The surprising truth about your metabolism: why it's not really broken (and how to fix it)
You’ve likely heard that you have a fast or slow metabolism, but what does that mean? And if you have a slow metabolism, does that mean you’ll never be able to lose weight?
If you’ve ever made an effort to lose weight, then you’re probably familiar with the term metabolism and how it’s supposedly one of the reasons why you can’t burn fat. There are a lot of fads and misconceptions in diet culture all talking about how to fix your metabolism or boost your metabolism. But what if your metabolism isn’t really broken? Read this article to learn more about the surprising truth behind your metabolism and why it's not really broken (and how to fix it).
This article will be especially helpful for individuals who feel they have a sluggish metabolism and want to learn how to actually increase their metabolism - without relying on sketchy fat-burning supplements.
Your Metabolism Is Controlled by Many Factors
Your metabolism is the process by which food is converted into energy. It can be thought of as a process, rather than a single organ. Metabolism has three parts: catabolism, anabolism, and thermogenesis. Catabolism breaks down food so that it can be absorbed and used as fuel. Anabolism synthesizes proteins and other molecules in the body. Thermogenesis converts food into heat, thus increasing the body temperature.
The greater the level of thyroid hormones present in the body, the higher our metabolic rate will be. The calories we consume are directly linked to our weight because they help us meet our daily energy needs.
If you are not a person who does not experience hormone issues from past dieting behavior or eating habits, and you don’t have any medical conditions that impact your metabolism, chances are your metabolism is working pretty well.
Have you started your health journey, but want to make sure you’re on the right path? Check out this video of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to nutrition and fitness:
Before we talk about how to increase your metabolism, let’s discuss why it may be sluggish to begin with.
Reasons Your Metabolism May Be Slower
You may have heard that low-calorie diets can lead to a lowered basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories your body needs in order to function at rest. Many women who have chronically dieted may find their basal metabolic rate has lowered significantly over time. I see this often with clients in my nutrition coaching practice: they’ve been dieting and restricting food intake for years, often to 1200 or 1000 calories a day. Over time, your body metabolically adapts to that low caloric intake - and suddenly you don’t lose weight anymore, and now your metabolic rate is so low. It’s a lose-lose situation for people on diets!
Essentially, if you have frequently dieted or undereaten for a long time, your body has adapted to a substantially smaller caloric intake. This means your metabolism has been downregulated and learned to survive off less food. However, there are other factors that can lower this number as well, including thyroid disorders and endocrine disruption.
If this is you, are you able to reverse the damage and get back? Certainly! The good news is that once you start eating a balanced and nutritious (and calorically dense) diet, you'll be able to raise your basal metabolic rate.
Watch this video: Can you really fix your metabolism?
How to Boost Your Metabolism - for real
It turns out there is no such thing as 'broken' metabolism. Your body just needs a little help getting back to a healthy metabolic rate, and these three key steps will get you on track.
1. Eating More Food
Eat small meals six times a day or more. By eating this regularly, you'll kickstart your metabolic engine and avoid overeating later on. If you're looking for a new way to stay on track with healthy eating habits, try spacing out your meals and snacks instead of just eating the same few meals throughout the day.
2. Moving Your Body More
Exercise and movement burns calories which is a key part in a healthily functioning metabolism. Exercise at least 30 minutes per day or three times per week to build muscle mass, which burns fat faster than fat alone can be burned off. Resistance training is especially crucial for building muscle and increasing lean muscle mass. For those of you looking to lose fat or lose weight altogether, exercise is a way to support a caloric deficit (by increasing your metabolic rate!) - but more importantly provides great mental health benefits by relieving stress, and improving mood. Exercise also boosts our energy levels and endorphin production.
3. Getting Enough Sleep
We know that getting enough sleep is important, but did you know that the quality of your sleep matters just as much? Research has shown that sleep is intrinsically linked to metabolism and shows that deep sleep stages 3 and 4 are most important for metabolic function. Getting enough restful sleep can help boost your energy levels, improve your mood, and keep cravings at bay. Plus, there are plenty of easy ways to make sure you're getting a good night's rest such as; eating properly, practicing good sleep hygiene and moving your body throughout the day.
WARNING: DON’T do these 3 things if you’re trying to boost your metabolism!
To finish up, we wanted to mention the most common mistakes to avoid if you are trying to boost your metabolism:
Skipping meals – this is one way to show your body you’re not eating consistently, which downgrades your metabolism. When your body doesn’t have regular meals to rely on, over time it can learn to store any extra calories as fat, because it has a history of irregular eating.
Not eating throughout the day but eating one massive meal once a day. Again, your body thrives off of regular, well-balanced and nourishing meals. Our bodies are running all day and all night - they’re not a machine that we only turn on for a few hours a day. Treat it well by eating regular meals around the same time each day if possible.
Not focusing on good health habits which are going to improve your overall wellbeing such as getting enough sleep regularly, managing your stress levels or doing too many intense workouts (that may lead to increased cortisol). Your metabolism and body’s metabolic rate is impacted by your other health behaviors. If your sleep is poor and your stress is through the roof, those things will affect your metabolism, too - not to mention your general mood and wellbeing.
All these things are crucial to avoid if you are trying to boost your metabolism.
I hope you learned something new today about how to support a healthy and happy metabolism - something that’s important for ALL of us, even if you’re not looking to lose weight. Leave your takeaways, questions and comments below so we can have a chat!