Habits That Wreck Your Metabolism

When you are trying to lose weight or simply improve your overall health, you can develop a few bad habits that can ruin your metabolism. Stress, dehydration, diet food and drinks, lack of sleep, skipping meals are those things that cause you to feel and look unhealthy, as well as put on extra pounds. You stick to a healthy diet, work out regularly and even sleep 7 hours a night, so why is it so hard to reach your health and weight loss goals? The reason is bad habits that you might not even know about.

Have you ever felt like you are doing everything you know to do to drop some nagging extra pounds…and nothing’s working?  Super frustrating, right? Before you head off for another 50 minutes on the treadmill to nowhere or get panicked and start cutting meals and whole food groups out of your day, consider whether you’ve unwittingly slowed your metabolism down. In order to adapt to our fast-paced, pressure-filled lifestyle, we have walked into some habits that are detrimental to health, happiness, and long-term weight maintenance.  Here are a few of the culprits that contribute to a slowed metabolism and accumulation of belly fat.

You work out. 
And you try to eat right. But the figures on the weighing scale seem stuck. If that’s the case, you could be engaged to some habits that are wrecking your metabolism  which is very important for your weight loss success. Check out the list of the habits that can wreck your metabolism. If you have any of these habits, be sure to break it starting today.

 You skip breakfast
Skipping meals, especially breakfast, is one of the worst habits that ruin your metabolism. Moreover, it can cause a lot of health issues. Again, no matter how busy you are, you should never skip your meals. If you don’t have enough time to eat your breakfast, consider drinking at least one healthy smoothie. Green smoothies are known to help boost metabolism, detox body and increase your energy levels. If your goal is to drop weight, then make a habit of eating 6-7 meals throughout a day, and be sure to make healthy choices.

You drink diet soda
Diet soda is packed with artificial sugar and all possible chemicals that slow down your metabolism. If you are a big fan of regular soda, it’s even worse. Soda is a processed drink that contain pure sugar and harmful chemicals. This drink can reduce your energy levels, cause bloating and many other health problems. Also, avoid drinking commercially available juices since they are high in sugar and calories. Consider drinking healthy smoothies (especially green ones) and water that help speed up your metabolism and increase your energy levels. If you can’t drink a plain water, try adding some fruits and veggies to it. I usually add a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber to my water, but you can also opt for your favorite berries and herbs.

You consume too much salt and processed foods
It’s hard to ditch salt, but you don’t have to. Just minimize your salt consumption in order to avoid numerous problems such as slow metabolism, increased blood pressure, and heart disease. Instead of salt, try to use different herbs and spices, such as garlic, basil, oregano, thyme and pepper.

Consuming processed foods
can wreck your metabolism as well. Most processed foods are high in additives, sodium and many other ingredients that most people can’t even spell. The great news is that there are a few healthy processed foods that you can eat every now and then. They are organic, plain Greek yogurt, unsweetened coconut and almond milks, organic coffee, raw nut butters, organic salsa, flax meal, and a few others.

You consume too many high-fat foods
High-fat foods are hard to digest, and this can seriously affect your digestive health. While you shouldn’t eliminate fats from your diet, it’s crucial to avoid eating high-fat foods such as meat, fried foods, cookies, pies, pastries, crisps, and any other food that contains unhealthy fats. Consuming too many high-fat foods can increase your risk for numerous health issues, including obesity, heart disease, cancer, and a slow metabolic rate.

Lack of sleep
We all live in a busy, hectic world, and most of us have super busy schedules. We often think that we are young so we can sleep less than 7 hours. However, no matter your age, you should sleep 7-8 hours per night. Not only lack of sleep can cause a weight gain, it can ruin your overall health. It’s been proven that a long-term sleep deprivation affects your metabolism and increases food cravings. If you want to be slim and healthy, make sure you get enough sleep regularly, no matter how busy you are. Good health is above wealth! Remember it!

You can’t relieve stress in a healthy way
Stress is one of the biggest reasons you feel and look unhealthy. Stress takes a toll on your physical and emotional health and it can lead to premature aging. Many women relieve stress in a wrong way, wrecking their metabolism and figure. When they stress, they reach for chocolate, chips, ice-cream and other unhealthy snacks that can ruin your healthy diet. If you have a lot of stress in your everyday life, find out a few healthy ways to fight stress. For example, practice yoga, listen to soothing music, read a good book, take a walk or take a midday nap.

You don’t drink enough water each day
If you don’t get enough water each day, it can lead to dehydration and a slower metabolic rate. You need to drink 8 glasses of water (not tea or coffee) a day. If you are trying to lose weight, start your day with a glass of water to rev up your metabolism and consume less food. A glass of water before meal can also help you avoid overeating. As I mentioned above, you can add different fruits and veggies to your plain water to make it more delicious.

You’re into crash diets.
One of the easiest ways to destroy your metabolism is following a crash diet. Not only does it make your system out of whack, it doesn’t provide sustainable, long-term effects. So you’re just basically wasting your time and money.

You’re not drinking enough water.
Water plays a big role in weight loss. Your body needs fluid to perform every function it has to. And when there are not enough fluids in your body, you’re not burning as many calories. So make sure wherever you go, whatever you do – you always got a bottle of water with you. You may also increase your intake of natural fruit juices (we’re talking about whole fruits and vegetables that were juiced, not the ‘natural’ drinks you buy from grocery stores). And here’s one more tip drink cold water more often  it takes more calories for your body to absorb cold water than the hot one.

You only do cardio.
Yes, aerobic exercises are good for your metabolism. They can get you burning lots and lots of calories. But if you want to double the rate at which your body burns calories, even when resting or sleeping, you must incorporate strength/weight training in your workout regime. Building lean muscles is a great way to boost your metabolism.

You lack sleep.
Sleep has a crucial role in keeping your metabolism strong. There’s no wonder why people who often lack sleep tend to weigh more than those who observe healthy sleep habits. Research shows that sleeping late can throw the hormones that control appetite, making you hungrier and causing you to eat more. Make sure you are getting at least 7 to 8 hours of full shut-eye, every night.

You’re eating too little protein.
Eating too little protein is one of the many diet mistakes most dieters do. Protein is a vital nutrient that doesn’t just keep hunger away, but also contributes to leaner muscles. And as mentioned a while ago, lean muscles can boost your metabolism. Protein also requires more energy to break down, so your body burn more calories just to digest it.

You love snacking before going to bed.
If you sleep early, you won’t be tempted to have a midnight snack. It is a common notion that we have to eat regularly to ensure that our metabolism goes perfectly well. But there’s also growing research suggesting that not eating for several hours could also be good for our body, and may even enhance our metabolic rate. Try to eat dinner at an earlier time. If you usually have it at 8pm, consider eating by 6pm. Then go to bed early, so you won’t be tempted to snack.

You don’t deal with stress right.
Stress is everywhere. We can’t avoid it. But, we can manage it and reduce its terrible effects on our health and well-being. When the amount of stress hormone cortisol in your system is constantly high, your body tends to be in the fat-storage mode. So never forget to add ‘relaxation’ and ‘me time’ in your daily to-do list. You deserve it! Practising work-life balance is also a key component to being healthy.

You don’t drink tea.
Caffeine has gotten a bad rap for years. But it’s actually a healthy compound that can boost your metabolism and reduce hunger pangs. No one’s suggesting that you overdo drinking coffee. Too much caffeine can have negative effects, instead of positive. When consumed in moderation, and without the sugary stuff (cream and sugar), drinking coffee is one easy way to amp your metabolism. Don’t like coffee? Want a healthier alternative? Go with green tea. Aside from caffeine, green tea has antioxidants and phyto chemicals that boost metabolism and promote weight loss. What’s more, green tea offers protection from many diseases.

You’re not getting enough of the sunshine vitamin.
Vitamin D is also important for a fast metabolism. When you’re deficient in this vitamin, you lose weight slower and your levels of the hormone ghrelin (the hormone which makes you hungry) go up. While the sun is the best source of vitamin D, you can also get it from your diet by increasing your consumption of salmon and other fatty fish.

You’re always sitting.
Whether you work at home or in the office, sitting all day in front of your computer can be hurting your metabolism too, and slowing your way to weight loss. There are many ways sitting affects your metabolism. They include the following: inactivity increases your insulin resistance, it raises your lipid levels, it reduces your ability to reduce fat, lowers you bone density, and it stimulates fat storage. So sit less and move more!

If you have any of these seven bad habits that wreck your metabolism, you should do your best to break them. These habits are not only bad for your metabolism, but for your overall health as well. Make a little changes each day and see the amazing results down the road! What are your bad habits that are wrecking your metabolism and diet?