10 Ways You Could Be Slowing Down Your Metabolism

Metabolism is how your body changes food into energy. Many variables contribute to your metabolism, including heredity, gender, and age. A metabolic slowdown leads to a build-up of calories. Once your metabolism slows and the calories build up, they will be turned into fat, leading to weight gain. By following this list and improving your diet and daily habits, you’ll be able to keep your metabolism in check and even boost it.

1. Not enough sleep- One bad night’s sleep is enough to leave you feeling sluggish, string together several nights in a row or a lifetime of inadequate sleep and as science shows decreased metabolism and hormonal imbalances may follow.
2. Stress- When stress levels increase, your body produces a hormone called cortisol. High levels of this hormone make it harder for your body to use insulin. That puts the brakes on your metabolism and fuels weight gain. Cortisol can also lead to an increased appetite, makes us crave comfort foods, decreases our desire to exercise and reduces sleep quality, all things that negatively impact metabolism.
3. Medications- Some drugs can slow down your metabolism. These include many antidepressants and certain medication that slows the heart rate, also can have that effect.
4. Not drinking enough water- Without enough water, your metabolism can stall. Some studies show that it helps the body burn energy and fuels weight loss. Water also helps you fill up, so you eat less.
5. Strict diets- How you lose weight matters. If you don't eat enough, your metabolism switches to slow-mo. Severe diets, especially when you also exercise, teach your body to make do with fewer calories. That can backfire, because your body clings to those calories, which makes it harder to take weight off. Keep your weight-loss plan realistic, not drastic.
6. Skipping breakfast- We might not think of it as a big deal, but skipping breakfast greatly affects our bodies, thus our metabolism. Eating a nutritious breakfast is always a good way to start your morning. Your metabolism slows down during sleep, eating can fire it up and help you burn more calories throughout the day.
7. A high-fat diet- Eating loads of fatty foods like greasy burgers and buttery goodies is never a healthy idea. Fatty foods change how your body breaks down foods and nutrients. Your body’s ability to use insulin is affected, too. That’s called insulin resistance, and it’s been linked to obesity and diabetes. 
8. Sitting too much- Going from your office chair to your car to your couch can lead to a very sedentary routine. Sitting for extended periods puts your body into energy-conservation mode, which means your metabolism can suffer, which affects the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and break down body fat.
9. Neglecting strength training- Cardio is great, and it can quickly burn calories, but once you’re done running or cycling, your calorie burn quickly returns to normal. When you do HIIT and resistance-based workouts, your calorie burn stays elevated for longer as your muscles repair themselves. 
10. Not enough protein- Protein feeds your muscles, promotes satiety and is an important component to sustaining a healthy weight. Eat too little, and you may have trouble building or maintaining muscle mass.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.

Take control of your life, rock on!

Until next month, Evie xx

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