Slow Metabolism

By Kelly Clark / Work With Your Body

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  • I was sure I had a slow metabolism
  • Understanding how our bodies work makes healthy decisions easier
  • Find out how to get your slow metabolism to bounce back!

It took me 10 years to realize I don’t have a slow metabolism.

Do you think you have a slow metabolism? You probably don’t! This post explains how to stop confusing your body. Then it’s easier to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Kelly Clark

Life is a series of patterns; whether it’s what we do to get out the door in the morning or the way the earth moves from season to season.

Sometimes we fall into patterns without even realizing it—ones that can set us up to fail or set us up for success.

I wrote this post because I wish I’d known I was repeating a self-destructive cycle earlier on in my attempts to lose weight. Then I could have replaced self-defeating choices with healthy routines. Life gets much better when you’re kinder to yourself.

I thought I had a slow metabolism

For 10 years my weight fluctuated. I was always between 10 and 30 pounds overweight. I was sure I had a slow metabolism. So I kept trying to eat less and exercise more.

Now I know I don’t have a slow metabolism

In 1999 I started eating more and exercising less. After a decade of dieting I was completely frustrated. I decided to focus on building healthy habits instead of trying to reach a healthy weight, at any cost.

Instead of grazing on low-fat food, diet pop and fruit, I started eating 3 roughly balanced meals a day, made mostly of whole foods. When I was hungry between meals, I ate balanced snacks.

I also stopped going to the gym every day. As an alternative, I work out for 25 minutes, 3 times a week. Plus I incorporate a little movement in whatever I’m already doing–like walking up the stairs instead of riding the escalator. And when I thought I ate too much, I didn’t try to make up for it by doing more exercise. Instead, I just focused on making my next choice one I felt good about. Knowing there wasn’t an option to do extra exercise soon made it easy to stop overeating.

Slow Metabolism - Less Gym

You don’t have to go to the gym everyday to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

To my surprise, I naturally reached a healthy weight when I started building healthy eating and healthy exercise routines. And these healthy patterns have made it easy to maintain a healthy weight. I also have a lot more energy.

But the best part is that I’m present. I can concentrate! I’m no longer preoccupied by feeling hungry, guilty or trying to decide if I should go to the gym, again. Knowing where to focus my energy has made me more productive in every part of my life.

How I discovered I don’t have a slow metabolism

Slow Metabolism Binge Purge CycleOnce I started opening up and talking to people, I began to understand how our bodies work.

I learned that when I was dieting I was never eating enough. For long periods of time I’d over-exercise and under-eat. Then I’d get so hungry I’d break down and overeat. Eventually it turned into a starve, binge and purge cycle. But I didn’t recognize this pattern. Or that I repeated it for 10 years.

The only proper way to eliminate bad habits is to replace them with good ones.
– Jerome Hines, opera singer

By sharing my experience I learned these wild extremes confuse our bodies.

A slow metabolism is the result of extremes

Basically, when you’re not eating enough food, your body goes into survival mode. It slows down your metabolism. Then your body can hold onto the energy and nutrients you’ve consumed longer.

Slow Metabolism Diagram - the10principles

A slow metabolism also means that when you eventually eat more – or overeat like I did – your body can grab and hold onto energy quickly.

Why?

Your body is preparing for another long period of starvation. And desperately needs energy and nutrients to do vital jobs—from keeping your heart beating to growing your finger nails.

Your body is good at keeping you alive!

Overexercising also slows down your metabolism

When you exercise too much your body also goes into survival mode because it needs to conserve energy.

Get into a healthy exercise routine! Here’s what my weekly routine looks like.

This information helped me understand the importance of getting my body into a consistent routine—rather than jerking it around with inconsistent amounts of food and exercise. Suddenly it made sense why I needed to eat more, regularly.

Work 1:1 with me!
Want to STOP worrying about everything you eat & reach your happy weight without dieting?

Here’s the great news. As as soon as we start eating a decent amount of food at roughly regular intervals and stop over-exercising, our bodies relax. They don’t need to be in survival mode. So our seemingly slow metabolism speeds up. It bounces back! Then it’s easy to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Slow Metabolism - Balanced Meal

A roughly balanced breakfast that includes whole foods. (This photo was taken in a rush – normally I’d crack the eggs onto the bagel, melt cheese & include salsa or ketchup. And I’d have a milky coffee instead of a glass of milk.)

The hardest part for me was having the courage to eat 3 balanced meals and snacks (when I was hungry between meals). It had been years since I ate more, regularly. But understanding how my body works made healthy choices easier. Experiencing how much better life is with a regular routine helped me keep making good decisions.

Whether your experience is more or less extreme than mine, it’s important to work toward the same goal: Get your body into a regular routine.

Remember, asking for help is a strength. Think of a family member or friend you trust. Plan to cook and eat a balanced meal or snack together.

Next Steps:
You don’t have a slow metabolism! Your healthy goal is to regularly eat roughly balanced meals and snacks made mostly of whole foods. Keep the Eatwell Guide in mind to help you include each type of food in the correct proportion.Focus on healthy eating and exercise goals. Your healthy weight will follow.

Eve Of Destruction by Barry McGuire

Stop and reflect. Are there cycles you repeat over and over and over again?

 

 

  Work with me - 1:1 Coaching Buy Now - It took me 10 years to lose 10 pounds What the F do I eat?

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Sharing what I learned makes the 10 years I STRUGGLED worth it

Have you ever worried you have a slow metabolism?

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