I was surprised to learn that having a slow metabolism is actually rare. It's not uncommon to blame metabolism for weight gain but since it is a rare ocurrance, weight gain is still likely caused by eating too many calories and not burning enough of them through physical activity.
Metabolism does slow as we get older so eating less calories or increasing physical activity is probably a wise thing to do as we age. For the most part, the more lean muscle we have, the more calories we'll burn at rest. The amount of calories we burn at rest is known as our BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate.)
This is why strength training is so highly recommended in terms of losing weight. Our muscles burn calories even after we are done working out and muscle burns more calories than fat. Strength training burns fat and builds muscle which is what helps to boost metabolism.
Another reason for a slow metabolism is dehydration. When we are dehydrated our body temperature can drop slightly and this causes our bodies to store fat in order to increase the temperature. This is another reason to drink more water.
Having a slow metabolism is rare so you have a good chance of boosting it by exercising and watching your caloric intake.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic
About.com
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I know it mentioned strength training but is that different than cardio training? I recently bought a treadmill and a spin bike to burn calories and maybe really I should be pumping some iron.
Strength training is the way to go to burn calories most efficiently. A mixture of heavy weights and plenty of hydration are a perfect combination for weight loss.
Always drink enough purified water to keep your body running smooth.
Both of the links you include mention that a hypothyroid condition is one reason for a slow metabolism. Hypothyroidism is not all that rare.
Usually, I quite enjoy reading your posts. Do I ever leave a comment to say so? Of course not. Only comment when I disagree. Typical.
@Randy – Check out Mehdi’s blog. It covers everything you’ll want to know about strength training. http://stronglifts.com/blog/
@Steve – Thanks for the tips.
@Merry – Thanks for pointing it out.
You are so right about drinking more water. This helps everything! Skin especially. have an acne problem? Drink if off, with water. =)
I tried to write a long comment but my machine shut down. Here is what i wanted to say.
People will always blame their metabolism for their weight. If they beleive though that exercise will help then regardless of their orginal belief they will lose weight.
Drinking water is great for so many reasons but I find that people will always fall back on the “You don’t really need 8 glasses a day” why do people continue believing that dehydration is fine? How much water is there in a burger and fries?
Thanks for educating people on the truth.
One other important point is that multiple meals(consumed) increase your metabolism as well. Most people think that if they can cut down to 2 meals a day they’ll lose weight. Actually the opposite is the true.
The more frequent, and more nutritious, your meals are, the better, and faster, your metabolism works.
So we cannot blame our metabolisms! I’m heading to the fitness gym now with a huge bottle of water and ready for some good strength training!
Thank you so much for this information. I have been bombarded by the media telling me to speed up my metabolism and take their pills to do so. I am sick of people getting misleading information and even worse paying for that misleading information. Which brings me to my next thank you, I always appreciate it when someone refrences their sources, so thanks for the links I am glad someone is “doing their homework” and not just throwing their opinion out there for all to follow.
This is nice information. A slow metabolism is often just an excuses to be fat. You need to just go out there and workout, and eat well for sure.
Believe you have a slow metabolism and your body will act like it. After reading that post, no more excuses.
Fittetsguy,
http://mynutritionstore.com/Fittestguy/