Introduction
Are you one of those people who eats a lot and never gains weight? Do you know someone who can’t seem to lose that belly no matter how little they eat? This boils down to one thing – metabolism. Your metabolism determines how much energy you burn throughout the day and plays a crucial role in your weight, hormone levels, and overall health. We’ll look at what metabolism is, common low metabolism symptoms, and the most effective ways to boost metabolism.
Metabolism: What Is It, exactly?
Metabolism describes the biochemical processes in your body that transform food and drink into energy that fuels your daily activities and bodily functions. Without energy, you wouldn’t be able to breathe, think, walk, or do anything else you do throughout the day.
Simply put, your metabolism is responsible for energy production in the body. It’s a broad term that encompasses numerous biochemical reactions that occur in cells, tissues, and organs. These reactions are constantly happening in your body, even when you sleep – this is why your body continues to burn calories at rest.
Two Phases of Metabolism
If you want to know what metabolism is in detail, you need to know about its two main phases:
- 1. Catabolism: The process of breaking down food and fat into energy
- 2. Anabolism: The process of synthesizing and building new molecules in the body
These two phases are interrelated. Catabolism generates energy that fuels anabolism, and the byproducts of anabolism are used to fuel catabolism once again.
BMR: Basal Metabolic Rate
When talking about metabolism, it’s essential to know what BMR means. BMR stands for basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories your body burns at rest. A large portion of the calories your body burns are consumed in the BMR process – between 50 and 75%
Your body uses calories in the BMR process to perform basic physiological functions such as breathing, circulating blood, regulating body temperature, etc. People with a high BMR have a higher metabolism and burn calories at a faster rate than those with a low BMR.
What Affects Your Metabolism?
Now that you know what metabolism is, let’s discuss what influences it. There are several key factors that determine whether you have a slow or fast metabolism. Some of these factors are beyond your control, while others can be manipulated.
The following points will give you a brief overview of the most influential factors and explain how they contribute to the decrease or increase in metabolic rate.
1. Age
2. Muscle mass
3. Body size
4. Gender
5. Genetics
6. Thyroid hormones
7. Level of physical activity
The most influential factor is age. As we get older, our metabolism slows down significantly. Other factors play a role in the rate at which we age and how our metabolic rate decreases. For example, your muscle mass directly affects your metabolism – the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be. That is because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat.
Low Metabolism Symptoms That Shouldn’t Be Ignored
Chances are, you already knew that your metabolism dictated how many calories you burned and how quickly you gained or lost weight. However, few people are aware of the low metabolism symptoms that indicate that something might be wrong.
Some people are shocked to find out that they have a slow metabolism because they didn’t suspect any irregularities and didn’t know that their symptoms were connected to their metabolic function.
1. Always Feeling Tired and Low on Energy
If you feel like you never have enough energy throughout the day, despite getting enough sleep, this could be one of the low metabolism symptoms that should concern you.
A sluggish metabolism means that your body doesn’t generate enough energy, so you may experience chronic fatigue and weakness throughout the day.
2. Unexpected Weight Gain
One of the most apparent low metabolism symptoms is sudden weight gain. If you’ve been eating the same amount and are suddenly putting on weight, the cause could be lower than average metabolism.
Your metabolism determines how many calories your body burns, and if you consume more calories than you burn, you gain weight. A slow metabolism means that your body burns fewer calories than it takes in, so weight gain becomes inevitable.
3. Being Cold All the Time
Feeling cold is another common low metabolism symptom. People with a slow metabolism may struggle with staying warm because their bodies are unable to produce sufficient amounts of heat.
4. Dry Skin, Irritated Skin, Hair Loss
Dry skin, irritated skin, and thinning hair are also common low metabolism symptoms. They occur as a result of reduced energy production in the body.
5. Stomach Problems
Metabolism plays a major role in the workings of your digestive system. A sluggish metabolism can cause indigestion, bloating, and stomach pain in some people.
6. Difficulty Concentrating and Brain Fog
Some of the lesser-known low metabolism symptoms include brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and other cognitive problems.
7. Mood Swings and Depression
Mood swings and depression are also connected to the metabolic process. Depression often occurs as a result of low energy levels since you won’t have the stamina to do the things you enjoy.
However, some low metabolism symptoms, such as fatigue, mood swings, and dry skin, are similar to several thyroid disorders, so it is essential to consult a medical professional before jumping to conclusions.
Natural Ways to Boost Your Metabolism
At this point, you should have a clear understanding of what metabolism is and how it works. You may also be aware of several low metabolism symptoms and realize the importance of seeking medical intervention if you notice any of them. But what should you do if your blood tests don’t show any abnormalities?
Luckily, there are natural ways to boost your metabolism if you suspect that it’s lower than average. Below are a few of the most effective strategies to increase your metabolic rate and burn more calories per day.
1. Eat More Protein
Protein digestion requires more energy than the digestion of fats or carbs. This increase in energy expenditure is referred to as the thermic effect of food, and it can give your metabolism the much-needed boost that it needs.
2. Drinking More Water
Drinking more water is one of the easiest and most effective ways to increase your metabolism. According to research, drinking water can slightly increase the number of calories your body burns throughout the day.
3. Getting Enough Sleep
The connection between sleep and metabolism is complex, and poor sleep quality can considerably impact the former. Lack of sleep can cause spikes in the stress hormone cortisol, which can impair your metabolism and lead to weight gain.
4. Strength Training
Strength training or building muscle is one of the most reliable ways to increase your metabolism. This is because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be.
5. Not Skipping Meals
Skipping meals can wreak havoc with your metabolism and cause it to slow down. Your body will go into survival mode when it doesn’t get enough food, so you might experience a range of uncomfortable side effects.
6. Eating Small, Healthy Meals Throughout the Day
Eating small, healthy meals every day keeps your metabolism running smoothly throughout the day. If you eat fewer meals throughout the day, your metabolism will slow down when processing each meal.
7. Getting Enough Exercise
If you spend most of your day sitting, you need to start exercising more. Exercise keeps your metabolism elevated throughout the day and prevents it from stalling.
8. Eating Spicy Foods
Spicy foods can give your metabolism a temporary boost thanks to capsaicin, so add more chili peppers to your diet if you want to increase your metabolism.
9. Lowering Your Stress Levels
Chronic stress and poor sleep are detrimental to your metabolism. Make sure to practice effective stress-reduction techniques on a regular basis.
How To Boost Your Metabolism as a Woman
Women have a slower metabolism than men, so knowing how to increase your metabolism is essential if you want to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight throughout your life. Below are a few helpful pointers on increasing your metabolism as a woman.
1. Balancing Hormones
Hormones play an important role in the metabolic processes in the female body. The most effective way to increase your metabolism is to maintain hormonal balance throughout your menstrual cycle.
2. Focusing on Strength Training
Strength training can increase muscle mass, and having more muscle will enable you to burn more calories throughout the day. For that reason, strength training is one of the most important things to know about increasing women’s metabolism.
3. Supporting Thyroid Health
The thyroid gland plays a crucial role in the body’s metabolic functions. Women are more likely to develop thyroid problems than men, so it’s critical to support thyroid health to increase metabolism in women.
4. Supporting the Female Body Through Menopause
Women who go through menopause will notice that their metabolism begins to slow down as a result of estrogen loss. Knowing how to increase metabolism in women after menopause is essential for long-term health.
How To Increase Your Metabolism as a Man
Since men generally have more muscle mass than women, they tend to have a naturally higher metabolic rate. However, men’s metabolism still decreases as they age, so it’s important to know how to increase your metabolism as a man.
1. Maintaining Muscle Mass
Strength training is one of the most important activities that men can do to increase their metabolism. After the age of 30, muscle loss accelerates, so it’s time to start strength training to increase muscle mass and boost your metabolism.
2. Maintaining Healthy Testosterone Levels
Testosterone is directly correlated with the metabolic rate in men, which means that increasing testosterone levels can give your metabolism a much-needed boost.
3. Limiting Alcohol Consumption
Drinking alcohol too often can damage your metabolism and lead to weight gain. Heavy drinkers often have a harder time losing weight since alcohol promotes fat storage in the body.
4. Prioritizing Physical Activity
Elder people should prioritize physical activity and remain active throughout the day to keep their metabolism at an optimal level. It may be challenging to get in shape when you’re older, but staying active is one of the best ways how to increase metabolism in men.
Foods That Help Increase Your Metabolism
Now that you know various methods and techniques about how to increase it in female and male, let’s discuss which foods can help you do that.
It’s essential to note that you can combine certain foods in order to increase it, but they shouldn’t be used as a sole method for doing so. Focus primarily on eating healthy meals and make sure to add these metabolism-boosting foods to your diet if you want to see results.
- Green tea and coffee (drunk in moderation)
- Whole grain products
- Proteins such as eggs, chicken, fish, and legumes
- Green vegetables
- Nuts and seeds
- Fruits (especially citrus fruits)
Conclusion
A strong metabolism is the cornerstone of good health, and that is why it’s so important to know what metabolism is and monitor your metabolic health. Recognizing the common low metabolism symptoms can be the difference between a major medical issue and a simple lifestyle change.
Whether you’re a man or a woman who wants to know how to increase it, these tips and tricks are guaranteed to help you achieve your goal.
FAQs
1. What is metabolism in simple words?
Metabolism is simply the way the human body breaks down different foods into usable energy that powers each activity performed by the body.
2. What are the symptoms of low metabolism?
Symptoms of low metabolism encompass fatigue, gaining weight, cold hands and feet, rough skin, and constipation.
3. Does drinking water increase metabolism?
Yes, it is possible to increase a person’s metabolism level by drinking water, particularly cold water.
4. How to increase metabolism after 40 years?
The most natural way to increase it after 40 years is by incorporating strength training exercises, consuming foods with high-protein, staying active, and having a healthy sleep routine.
5. Does eating spicy food increase metabolism?
Yes, eating spicy foods increases the body’s metabolism level due to the presence of capsaicin. However, the change is short-term only.
6. How to increase metabolism in women during menopause?
A woman can increase her metabolism in menopause by performing strength training exercises, eating foods with high-protein content, and reducing stress.
7. Why is a woman’s metabolism lower than a men’s?
The female body has less muscle compared to the male body. The muscles are the primary tissues that dictate the amount of energy the human body utilizes over time.
8. How to increase metabolism in men naturally?
The natural way of enhancing it in men is by developing muscles through strength training exercises and by ensuring testosterone levels are maintained.
9. Does sleep affect metabolism?
Yes, sleep is one of the essential aspects of life that enhance the body’s metabolic function. Lack of sleep increases stress levels in the human body, thus slowing down the metabolic rate.
10. Can stress reduce the metabolic rate?
Yes, stress can increase cortisol production in the human body, thereby hindering the smooth functioning of it.
11. Does skipping breakfast slow down metabolism?
Yes, skipping breakfast can lead to a slower metabolic rate because the body goes into survival mode when it does not get the necessary nutrients.
12. What foods increase metabolism?
Foods such as eggs, green tea, oatmeal, greens, and citrus fruits are essential for boosting it.
13. Does having a low metabolic rate contribute to weight gain?
Yes, having a low metabolic rate can increase the risk of weight gain because it means the body burns fewer calories.
14. Do older people have a slower metabolism?
Yes, as a person grows older their metabolic rate decreases due to reduced muscle mass and poor hormone function.
15. How long does it take to increase the metabolism rate?
It takes a short while, a few weeks, or even months to increase the body’s metabolism rate, depending on the changes that one adopts.
