Your metabolism is the rate at which you burn calories, which are the units of energy in the body. Calories are stored as fat; therefore, the slower your metabolism, the more fat you likely have. On the other hand, if you have a high metabolism, you burn calories at rest and typically have less fat. If you are feeling fatigued or sluggish and are gaining weight, your metabolism may be slowing down. You should understand the most likely causes of a slow metabolism.
Poor Diet
A poor diet, specifically a diet high in calories and fat, can cause your metabolism to slow down. As your fat mass to muscle mass ratio increases, the number of calories that you burn at rest decreases because fat burns fewer calories than muscle. Therefore, you must change your diet to reduce your caloric intake to prevent gaining fat. Begin with a reduction in portion size. Instead of eating meals on a full-sized plate, eat meals on a saucer-sized plate. Also, replace high calorie foods, such as cookies and chips, with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meats and low-fat dairy.
Lack of Exercise
A lack of exercise can cause your metabolism to slow down. The amount of muscle you have in your body correlates directly with your metabolism. The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be because muscle burns calories at rest. Therefore, increase your muscle mass with resistance training to boost your metabolism. Perform resistance exercises at least three times per week. Include exercises that work your upper body, back, abdomen and lower body.
Thyroid Problems
Hypothyroidism, or low thyroid hormone levels, can cause your metabolism to slow down. Thyroid hormone is produced in the thyroid gland, and is responsible for your body's metabolic rate. When thyroid hormone is deficient, replacement is needed to improve your metabolism. If you think you have low thyroid hormone levels, have your doctor perform a test to check your thyroid gland. If necessary, he can prescribe a medication to correct thyroid levels.
Age
Getting older can cause your metabolism to slow down. This occurs because levels of physical activity tend to decrease with age. In addition, older people tend to have more fat than muscle mass, which causes a slowing in metabolism. Therefore, continue to exercise as you age to prevent a decline in your metabolic rate. Exercises as simple as regular walking can slow the decline.
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