6 Daily Habits That Kill Your Metabolism Try To Stop

An active metabolism helps you lose weight by burning more calories. The metabolic rate determines the number of calories burned, which also helps to keep the body in balance by taking care of blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. According to The Times of India, while many know about different ways to boost metabolism, what some don’t know is that there are simple daily habits that can deplete metabolism, six of which are bad:

1. Eat less

Many mistakenly believe that eating fewer calories will help them lose weight. But you’ll be surprised to know that limiting your extra calorie intake can lower your metabolism. Although it takes achieving a calorie deficit (i.e. eating fewer calories than they can burn) to lose weight, eating too few calories can be counterproductive, especially since the body, in this case, feels the food shortage reduces the rate of calorie burning.

2. Laziness and lethargy

Following a sedentary lifestyle can drastically reduce the number of calories you burn each day. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many work from home and sit all day, which negatively affects metabolism and overall health.

Doing any physical activity, such as standing, cleaning, climbing stairs, and cooking, can help you burn calories, called non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).

3. Don’t eat protein

Adequate protein intake is important for the human body on many levels, including losing extra pounds. Protein keeps you feeling fuller for longer and increases the rate at which your body burns calories. When you digest food, there is an increase in metabolism known as the Food Thermal Effect (TEF). Therefore, the thermogenic effect of proteins is much higher than that of fats or carbohydrates. Just eating protein increases metabolism by 20-30%, compared to 5-10% for carbohydrates and 3% or less for fat.

4. Lack of sleep

Many people know that getting enough sleep is important to maintaining overall health. But what some people don’t know is that sleeping less frequently leads to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and depression. Not getting enough sleep can also lower your metabolic rate and increase your chances of gaining weight. Even not getting to sleep on time every day can disrupt the sleep cycle and disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm.

5. Eat refined carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates are very different from complex carbohydrates. They are easily digested and cause your blood sugar levels to increase, and your body uses less energy to break it down. So eating a lot of carbohydrates slows down your metabolism compared to whole grains, which makes your body work harder and helps you burn calories.

6. Follow a strict diet

Strict diet, especially when exercising, forces the body to save energy to perform basic daily tasks. Thus, a strict diet can be counterproductive as the body clings to those calories and makes it harder to lose extra pounds.