As we age, our metabolism slows for sure.
However, there are reasons why some might have more sluggish metabolism than others.
According to Webster, metabolism is the chemical and physical processes continuously going on in living organisms.
Unfortunately, not all of us living organisms have metabolisms that process continuously, at the same. Some have fast ones, others slow.
Anyway, there are 4 common reasons why you might suffer from Sluggish Metabolism, and here they are..
1. Missed Meals
You need to cut calories to lose weight, but its important not to overdo it. Going too low delivers a double whammy to your metabolism.
When you eat less than you need for basic biological function (about 2,000 calories for most women), your body throws the brakes on your metabolism.
It also begins to break down precious, calorie-burning muscle tissue for energy which will in turn make your metabolism sluggish.
Eat just enough so you’re not hungry — a 150-calorie snack mid morning and midafternoon between three meals (about 430 calories each) will keep your metabolism humming.
By eating a meal every 3 to 4 hours, you’ll stay satisfied and keep from overeating later in the day.
2. Drug Therapy
Some oral contraceptive (OC) pills can actually cause weight gain, usually due to water retention.
For example, Diane 35 has been known to cause a lot more weight gain from water retention, than the newer generation OC Yaz.
Weight gain is also a possible side effect of nearly all antidepressants.
However, each person responds to an antidepressant differently. Some people gain weight when taking a certain antidepressant while others don’t.
While some people gain weight after starting an antidepressant, the antidepressant isn’t always a direct cause.
There are many factors that can work together to contribute to weight gain during antidepressant therapy.
For example, overeating as a result of depression can cause weight gain.
A healthy lifestyle free of drugs is of course the best solution to the problem but not always the most practical.
Consult your doctor to help tailor the right regimen for you.
3. Smoking Cessation
Smoking is horrible for every part of you except your metabolism, which it tends to rev up initially.
Your body is forced to expend extra energy trying to detoxify itself from the chemicals.
Unfortunately, this is a big part of why people get fat after quitting.
As soon as you quit, your metabolism drops significantly causing the weight to pile on.
To help offset the metabolic dip, exercise and chew a combination of Nicorette and Jolt gums.
Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that men who chewed nicotine gum (2 milligrams) spiked with 100 mg caffeine experienced a 10 percent increase in metabolism.
4. Hormone Shortage
When your thyroid gland doesn’t pump out enough of its namesake hormone, your metabolism is forced to downshift.
This is called hypothyroidism, and it slows almost every metabolic process, including calorie burning.
The signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism vary widely, depending on the severity of the hormone deficiency.
But in general, any problems you do have tend to develop slowly, often over a number of years.
At first, you may barely notice the symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue and sluggishness, or you may simply attribute them to getting older.
But as your metabolism continues to slow, you may develop more obvious signs and symptoms.
Lethargy and weight gain are two of the most common symptoms, but a definitive diagnosis requires a blood test of your thyroid-stimulating hormone.
Anything more than 4 milli-international units per liter is trouble and may mean you need a prescription for synthetic thyroid hormone.
See your doctor if you’re feeling tired for no reason or have any of the other signs or symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as dry skin, a pale, puffy face, constipation or a hoarse voice.
7 Signs of a Slow Metabolism
1. It’s easier for me to gain weight than lose weight
This is the NUMBER ONE sign of a sluggish metabolism: Your old weight loss tricks simply don’t seem to work anymore.
(Note that if you have unexplained weight gain or loss, visit your doctor to make sure there’s no underlying medical issue.)
2. I can’t lose weight no matter how much I exercise
We’ve heard this one for years: That losing weight is merely about calories in and calories out.
So theoretically, it doesn’t matter WHAT you eat as long as you burn off more calories through exercise.
Well, let me tell you, I’ve had clients that run 10 miles a day and can’t lose weight.
I’ve seen men who hit the gym five times a week and can’t lose the beer gut. It’s NOT about calories: It’s about what foods you’re putting into your body.
Exercise can help, as long as you’re eating the right foods, but you don’t need to kill yourself every day with 2-hour workouts.
3. I gain weight even when I eat next to nothing
Something terrible happens when you severely restrict your diet. Your body goes into emergency mode.
Because it’s not getting enough food, your metabolism starts thinking “hey, we haven’t been eating that much, so I’d better start storing everything just in case.”
Your body is actually trying to save your life! Instead of burning fat for fuel, it stores fat for the future.
Not what you want!
You actually need to feed your body and your metabolism to lose weight.
The key is feeding it the right foods that stoke your metabolic fire.
4. I’m noticing fat in areas I’ve never had it before
We all have those trouble spots — the little bulges where we always tend to gain and lose weight.
But if you’re starting to gain fat in new areas, this could be a sign of a sluggish metabolism.
Your body is searching for new areas to store fat.
Fat around your midsection, for instance, can mean your cortisol levels are out of whack.
When your metabolism is over-taxed, or you’re stressed out.
Your body pumps out extra cortisol, a hormone that tells your body to store fat around your belly.
5. I’ve got cellulite in new places
Forty percent of women — even a lot of very fit women — have some cellulite on the backs of their thighs and hips.
But if you’re starting to notice it on the fronts of your thighs, that’s a metabolic red flag.
When your body starts scavenging your muscles for fuel, soft fatty deposits are left behind: cellulite.
You also lose collagen and elastin, leaving your skin looking stretched.
This can also make cellulite more noticeable, and any body fat starts to look lumpy and distorted.
6. My heels are cracked and dry; I’m losing hair
The thyroid is not only a metabolic superstar, but it also shares responsibility for healthy skin, hair and nails.
Dry, cracked skin — especially cracked heels — is an indicator that your thyroid isn’t as efficient as it should be.
Hair loss, particularly for women on the crown of their heads can also indicate a hormone imbalance.
7. I have terrible afternoon sugar cravings
Your adrenal glands are responsible for telling your body to release stored fat for fuel, particularly as the afternoon drags on.
When that doesn’t happen, blood sugar drops and your body signals you to eat something that has quick, easy energy — sugar and simple carbs.
But it’s a vicious cycle because those foods don’t provide energy for very long.
A fast metabolism, however, can regulate blood sugar to give you energy all day, without sudden drops.