| Christina Godbey posted in Tina and Friends Weight Loss Support Group . Christina Godbey November 30 at 7:47pm Four Major Hidden Causes of a Slow Metabolism You've worked so hard to shed the pounds, but something seems to sabotage your efforts.... You might be right, and it might just be your own body.... Metabolism is the actual process by which your body converts food into energy, and any compromise to that process could affect the number of calories your body burns -- and what it conserves. A slow metabolism means your body conserves more energy and calories, leading to the retention of more body fat. The hidden causes of a slow metabolism are sometimes overlooked in favor of the more obvious ones, such as genetics, the sex of the individual and the side effects of the normal aging process... other possible causes of a slow metabolism: 1. Diabetes Did you know that the metabolism of people who do not have diabetes is significantly different from the metabolism of those of diabetics due to the havoc the condition plays on insulin production? This is related to the body's inability to properly metabolize glucose, leading to a spike in blood sugars and consequent weight gain. 2. Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism is a disorder that affects the ability of the thyroid gland to make enough thyroid hormone for the body to function properly. The hormone regulates the way the body uses energy and without enough, most of the body's functions will slow down, including the metabolic process. 3. Cushing's Syndrome Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder that occurs when body tissues are exposed to cortisol, a hormone excreted by the adrenal glands, for an extended period. Cortisol controls the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in the body, and prolonged exposure to it will slow down your metabolism. 4. Improper Diet Skipping meals might seem like a logical way to reduce calories and shed some weight, but the reality is quite different. When you limit your meals, your body goes into survival mode by slowing down the metabolic process to conserve energy. In this sense, a slow metabolism is a built-in natural defense to protect the body from the effects of starvation by minimizing the amount of energy it uses. Tricks to Speed Things Up... 1. Turn your workout up a notch: Aerobic exercise is a high-intensity exercise that helps you give your metabolism a much-needed boost. Even short spurts of intense exercise will deliver more benefits than longer bouts of low-intensity ones. 2. Eat right: Eating little portions of healthy foods or snacks at intervals will help speed up your metabolic process. This is due to the fact that the body uses energy to burn calories, and eating just one or two big meals allows the metabolic process to slow down in between.... Also, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables, which naturally contain water, rather than pretzels or chips. 3. Fuel Up With Water: Your body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack. 4. Spice Up Your Meals: Spicy foods have natural chemicals that can kick your metabolism into a higher gear. Cooking foods with a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can boost your metabolic rate. The effect is probably temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red pepper flakes. Do you have experience with slow metabolism? 5. Power Up With Protein: Your body burns many more calories digesting protein than it does eating fat or carbohydrates. As part of a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can boost metabolism at mealtime. Good sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products. 6. Recharge With Green Tea: Drinking green tea or oolong tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple of hours. Research suggests that drinking 2 to 4 cups of either tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories during moderately intense exercise for a short time. 7. Avoid Crash Diets: Crash diets -- those involving eating fewer than 1,200 (if you're a woman) or 1,800 (if you're a man) calories a day -- are bad for anyone hoping to quicken their metabolism. Although these diets may help you drop pounds, that comes at the expense of good nutrition. Plus, it backfires, since you can lose muscle, which in turn slows your metabolism. The final result is your body burns fewer calories and gains weight faster than before the diet. Like Comment | | | | | | | | | | Christina Godbey posted in Tina and Friends Weight Loss Support Group. | | |  | | | | | Four Major Hidden Causes of a Slow Metabolism
You've worked so hard to shed the pounds, but something seems to sabotage your efforts.... You might be right, and it might just be your own body....
Metabolism is the actual process by which your body converts food into energy, and any compromise to that process could affect the number of calories your body burns -- and what it conserves. A slow metabolism means your body conserves more energy and calories, leading to the retention of more body fat. The hidden causes of a slow metabolism are sometimes overlooked in favor of the more obvious ones, such as genetics, the sex of the individual and the side effects of the normal aging process... other possible causes of a slow metabolism:
1. Diabetes
Did you know that the metabolism of people who do not have diabetes is significantly different from the metabolism of those of diabetics due to the havoc the condition plays on insulin production? This is related to the body's inability to properly metabolize glucose, leading to a spike in blood sugars and consequent weight gain.
2. Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a disorder that affects the ability of the thyroid gland to make enough thyroid hormone for the body to function properly. The hormone regulates the way the body uses energy and without enough, most of the body's functions will slow down, including the metabolic process.
3. Cushing's Syndrome
Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder that occurs when body tissues are exposed to cortisol, a hormone excreted by the adrenal glands, for an extended period. Cortisol controls the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in the body, and prolonged exposure to it will slow down your metabolism.
4. Improper Diet
Skipping meals might seem like a logical way to reduce calories and shed some weight, but the reality is quite different. When you limit your meals, your body goes into survival mode by slowing down the metabolic process to conserve energy. In this sense, a slow metabolism is a built-in natural defense to protect the body from the effects of starvation by minimizing the amount of energy it uses.
Tricks to Speed Things Up...
1. Turn your workout up a notch:
Aerobic exercise is a high-intensity exercise that helps you give your metabolism a much-needed boost. Even short spurts of intense exercise will deliver more benefits than longer bouts of low-intensity ones.
2. Eat right:
Eating little portions of healthy foods or snacks at intervals will help speed up your metabolic process. This is due to the fact that the body uses energy to burn calories, and eating just one or two big meals allows the metabolic process to slow down in between.... Also, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables, which naturally contain water, rather than pretzels or chips.
3. Fuel Up With Water:
Your body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack.
4. Spice Up Your Meals:
Spicy foods have natural chemicals that can kick your metabolism into a higher gear. Cooking foods with a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can boost your metabolic rate. The effect is probably temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red pepper flakes.
Do you have experience with slow metabolism?
5. Power Up With Protein:
Your body burns many more calories digesting protein than it does eating fat or carbohydrates. As part of a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can boost metabolism at mealtime. Good sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.
6. Recharge With Green Tea:
Drinking green tea or oolong tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple of hours. Research suggests that drinking 2 to 4 cups of either tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories during moderately intense exercise for a short time.
7. Avoid Crash Diets:
Crash diets -- those involving eating fewer than 1,200 (if you're a woman) or 1,800 (if you're a man) calories a day -- are bad for anyone hoping to quicken their metabolism. Although these diets may help you drop pounds, that comes at the expense of good nutrition. Plus, it backfires, since you can lose muscle, which in turn slows your metabolism. The final result is your body burns fewer calories and gains weight faster than before the diet. | |
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