Keeping your metabolism high is crucial for losing weight and keeping it off. However, several common lifestyle mistakes may slow down your metabolism. On a regular basis, these habits could make it hard to lose weight, and even make you more prone to gain weight in the future.
1. Eating Too Few Calories
Although a calorie deficit is needed for weight loss, it can be counterproductive for you to drop your calorie intake too low. When you dramatically lower your calorie intake your body senses that food is scarce and lowers the rate at which it burns calories.
2. Skimping On Protein
Eating enough protein is extremely important for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Not only does protein help you feel full, high protein intake can significantly increase the rate at which your body burns calories
3. Leading A Sedentary Lifestyle
Many people have lifestyles that mainly involve sitting at work, which can have negative effects on metabolic rate and overall health. Working out or playing sports can have a major impact on the number of calories you burn, but even basic physical activity, such as standing up, cleaning, and taking the stairs, can help you burn calories.
4. Not Getting Enough High-Quality Sleep
Several studies show that inadequate sleep may lower your metabolic rate and increase your likelihood of weight gain. One study found that healthy adults who slept 4 hours per night for 5 nights in a row experienced a 2.6% decrease in resting metabolic rate, on average. Their rate returned to normal after 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
5. Drinking Sugary Beverages
Frequently consuming sugar-sweetened beverages may slow down your metabolism. In a 12-week controlled study, people who consumed 25% of their calories as fructose-sweetened beverages on a weight-maintaining diet experienced a significant drop in metabolic rate.
6. A Lack Of Strength Training
Strength training has been shown to increase metabolic rate in healthy people, as well as those who have heart disease or are overweight or obese. It increases muscle mass, which makes up much of the fat-free mass in your body. Having a higher amount of fat-free mass significantly increases the number of calories you burn at rest.
