Metabolism Slow Down? Common Mistakes for That

• It’s important to maintain a healthy weight, not only because of the health risks associated with carrying around extra weight, but also because it has been shown that having an appropriate body weight can help maintain a healthy metabolism.
• The faster your metabolism is, the more quickly your body will be able to process calories and burn fat, leaving you healthier and thinner overall.
• But certain mistakes can slow down your metabolism, so pay close attention to these eight common mistakes that slow down your metabolism.

---

1) Not eating enough

When your Metabolism Slow Down you don’t eat enough, your body goes into starvation mode and starts to hold onto every calorie.

This slows down your metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight. If you’re trying to lose weight, make sure you’re eating enough so that your body doesn’t go into starvation mode.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends a diet with 1,200-1,800 calories per day for women who are trying to lose weight and 1,600-2,400 calories per day for men who are trying to lose weight.

Eat five or six small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. These mini meals should be spaced out at least two hours apart from each other.

2) Not eating every few hours

Skipping meals might seem like a good way to save calories, but it can actually do the opposite. When you go too long without eating, your body enters starvation mode and starts conserving energy.

This means your metabolism slows down and you burn fewer calories. Plus, when you finally do eat, you’re more likely to overeat because your body is so famished.

So make sure to eat something every few hours to keep your metabolism going strong. Be mindful of what you’re putting in your mouth:

The size of the meal or snack doesn’t matter as much as what’s in it. If you want to lose weight, try keeping your calorie intake below 1,200 per day (even if that means skipping a meal).

The healthier your diet becomes over time, the less food cravings will hit you and sabotage your efforts.

And remember that just because one cookie or piece of cake won’t derail all of your hard work doesn’t mean you should feel free to indulge whenever an urge strikes!

3) Skipping meals

Skipping meals is one of the worst things you can do for your metabolism. When you skip a meal, your body goes into starvation mode and starts to store fat.

Not only that, but your body also starts to break down muscle for energy. This is a recipe for disaster if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

Eat small meals throughout the day so your metabolism stays up and running at full speed. Eating more than four hours before bed:

If you eat anything more than four hours before bedtime, it will not have time to digest and your metabolism will not be able to burn any calories from it.

The best thing to do is wait about three hours after dinner then head off to bed so you give yourself plenty of time to digest before sleep.

Drinking too many diet sodas: Studies show that people who drink two or more diet sodas per day are almost twice as likely as those who don’t drink them at all, to be overweight.

4) Consuming too much alcohol

Alcohol consumption can lead to an increase in belly fat, as well as a decrease in muscle mass. Alcohol also slows down the body’s ability to burn calories.

All of these factors can lead to a slower metabolism. To avoid this, limit your alcohol intake to one or two drinks per day.

Additionally, reduce your portion sizes and eat more lean protein such as fish, chicken and beans. Drinking too much caffeine:

Caffeine is notorious for making people feel jittery and nervous – which means it can have adverse effects on digestion and absorption of nutrients that will make you feel sluggish.

It also stimulates the release of cortisol which raises blood sugar levels which then lowers insulin sensitivity.

5) Staying sedentary

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to their metabolism is staying sedentary. When you don’t move your body, you’re not giving your metabolism a chance to work.

Even if you’re not working out, making an effort to move more throughout the day can help give your metabolism a boost.

Try walking instead of driving, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and standing up during commercial breaks when watching TV.

All these small changes will add up to provide you with an increased metabolism. Skipping meals:

Forcing yourself to skip meals may seem like a good idea because you want to lose weight fast but this actually has the opposite effect on your metabolism.

Skipping meals slows down your metabolic rate because it creates a calorie deficit which leads to sluggishness and fatigue, both of which decrease your chances of losing weight.

6) Lack of sleep

In Metabolism Slow Down most people need around eight hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately, many people don’t get enough sleep and this can have a negative impact on their health, including their metabolism.

A lack of sleep can lead to weight gain, as well as other health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

It’s best to set an alarm that tells you when it’s time for bed so you’re sure not to over-indulge in food or alcohol at the end of the day.

Sleeplessness also has a negative effect on your mental state which means less healthy choices like eating junk food will be more tempting.

Remembering to exercise: When you do exercise, make sure it’s something you enjoy doing. For example, running is not enjoyable for everyone!

Find something that gives you energy rather than drains your energy reserves (i.e., take up cycling). If you want to lose weight then try interval training rather than long endurance sessions.

Too much stress: Stress is one of the worst things that can happen to your body because its effects are almost instantaneous and only last temporarily.

7) Being stressed out

When you’re stressed, your body goes into fight-or-flight mode, which means it releases a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol signals your body to store fat and to burn calories more slowly.

So if you’re constantly stressed, your metabolism will take a hit. To help manage stress levels, do something relaxing like taking a bath or meditating for 15 minutes per day.

Exercise also helps lower cortisol levels. For every 30 minutes of exercise, your levels of the stress hormone go down by about 20%. Sleep:

It’s important to get enough sleep in order to keep your metabolism going at its optimal rate.

Studies show that people who sleep less than seven hours each night have slower metabolisms than those who get eight hours of shut-eye.

8) Consuming too many simple carbohydrates

When you consume simple carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into sugar and then uses that sugar for energy.

However, when you consume too many simple carbs, your body can’t use all the sugar and it gets stored as fat.

Additionally, when you eat simple carbs, your blood sugar levels spike and then crash, leaving you feeling tired and hungry.

Consuming too many simple carbs can also lead to weight gain and type 2 diabetes. To avoid these problems, make sure to eat complex carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Complex carbs are broken down slower than simple carbs and keep your blood sugar levels stable so you don’t experience cravings or crashes.