Metabolism is the general term for a number of different physiological processes that require energy. Some of these physiological processes include breathing, body temperature maintenance, digestion, muscle contraction, blood circulation and elimination of waste, according to MedlinePlus. Although genetics play a large role in the speed of your metabolism, some lifestyle habits can cause your metabolism to slow down.
Basal Metabolic Rate
When people discuss a slow or fast metabolism, they usually referring to a process called your basal metabolic rate, or BMR. Your BMR is the amount of calories your body burns while you are at rest. Several genetic factors, such as age, sex and body size, contribute to the speed of your basal metabolic rate. There are also other controllable factors that may increase or decrease your BMR. According to MayoClinic.com, your basal metabolic rate accounts for approximately 60 to 75 percent of the calories you burn daily.
Importance of Eating
When you follow starvation diets or don't eat for extended periods of time, your body goes into what is often referred to as starvation mode. During starvation mode, your body will shut down various physiological processes, including your basal metabolic rate, in an attempt to conserve energy for later use. Although it may seem like starvation diets would promote weight loss, they actually slow down your metabolism and decrease the rate at which your body burns calories. In the long term, this can actual lead to weight gain. In order to keep your metabolism at a high speed, it is important to eat at regular intervals during the course of the day.
Strength Training
Your body composition plays a large role in the rate of your metabolism as well. At rest, muscle burns more calories than fat. While cardiovascular exercise may help you lose weight, the only way to build muscle is to strength train. If you do not strength train, you may be causing your metabolism to slow down. In addition to cardiovascular exercise, you should be adding strength training to your workout routine two to three days per week.
Medical Conditions
Although it is rare, some people have medical conditions that slow down their metabolism. One of the most common is an underactive thyroid gland, or hypothyroidism. The thyroid hormones produced by your thyroid gland control all metabolic processes. If you do not produce enough thyroid hormones, your metabolism cannot work properly. Another medical condition that can cause a slow metabolism is Cushing's syndrome, which is an adrenal gland disorder.
Considerations
Although people often blame weight gain on a slow metabolism, MayoClinic.com notes that a slow metabolism is to blame in a very small number of cases. Weight gain is usually caused by eating more calories than you burn. If you want to manage your weight, you need to monitor your calorie intake and include regular physical activity. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume.
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