15 Bad Habits That Destroy Your Metabolism

Did you know that your metabolism slows down with age? According to a study published in the Public Health Nutrition journal, as you become older, your basal metabolic rate progressively slows down. Besides that, you need to be wary of many daily habits that could worsen the situation.

Here are a few practices you will have to cut if you want a better basal metabolic rate in the long run.

Contents

Missing breakfast
Eating the wrong breakfast
Sitting for too long
Avoiding strength-training
Not getting enough proteins
Not drinking enough water
Stressing out
Not sleeping enough
Consuming too much alcohol
Not getting enough sunlight
Not eating enough fruits and vegetables
Consuming too much added sugar
Not getting enough physical activity
Consuming too much caffeine
Skipping meals
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Missing breakfast

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Taking nutritious breakfasts is the best way to start your day. With this move, your body knows that there will be plenty of calories throughout the day. In this light, it burns any incoming calories instead of conserving them.

Eating the wrong breakfast

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Improving your basal metabolic rate is not all about taking anything for your breakfast. Always ensure that you avoid too many sugary stuff in the morning. That is because sugars are likely to crash you later on in the day. Instead, it will be more valuable to take proteinous foods or those that are rich in fiber. Feel free to consider things like yogurts, berries, and eggs.

Sitting for too long

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Indeed, leading a sedentary routine could be dangerous for your health in the long run. Usually, as long as you sit down for long, you put your body into an energy-conservation mode. The National Health Service (UK) suggests that sitting down does not only slow down your metabolism but also compromises the ability of your body to regulate blood pressure. It will be hard to control blood sugar and even break down body fat too.

Avoiding strength-training

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Indeed, cardio will often assure you of intense calorie-burning. However, the body will return to its normal state relatively fast. For this reason, consider strength-building workouts. Usually, High-Intensity interval training and resistance-based workouts tend to maintain the results for much longer. Ideally, strength-training is directly linked to muscle mass, which is essential in metabolism. The more active these muscles are, the better the basal metabolic rate.

Not getting enough proteins

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Proteins are usually essential for your muscles, and this satiety is handy in sustaining a healthier weight. Did you know that proteins take more energy to burn, unlike fats and carbs? In this regard, you will be sure that more calories will end up burned.

Not drinking enough water

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Researchers have indicated that about 500ml (equivalent to two cups) of water can improve the metabolic rate by up to 30%. This spike could easily last for over an hour. To that end, you might need to drink enough water, as it will keep you hydrated throughout. On top of that, you will be confident of a better metabolism rate in your body.

Stressing out

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In most cases, an increase in stress levels results in higher amounts of a hormone called cortisol. This hormone often increases your appetite, craving for comfort foods, yet it decreases the desire to exercise. You might also experience poor quality of sleep. All these effects will eventually compromise metabolism rates. For you to protect your body’s metabolism rate, it will be necessary to find ways to manage your stress.

Not sleeping enough

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A bad night’s sleep is enough to mess up your day and your cognitive processing. Continue the bad sleep for days or even worse, for years, and your metabolism will be decreased alongside with hormonal imbalances - as science proved.

Consuming too much alcohol

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Drinking alcohol can lead to weight gain and disrupt the balance of hormones in the body, both of which can have a negative impact on metabolism.

Not getting enough sunlight

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Vitamin D is important for maintaining healthy bones, but it also plays a role in the metabolism of fat. A lack of sunlight can lead to a deficiency in vitamin D, which can slow down metabolism.

Not eating enough fruits and vegetables

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Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and fiber which all work together to promote a healthy metabolism.

Consuming too much added sugar

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Excessive sugar intake can lead to weight gain, inflammation, and other metabolic problems because it causes high blood sugar levels, affecting insulin balance.

Not getting enough physical activity

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Regular physical activity helps to boost metabolism, build muscle mass and burn off excess calories.

Consuming too much caffeine

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While caffeine can temporarily boost metabolism, too much can lead to anxiety, jitters, and other negative side effects, disrupting metabolism in the long run.

Skipping meals

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Skipping meals can cause metabolism to slow down, leading to weight gain and other health issues.

Sylvia Silverstone

Sylvia Silverstone is a passionate writer who loves to share her knowledge and expertise on a wide range of topics, including beauty, life hacks, entertainment, health, news, and money. With a keen eye for detail and a talent for storytelling, Sylvia's engaging writing style keeps readers coming back for more.

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