It’s just not fair, right?
You may feel tired, cold or that you’ve gained weight. Maybe your digestion seems a bit more “sluggish”.
You may be convinced that your metabolism is slow. And it makes you feel hopeless.
Why does this happen? Why do metabolic rates slow down? And most importantly, what can we do about it!
Let’s dive in.
What can slow my metabolism?
Metabolism includes all of the biochemical reactions in your body that use nutrients and oxygen to create energy. And there are lots of factors that affect how quickly (or slowly) it works, i.e. your “metabolic rate” (which is measured in calories).
But don’t worry – we know that metabolic rate is much more complicated than the old adage “calories in calories out”! In fact it’s so complicated I’m only going to list a few of the common things that can slow it down.
Examples of common reasons why metabolic rates can slow down:
- low thyroid hormone
- your history of dieting
- your size and body composition
- your activity level
- lack of sleep
We’ll briefly touch on each one below and I promise to give you better advice than just to “eat less and exercise more”.
Low thyroid hormones
Your thyroid is the master controller of your metabolism. When it produces fewer hormones your metabolism slows down. The thyroid hormones (T3 & T4) tell the cells in your body when to use more energy and become more metabolically active. Ideally it should work to keep your metabolism just right. But there are several things that can affect it and throw it off course. Things like autoimmune diseases and mineral deficiencies (e.g. iodine or selenium) for example.
Tip: Talk with your doctor, ND or holistic nutritionist about having your thyroid hormones tested.
Your history of dieting
When people lose weight their metabolic rate often slows down. This is because the body senses that food may be scarce and adapts by trying to continue with all the necessary life functions and do it all with less food.
While dieting can lead to a reduction in amount of fat it unfortunately can also lead to a reduction in the amount of muscle you have. As you know more muscle means faster resting metabolic rate.
Tip: Make sure you’re eating enough food to fuel your body without overdoing it. Yo-yo dieting can be your worst ‘metabolic’ enemy!
Your size and body composition
In general, larger people have faster metabolic rates. This is because it takes more energy to fuel a larger body than a smaller one.
However, you already know that gaining weight is rarely the best strategy for increasing your metabolism.
Muscles that actively move and do work need energy. Even muscles at rest burn more calories than fat. This means that the amount of energy your body uses depends partly on the amount of lean muscle mass you have.
Tip: Do some weight training 2-3 times per week to help increase your muscle mass.
Which leads us to…
Your activity level
Aerobic exercise temporarily increases your metabolic rate. Your muscles are burning fuel to move and do “work” and you can tell because you’re also getting hotter.
Even little things can add up. Walking a bit farther than you usually do, using a standing desk instead of sitting all day, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator can all contribute to more activity in your day.
Tip: Incorporate movement into your day. Also, aim to exercise regularly.
Lack of sleep
There is plenty of research that shows the influence that sleep has on your metabolic rate. The general consensus is to get 7.5 or 9 hours of sleep every night.
Tip: Try to create a routine that allows at least 7.5 hours of sleep every night. Read more about how to improve your sleep here.
Of course, the food you eat daily will make the biggest difference in your health, so take action to ensure you have all the right ingredients to boost your metabolism. Try this delicious recipe below!
Recipe (Selenium-rich): Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Serves 4
½ cup Brazil nuts
2 cups water
nut bag or several layers of cheesecloth (optional)
½ cup chia seeds
¼ cup raw unsweetened cacao powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
How to make:
- Blend Brazil nuts in water in a high-speed blender until you get smooth, creamy milk. If desired, strain it with a nut bag or several layers of cheesecloth.
- Add Brazil nut milk and other ingredients into a bowl and whisk until combined. Let sit several minutes (or overnight) until desired thickness is reached. (if you like a smoother texture whip it up in your blender!)
Serve & Enjoy!
Tip: Makes a simple delicious breakfast or dessert topped with berries.
To understand what your metabolism is and how to enhance it check out the previous article here.
References:
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/metabolic-damage
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/thyroid-and-testing
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-energy-balance
https://authoritynutrition.com/6-mistakes-that-slow-metabolism/
https://authoritynutrition.com/10-ways-to-boost-metabolism/
http://summertomato.com/non-exercise-activity-thermogenesis-neat
The Fall Season of AOK Nutrition Plan Program starts Sept 24th and the focus is on Metabolic Health
We combine empowering education about how your body works with simple weekly tweaks and action steps to support your metabolism.
- Find solutions to root causes of poor metabolism
- Learn how to optimize your metabolism for energy & fat burning
- Understand which hormones are in charge of your metabolic health & how to detect which hormones need your attention most
- Learn to make simple swaps in your daily foods that have a big impact on your metabolism
- Find out if your current lab results are in the optimal range, how to request functional testing + how to decide which test is the most important one to start with for you
Investment includes:
- 10 Seasonal DFY Meal Plans to make meal planning easy and effortless
- Step by step prep guide to save you time
- Shopping Lists for Each Plan to save money and time
- Brand & Pantry Guides to take the guesswork out of which brands to buy
- Extra Seasonal Recipes Booklet for fun & easy weekend, drink, and dessert recipes
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND REGISTER. (USE SAVINGS CODE AOKFALL FOR EARLY BIRD SAVINGS)
