Horrible Habits That Will Mess Up Your Metabolism

The metabolism is the process at which the body converts all consumed calories into energy. An individuals metabolism is determined by a few factors such as body size, body composition, sex, age, and physical activity. However, one of the most influential factors of metabolism is heredity.

The metabolism can be inherited from your parents and is often blamed for weight gain. If your parents had a slow metabolism, then chances are that you do as well. However, it is possible to boost your metabolism, just as you can also slow your metabolism down. So continue reading to learn about horrible habits that can ruin your metabolism.

Skipping Meals

Skipping meals will force your body to go into starvation mode. When this occurs metabolism is slowed significantly. The reason the body does this is to conserve energy. Not only is metabolism slowed but skipping a meal and forcing the body to go into starvation mode means that when you do eat again you are not only more likely to eat more to make up for the missed calories but the body will store those additional calories as fat. The worst part is, if you do skip the most important meal of the day (breakfast) your metabolic rate is likely to be low all day. The best thing that you can do to help your metabolism is eat a series of healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. Once your body reaches the point in which it thinks it is starving metabolism will be negatively impacted.

Consuming Simple Carbohydrates

Simple carbs like refined breads and sweets metabolize much too quickly. As a result the body does not have to work hard to digest it which means fewer calories are burned. On the other hand complex carbs requires the body to work much harder to digest and they provide the body with the vitamins, minerals and fiber needed to keep metabolism up. Loading up on simple carbs can also result in carbohydrate sensitivity. With carb sensitivity blood sugar spikes and the body becomes unable to metabolize glucose correctly.

Eating A High Fat Diet

A diet high in fat slows digestion significantly because fat is harder to digest. Fat takes much longer to digest and tricks the body into thinking that it is not hungry. As a result you will likely skip a meal or two thus tricking your body into starvation mode resulting in slowing or even shutting down your metabolism. In order to maintain a good metabolism a healthy diet consisting of lean proteins, complex carbs, fruits and vegetables is required.

Not Drinking Enough Water

Water is essential to the body. Humans need water to survive but who knew it played a role in metabolism? A study in the December 2003 issue of “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” shows that drinking water helps to increase metabolic rate. Although the effect on the body is brief, H2O is crucial to maintain an efficient cellular metabolism. Cells require hydration.

Eating Processed Foods

Processed foods can mess up your metabolism because they are often high in fat, sugar, calories, additives and other chemicals that the body simply does not need. In fact such foods can decrease metabolism as much as 70% over time. To keep metabolism boosted and healthy opt for fresh foods rather than those that come from a box. MSG, emulsifiers and preservatives will only bring metabolism to a glacial pace.

Not Getting Enough Sleep

Sleep deprivation prevents your body from performing basic metabolic functions such as processing and storing carbs. The body needs time to rest and rejuvenate in order to perform the many tasks that have to be done to keep you going. Do your best to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.

Skipping Your Workout

Muscle and metabolism go hand in hand. Those with more muscle burn more calories. For this reason you should not skip on exercise in order to maintain muscle and keep your metabolism revved. Aside from cardio include strength training to maintain muscle. You do not have to bulk up but strength training should be integrated into every workout routine to make sure the body burns optimal calories at rest.

Overall, there are many habits that will mess up your metabolism but they are so easy to stop. All you have to do is make a few lifestyle changes and become more aware of how the body works and what it needs. Metabolism is very important. It help to maintain a healthy weight and so much more. As we age metabolism slows so why let bad habits make it even slower when maintaining it is so easy?