We all have that friend who can seem to eat anything — pasta or pizza, no problem — and somehow never see its effects, weight-wise. But for the rest of us, who weren’t blessed with those genetic gifts, a slow metabolism could be the reason why you’re not properly processing your food intake.
We recently caught up with The Super Metabolism Diet author David Zinczenko, who revealed to us the signs your metabolism isn’t running at full speed.
Keep scrolling for potential signs you might have a slow metabolism. Do any sound like you?
You gained weight and can’t seem to lose it
If you’ve noticed that you’ve gained weight but can’t lose it no matter how hard you try, and how closely you stick to a diet plan and workout routine, look out. “The biggest sign of a slow metabolism is unexplained weight gain,” Zinczenko says. “If you’ve been eating well and exercising and still packing on the pounds, it could be your metabolism.”
You have dry skin and are losing your hair
“When your metabolism is slow, your cells aren’t as active as they should be, which means they aren’t getting the proper blood supply,” he adds. “This can impact your skin, leaving it feeling dry and cracked.”
The same idea applies to your hair: just as your hair is impacted by your metabolism, as is your hair and its ability to stay healthy, and adding more water to your diet is just one of the ways you can start to boost that metabolism.
You’re always running cold
Always need to don that office cardigan? It could be a sign of something bigger. “Being cold all the time is a symptom of hypothyroidism, which also slows down your metabolism,” Zinczenko says. “If you’re cold all the time, odds are your thyroid isn’t as active as it should be—and neither is your metabolism.”
You’re having major brain fog and headaches
“When your thyroid hormones are out of whack, which happens with an underactive thyroid, this can trigger headaches or even migraines.,” he says. “Too little thyroid hormone, which regulates your metabolism, can cause a poor memory and make you forgetful.”
If you think you may have suffer from any of the above symptoms, best to consult your GP.
Once you’ve identified your symptoms and problem areas, you can then follow these 5 tips to kickstart your metabolism.
