Hormones A shift in your hormones can put the brakes on your body's energy use. That can make you tired. Some conditions, like an underactive or overactive thyroid and diabetes, are hormonal diseases that affect your metabolism. Stress also releases hormones that can trigger a slow-down.
Your doctor can prescribe a metabolism test and perform it in a medical setting. They may do a blood draw at the hospital or recommend a laboratory where your blood will be drawn. If you wish to choose your own lab, look for one that is Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified .
Your Metabolism Will Slow Down to Store Fat
The more you work out or manage your calorie intake to lose weight, the more your metabolism wants to compensate by slowing down to maintain your current weight, this is called metabolic compensation. It kicks in to preserve and store fat for future energy.
You've gained muscle.
And here's an often overlooked fact: Muscle tissue is more dense than fat tissue. So as you gain more muscle and lose fat, you change your overall body composition, which can result in a higher weight, but a smaller figure and better health.
Over time, studies have shown that metabolic rate (how fast we burn calories) starts to slow down by 2 to 3 percent each decade, beginning in our 20s. It becomes more noticeable between ages 40 and 60.
There is such a thing as a slow metabolism. But slow metabolism is rare, and it's usually not what's behind being overweight or obese—that's ultimately a result of interactions among genetics, diet, physical activity, and other factors.
The higher your metabolic rate, the more calories you burn performing these chemical processes. A fast metabolism can help with weight loss, as it means you can eat more calories while still burning fat and dropping weight. But having a slow metabolism isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Two common signs that you may be experiencing metabolic damage are dieting and exercising but not seeing any change in weight. Or, you may have been making progress with a diet or an exercise program but suddenly this progress stops.
Calories and Your Health
But if your calorie intake dips too low, says Lummus, your body could go into starvation mode. "Your body will start to store fat because it thinks it is not going to get anything," says Lummus. "You will be at a point where your body is kind of at a standstill."
Muscle is denser than fat, and as it is more compact within your body, as you gain muscle mass, you end up looking thinner, no matter your physical weight. So, if you've been doing a lot of strength training lately, it's likely this is the reason that you're looking fantastic but not dropping those numbers.
You will not gain weight from eating too few calories.
There are many reasons why it can seem like under-eating can lead to weight gain. But, science has shown over and over again that this isn't physiologically possible.
Mostly, losing weight is an internal process. You will first lose hard fat that surrounds your organs like liver, kidneys and then you will start to lose soft fat like waistline and thigh fat. The fat loss from around the organs makes you leaner and stronger.
At the most basic level, not reaching your weight loss goal can occur when calorie intake is equal to or higher than calorie use. Try strategies such as mindful eating, keeping a food diary, eating more protein, and doing strength exercises.
You're Into the Wrong Foods
Unhealthy eating is the biggest driver of big bellies. Too many starchy carbohydrates and bad fats are a recipe for that midsection to expand. Instead, get plenty of veggies, choose lean proteins, and stay away from fats from red meats.
A comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) is a test that measures 14 different substances in your blood. It provides important information about your body's chemical balance and metabolism. Metabolism is the process of how the body uses food and energy.
There are three basic metabolism types: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph – definitely words you probably don't use in your normal, day-to-day conversations. But learning the types of body you were born with will help your fitness plan in the long run.
Drinking green tea or oolong tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple of hours. Research suggests that drinking 2 to 4 cups of either tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories during moderately intense exercise for a short time.