Metabolism is the process our bodies employ to convert the food and drinks we consume into energy. Our bodies then use this energy to fuel all our core functions, including thinking, breathing and repairing ourselves.
Everyone’s metabolic rate differs. But why is that?
Basal metabolic rate — the number of calories we burn from everyday activities — can vary from one person to the next. If your body burns calories quickly, you’ll probably have an easier time losing weight and a tougher time gaining weight. On the other hand, if it burns calories slowly, you may struggle to lose weight but have no problem gaining it. The good news is that it’s easy to optimize your own metabolism.
This explains why so many people want to modify their metabolism through diet, exercise and personalized supplements. If you follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly but still find that you’re not losing weight or are stuck at a plateau, you may have a slow metabolism. However, there are a lot of supplements and solutions that can help you get unstuck.
Learn more about supplements: Get Tested and Find the Right Supplements for You!
If you have been struggling to achieve your ideal body and lifestyle, here are some more signs that your metabolic rate is on the sluggish end.
- You’re Gaining Weight — The most common sign of a slow metabolism is weight gain or the inability to lose weight despite limiting your calorie intake. In order to lose weight, your body needs to burn fewer calories than it consumes. If it’s not burning many calories throughout the day, you will struggle to reach a deficit and will gain or maintain weight. Doing a seven-day metabolic detox can help.
- You Crave Sweets — If you tend to crave sweets and carbohydrates, you may have a slower metabolism. You may also have high blood sugar. Make sure to periodically take your blood sugar to ensure that it falls into the normal range.
You Feel Tired All the Time — There are many reasons why you may experience chronic fatigue, one of which is a slow metabolism. When your body is slow-moving on the metabolic front, it makes you feel slow-moving on every other front, too. Plus, because slower metabolism makes you want to binge on the sugar, you may experience a spike in blood sugar, which causes fatigue. Getting on the right supplement program can help you feel more energized.
- You Have Bloating and Gas — We know that what we eat has a major impact on how we digest food, but did you know that metabolism may play a role as well? Taking digestive health supplements can help support the digestive tract while also arming your body with what it needs to maintain a healthy metabolic rate.
- You Have Issues with Your Skin, Hair and Nails — Dry skin, brittle nails and slow-to-grow hair may all be signs that you suffer from an unhurried metabolic rate. When you have a slower metabolism, your body may struggle to absorb the proper amount of nutrients. This can cause you to experience issues with your skin, hair and nails.
- You Have a Lower Body Temperature — Our body’s core temperature can tell us a lot about how it manages energy. A cooler core body temp has been linked to a slower metabolism. Interestingly, some studies have also linked obesity with a lower body temperature. Because body temp fluctuates throughout the day and week, a good way to determine your baseline temp is to take it at the same time each day and calculate the average after a week or two. Some wearable devices, such as Fitbit, will record and track your body temperature for you.
- You Have Symptoms of Hypothyroidism — Hypothyroidism is a condition that prevents the body from producing enough thyroid hormone. This causes the metabolism to slow over time and leads to a host of other symptoms. Some of the most common signs of hypothyroidism include fatigue, increased sensitivity to cold, hoarse voice, weight gain, muscle weakness, depression and impaired memory. Hormones — including testosterone, estrogen and cortisol — can affect metabolism. You may want to consider doing hormone testing to identify any issues.
If you’re committed to following a healthy lifestyle and want to gain, maintain or lose weight, understanding your body’s metabolism can be useful. Here at BodyLogicMD, we’re here to help you optimize your metabolism based on your own unique needs so you can reach and exceed your health goals.
