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Your metabolism is one of the most integral parts in determining how successful you will be in your weight loss endeavors. A faster metabolism will naturally allow your body to burn more fat at rest, increasing your calorie deficit with ease. Meanwhile, a slower metabolism will store more calories as fat, prompting weight maintenance or gain depending on how much you’re consuming each day. You can improve your metabolism in a number of ways, but the primary factor in optimizing its speed is the food which your diet is composed of.
Just as there are high protein and high fiber foods which can improve your metabolism, so too are there foods which can bog it down, making it even more difficult for your body to burn through fat effectively. If you have been struggling with weight loss and are aware that you have a slower metabolism–which can even come about naturally as you age–there’s one food which health experts suggest steering clear of in order to give your body the best chance at weight loss.
Although carbohydrates are not the enemy, certain carbs should be left on the sidelines when it comes to a slower metabolism. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are all perfectly healthy additions to your diet and should replace refined carbs and sugar in an effort to speed up your metabolism and improve your overall health.
“This typically includes most processed convenience foods, baked goods, pastas, and chips to name just a few,” warns nutritionist Lisa Richards of foods which may be further slowing down your metabolism. “These foods place the body and gut under added stress as it works to digest the foods and simultaneously fight the inflammation they have caused.”
Inflammation, as well as consuming foods which may upset the gut, can have a significant negative effect on your metabolism and weight loss as a whole, weighing down your body and increasing the feeling of day to day discomfort. Additionally, the more refined carbs and sugar you eat, the more your body will begin to crave these foods, further compounding the impact that they have on your metabolism over time.
While delicious, refined carbs and sugar are devoid of the many nutrients your body needs to survive, instead providing empty calories which will fail to keep you full for extended periods of time. This will also leave you subject to overeating, making it more difficult to lose weight.
If you’re hoping to improve your metabolism naturally, the best thing you can do is focus on packing your diet with whole, nutrient dense foods that are not heavily processed. “This includes all produce, but especially harder produce like apples, cucumbers, carrots, celery. These harder foods cause the body to burn more calories in the digestion process while also being low in calories,” suggests Richards.
“This increases your metabolism by increasing the thermogenic effect of food (TEF). The body's core temperature rises as it digests, making it burn more calories naturally and ultimately increasing the consumer's metabolism,” she adds.
Processed foods really aren’t healthy for anyone, slow metabolism or not, so even if you find that your body burns fat with ease it’s still likely a good idea to limit sugar and refined carb intake in order to improve your digestion and feel your best. Keep in mind that realistically you can continue to eat most things in moderation even as you work to lose weight, but the more empty calories you consume, the harder it will be for your body to burn them off.
Focusing on a colorful diet rich in macro and micro nutrients is the ideal path to weight loss and a faster metabolism, boosting your overall fat burning capabilities and providing your body with the energy it needs to thrive throughout the day.
