A speedier metabolism could translate to a thinner you. Our metabolism
is responsible for converting your food into energy that keeps your
heart beating, lungs pumping, and muscles moving. Higher metabolism is
often associated with weight loss as it helps burn calories faster. If
you exercise regularly and you try to eat right but you’re still not
seeing the pounds come off, there’s a chance that some of your habits
may actually be slowing down your metabolism and interfering with your
best weight loss efforts. Here are 16 bad habits that slow down your
metabolism. You definitely want to avoid doing in order to keep your
metabolism humming along.
16 THINGS THAT ARE SLOWING DOWN YOUR METABOLISM
Include Metabolism Boosters
These “fat burning foods” green tea, cayenne pepper, vinegar, as well as
anything high in protein, such as eggs, meat, and fish supposedly boost
your metabolism, causing your body to burn through your fat
reserves—including the fat around your middle. A cup of green tea or a
teaspoon of cayenne pepper might cause you to burn an extra ten or
twenty calories per day, but it takes 3,500 calories to burn off a pound
of fat. Peppers pack capsaicin, which may speed metabolism by
controlling the release of appetite-regulating hormones as well as
increasing levels of stress hormones that decrease desire to eat. Feel
free to include these metabolism boosters in your diet. And use
thermogenic spices like red chili pepper, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric,
mustard, cloves, garlic, black pepper, cardamoms and cumin in your
cooking. These spices are loaded with health benefits. They help to
improve your insulin resistance and reduce levels of sugar in your
blood, lower bad cholesterol and also help shake your metabolism into
high gear; end up you can surely burn the fat faster.
Eating Schedule
Take meals at consistent times, skip a meal or push a normal mealtime
back by several hours the end result is that you eat more, gain weight
and slow down your metabolism. Your eating schedule plays a huge role in
metabolism. Feeding your body on a regular schedule keeps your
metabolism burning whereas eating sporadically can slow down metabolism.
The body shifts into fat conservation mode, telling the body to burn
fewer calories. By eating a meal every 3 to 4 hours, you'll stay
satisfied and keep from overeating later in the day. A Research shows
that eating at the same times every day trains the body to burn more
calories between meals. Eat frequent, consistently sized meals to avoid
binges and feel happier.
Your Water is Not Cold
German researchers have found that drinking 8 glasses of cold water a
day can increase your metabolism. Metabolism increases when the body
works to increase the temperature of the water. A small part of this
increase is attributed to the fact that your body works to heat the
fluid to your core temperature. If your water is room temperature or
lukewarm water, you could be slowing your metabolism and losing the
opportunity to burn calories. So throw an ice cube in your water and
enjoy an extra metabolism boost.
Not Eating Enough
You need to cut calories to lose weight, but it's important not to
overdo it. When you skimp on calories, your body switches into
starvation mode, slowing your metabolic rate to conserve the fuel it's
got, and can slow the metabolic rate by 100’s of calories daily.
According to studies; if you try to lose weight with diets that are very
low in calories, then your metabolism slows down. Diets that are very
low on calories can decrease your metabolic rate by 20-30% and even up
45%. Another negative side-effect on very low calorie diets is the loss
of muscle mass. The weight you lose with these diets is not all fat;
40-50% of the weight you lose can come from water weight and muscle
tissue. A general rule of thumb is to aim for 10 calories per pound of
goal body weight.
Diet and Exercise
To have a huge impact on your weight you should not ignore the
weight-loss basics: diet and exercise. Research shows that reducing
calorie intake alone is slightly more effective for weight loss than
exercise alone, but combining these approaches leads to long term
success. To make the biggest difference, work with a dietitian to
develop your ideal diet menu and make a habit of exercising most days of
the week. It can be tough to fit exercise into an already busy
schedule, but the boost in metabolism you get from burning extra
calories and building muscle makes it worth the effort. Aerobic exercise
helps burn calories and increase cardiovascular health. Strength
training helps build muscle mass, which also increases your metabolic
rate because muscle burns calories at a faster rate than does fat. If
the scale is stuck despite your healthy eating, add walking, jogging,
dancing, or strength training to your routine to boost the calories you
burn each day. Running, biking, swimming, and rowing get your heart
pumping, making them super-important for boosting your metabolism.
Skipping Meals
When you eat, your metabolism uses this food to produce enough energy
for the body to function. When you constantly keep skipping meals, your
metabolism has nothing to do and thus begins to slow down from its
normal routine. Your body may think it is starving and stop any
unnecessary functions in order to protect itself that’s why fasting
isn’t a smart idea. By eating more frequent and smaller meals, the
body's metabolic furnace is always running hot. This results in more fat
and calories being burned throughout the day. Aim for three meals and
two snacks every day.
You Sit too Much
A research shows it takes only 20 minutes in any fixed position to
inhibit your metabolism. When you are sitting, your major muscles aren’t
moving, which slows your metabolism. While regular workouts help, it is
also important to avoid extended periods of sitting. A new study
discovered that sitting for long periods increases your risk of
diabetes, heart disease and death regardless of physical activity. The
reason for the metabolic disruption is muscles don't have to work so
hard—burning less fat—and prolonged sitting may also lead to poor
insulin sensitivity. Regular movement will keep your metabolism from
slowing and stalling your weight loss efforts.
Skipping Breakfast
One study found that breakfast-skippers were 4.5 times more likely to be
overweight. When you skip breakfast you are slowing your metabolism.
You are telling your body to slow down and not use energy. It thinks it
is going to need energy later in the day so it doesn't start working.
Even skipping one day of breakfast can slow your metabolism. When you
miss breakfast, you don't just set yourself up to overeat at lunch.
Eating a healthy breakfast kick starts your metabolic rate and starts
your body's furnace for the day.
You Avoid Caffeine
Avoiding caffeine could be slowing down your metabolism. Caffeine is a
central nervous system stimulant, so one cup of coffee daily can
increase metabolism from five to eight percent. This amounts to between
98 and 174 calories a day. Researchers believe the antioxidant catechins
in tea provide the boost. Don't skip that cup of morning coffee or tea,
use it to jumpstart your day.
Eating White Carbs
Refined food like white rice or white bread can be easily broken down by
the body. That means your body doesn’t have to work very hard to digest
your food thus leaving your metabolism to slack. If the majority of
carbohydrates you are eating are white carbs, you could be slowing your
metabolism without realizing it. Increasing fiber in your daily diet
can increase your body's fat burning capacity. You will also feel fuller
and be less prone to overeat.
Too Little Protein
Not eating enough protein can slow metabolism and cause your body to
turn to its own muscle for energy. Make sure protein is a component in
every meal. Protein-rich foods require more calories to digest &
assimilate – plus protein is a key for building calorie-burning muscle
mass. Add a serving, like 3 ounces of lean meat, 2 tablespoons of nuts,
or 8 ounces of low-fat yogurt, to every meal and snack. Research has
shown that you can burn up to 35 percent more calories after a meal with
protein than you can with a meal lacking in protein.
Missing Sleep
Lack of sleep can have a big impact on your metabolism. If you don't get
enough sleep you are tired and less inclined to be active. Ultimately,
this means you burn fewer calories and have a slower metabolism. Sleep
deprivation actually reduces the amount of energy which your body uses
at rest. People who get a good night sleep tend to be more energetic and
have higher metabolic rates. Get your 7 hours sleep and increase your
metabolism.
Lacking Calcium
Calcium deficiency may slow metabolism. Calcium plays a key role in
regulating your fat metabolism, which determines whether you burn
calories or store them as fat. Research shows that consuming calcium
through dairy foods such as fat-free milk and low-fat yogurt may also
reduce fat absorption from other foods.
Getting Dehydrated
If you let your body become dehydrated, you are slowing your metabolism
down without even knowing it. All of your body's cellular processes,
including metabolism, depend on water. A study showed that people who
drank 8-12 glasses of water everyday burned calories at a faster
metabolic rate than people who didn’t drink enough water. Carry a bottle
around with you so you don’t forget to sip throughout the day.
Low Iron Intake
Iron plays a crucial role in various bodily processes, including
metabolism. Iron-rich foods are essential for carrying the oxygen your
muscles need to burn fat. If you don’t get enough iron, your blood
doesn’t get enough oxygen, you lose energy, and your metabolism slows
down. This one’s especially important for women, whose iron levels drop
each month during their periods. To ward off the problem, fill your
plate with iron-rich foods like spinach, beans, shellfish, lean beef,
raisins, and artichokes—especially when it’s that time of the month.
Your Food is Covered with Pesticides
You already know pesticides are bad for you for numerous reasons, but
you probably didn’t know that one of those reasons is the negative
effect it can have on your metabolism. A 2012 study in Environmental
Health Perspectives connected environmental pollutants, like pesticides
commonly used on fruits and vegetables, to obesity and metabolic
syndrome. The researchers found that, in lab cells, the pollutants were
stored in fat tissue where they cause inflammation and affect pathways
that regulate metabolism. Other research hints that pesticides can
trigger weight gain. Always choose organic when buying peaches, apples,
bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce,
imported grapes, and pears; non-organic versions tend to have the
highest levels of pesticides.
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