Are you tired of feeling like your metabolism has betrayed you in your quest for a healthier, fitter body? If you're struggling with increased weight gain as you’ve been aging, you're not alone. Many individuals seeking health and fitness coaching face the uphill battle of slow metabolism and the frustrating setbacks it brings.

But fear not, because today we're going to shed light on the secret culprits that are slowing down your metabolism and sabotaging your fat loss efforts. By identifying and tackling these sneaky habits head-on, you'll empower yourself to take back control of your metabolism and pave the way towards the body you desire.

1. You don’t eat enough

Desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Wrong. Crash dieting may promise quick results, but it wreaks havoc on your metabolism in the long run. Restrictive eating patterns can result in losing both fat AND muscle, slowing down your metabolic rate. Plus, when you stop restricting, you gain back the weight in all fat ... meaning that you have more fat than you had before, and making fat loss an uphill battle.

If you've been yo-yo dieting for years upon years, that is why it can be much harder to lose weight now that it was 20 years ago. It's not really due to your metabolism, but because of your body composition, i.e. more fat, less muscle.

Embrace sustainable, balanced eating habits that nourish your body and keep your metabolism revved up.

2. You skip meals

Research shows that eating regular meals throughout the day is linked with a greater “thermic effect of food” – i.e., more calories burned after eating.

We've all heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, it's true! By skipping breakfast, you're sending your metabolism into a sluggish mode, making it harder for your body to burn calories effectively throughout the day.

Plus, eating on a regular schedule helps your body manage its blood sugar levels, which is a biggie when it comes to your health.

3. You don’t lift weights

Strength training helps boost your metabolism in a couple of different ways.

It has an immediate benefit: it raises your metabolism for hours after your workout is finished.

Over the long run, it helps build muscle, and muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. This is important because if you don't lift weights, you lose muscle mass every decade, a process called sarcopenia.

4. You slack on your sleep

Not getting enough sleep is like a triple whammy on your metabolism.

• When you’re tired you’re not as active, which means a lower daily calorie burn
• You tend to eat more when you’re sleep-deprived because it messes up your hunger hormones and makes you crave high-calorie foods
• Your body has a harder time managing blood sugar levels when you’re low on sleep, which can make you store fat

5. You sit all day

Being sedentary – i.e., not getting up to move around every half-hour or so — is linked with a slower metabolism. Time for that standing desk!

6. You don’t eat enough protein

Not only does protein keep you feeling full after you eat it, but it also helps you build metabolism-boosting muscle.

Plus, digesting it burns more calories than digesting carbs or fat.

Some guidelines: aim for between .73 and 1 gram of protein for every pound of your weight (1.6 and 2.2 grams per kilogram of your weight), or 30 grams per meal.

7. You get stressed out a lot

It’s true! Stress can LOWER your metabolism.

An Ohio State University study found that women burned fewer calories after they ate a high-fat meal when they were stressed.

Just another reason it’s so important to have a plan to regularly blow off stress, like working out, meditating, or relaxing hobbies!

How many of those rang a bell for you?

Remember, the journey towards a healthier, fitter body is not a sprint but a marathon. By being aware of these seven metabolism-slowing habits and taking proactive steps to address them, you can regain control and accelerate your fat loss journey.

Start by incorporating a nutritious breakfast, adopting sustainable eating habits, staying active, getting sufficient sleep, managing stress, and prioritizing protein intake. Small changes in your daily routine can rev up your metabolism and add up to significant results over time.

Want to learn more about how to rev up your metabolism for increased fat loss? Then click the link to download our Master Your Metabolism Guide. FREE for a limited time!