Is your Slow Metabolism Making You Fat?
Do you blame your slow metabolism for your weight gain? Could your metabolic rate really factor into your weight? Do you even have a slow metabolism?
What are signs of slow metabolism?
Some people may truly have a slow metabolism. People with a thyroid condition called hypothyroidism may have a slow metabolic rate that may cause them to feel cold, low energy and even gain weight.
Other people might have a slow metabolism due to a health condition.
However, few people with a slow metabolism are overweight. Most people who have a slow metabolism are people who may be underweight and who do not eat very much.
When you do not eat enough, your body partially adapts by compensating your energy expenditure. You burn fewer calories so that your body can stay alive. You maintain a lower energy level and basal temperature so that you can conserve energy for vital bodily functions.
In sum, here are some signs of a slow metabolism.
- Hypothyroid
- Underweight
- Low Appetite
- Constantly Cold
- Low Energy
- Constipation
- Health Conditions
What are signs of a fast metabolism?
If you have a fast metabolism, your body processes food quickly and uses energy freely.
You might have a health condition called hyperthyroid.
Here are some signs you have a fast metabolism.
- High Energy
- Hyperthyroid
- Warm
- Frequent Bowel Movements
- High Appetite
What causes slow metabolism?
A slow metabolism might be caused by a health condition, low calorie intake or may be due to your genetics and lifestyle.
However, keep in mind that your genetics might not be as much of a contributing factor as you may believe. Metabolic ward studies have confirmed that across populations, most people have similar metabolic rates when controlled for sex, weight, muscle mass and age.
Age does not have that much impact on metabolic rate either. As long as you maintain your muscle mass and activity level, your metabolic rate won’t change much over time. The effects of aging could only reduce your metabolic rate by 5-15 calories per day over a year’s time.
Lifestyle does play a factor in your metabolic rate. If you sit most of the day, then you will not burn as many calories as someone who lives a more active lifestyle.
Finally, people who are underweight may have a slow metabolism. As we discussed earlier, all the body’s processes tend to slow down when you are underweight and undernourished.
However, most overweight people actually have a fast metabolism. Overweight people have a faster metabolism than average due to their high calorie intake.
Causes of slow metabolism include the following factors.
- Hypothyroidism
- Diseases
- Genetics
- Low Activity
- Low Muscle Mass
- Underweight
- Low Calorie Intake
How can I speed up my metabolism?
Fortunately, you can take action to improve your slow metabolism. You might not find all these steps appropriate for you. For instance, if you need to lose weight, do not start to eat more.
- Increase Activity Level
- Increase Protein Intake
- Strength Train
- Eat More
- Sleep 7-9 hours per night
- Stay Hydrated
What does not boost your metabolism?
Keep in mind that some things will not help increase your metabolism. For example, many people believe eating more frequently throughout the day will improve their metabolism. However, more frequent meal times do not improve a slow metabolism.
Additionally, high intensity interval training will not boost your metabolism much either. While you will burn calories during the workout itself, you will not boost your metabolism that much with interval training. In fact, steady state cardio training may boost your overall metabolism more than high intensity interval training.
Doing these things will not boost your metabolism.
- Eating More Frequently
- Doing High Intensity Interval Training
- Eating Spicy Foods
- Eating Specific Foods
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this article helped you demystify the causes of a slow metabolism, and the effects of a slow metabolism. Finally, I hope that you now have some good information to improve your metabolism so that you can reach your goals.
