, which may affect your ability to get in the mood. So now that you can identify the possible cause of your slow metabolism and weight gain, it’s as simple as making a few lifestyle changes to help improve and boost your metabolism.
If you have any questions you feel weren’t answered in this video, please drop us a comment and we’ll get right back to you.
And if you are looking for ways to speed up your progress, lose weight, build muscle AND speed up your metabolism be sure to check out THYROZINE
As I mentioned earlier, thyroid issues are a MAJOR cause of slow metabolism. And one particular issue is something called thyroid resistance. We created THYROZINE to help support a healthy thyroid gland and speed up the metabolism.
You can learn more at LIFERENU.COM/THYROZINE
Thyrozine reviews healthy thyroid function can help you reach your fitness goals faster…regardless of what those goals are.
Thanks for watching and be Sure to Like Our Channel and Click the Bell so you don’t miss any of our future, fit squad videos.
Our mission at LIFE RENU is to share real-world information that really works through the FITSQUAD movement that’s taking the industry by storm right now.
We are here to help and support you to achieve your health and fitness goals so you can get into and live in the healthiest version of yourself.
We Invite You to JOIN the FITSQUAD
Thanks for watching and I’ll see you on the next one.
Want More Health, Fitness, and Nutrition Information?
We Regularly Post New Tips and Tricks on These Platforms
Could Imbalanced Hormones Be Suppressing Your Ability to Lose Weight and Feel Great?
Take Our Hormone Deficiency Quiz Today
Male Hormone Deficiency Quiz
Female Hormone Deficiency Quiz
Discover Our Best-Selling Supplements (with Reviews from Customers):
Share this post
