I’ve spent almost 30 years studying how food and lifestyle choices affect themetabolism.
The truth is, there’s a lot we can do to boost metabolism.
Unfortunately, many of my clients don’t show up in the above condition.
More likely, they are suffering from a sluggish metabolism.
First off, what does metabolism mean?
And most people have room for improvement when it comes to optimizing their metabolism.
Only about 12% of the American population is consideredmetabolically healthy, according to a2019 survey.
Here are a few signs indicating thatyoumay fit into that category.
You’re not alone!
This can lead to body aches, nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, inflammation, and a slow metabolism.
Hormone imbalances
When your metabolism is sluggish,hormones can also get out of balance.
These includehormones that regulate appetite, blood sugar, sleep, and stress.
You end up with dry, scaly skin and thinning hair.
Having trouble staying warm, especially in your extremities?
You guessed itthat’s another signal from your body that your metabolism could use a makeover.
Blood sugar imbalance
Signs ofblood sugar imbalanceinclude carb cravings and the urge to eat every few hours.
If any of the above sounds familiar, don’t worry because I’ve got some answers for you!
In terms ofweight loss, it’s not just about calories in and calories out.
It sounds daunting, but actually, this is great news.
Because once you know what to do, you might take control and reset your metabolism.
This will prepare your body to burn fat the next morning.
Also, aim to eat one to two hours after waking up.
Our bodies are moremetabolically active in the morning(and more primed to use calories efficiently).
This will help you prevent a blood sugar roller coaster and the resulting energy and mood swings.
To keep cravings at bay, check that you have lean protein; healthy fats; andfiberat every meal.
Drink lots of water
Staying hydratedhas been shown1to increase metabolism by as much as 30%.
So ensure you’re sipping water throughout the day.
Excessive endurance exercises like long-distance running may actually cause your body to break down (think muscle loss!
), stress your immune system, and may even cause weight gain.
Get serious about sleep
see to it you get seven to nine hours ofuninterrupted sleepevery night.
This will boost your human growth hormone (hello, fat burn) and quiet your hunger hormones.
The takeaway
Most people, especially as we age, have some signs of a slow metabolism.
