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Is your metabolism like a snail? Do you blame the workings of a slow metabolism in your weight gain? Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. Even when you are resting, your body needs energy for breathing, circulating blood and repairing cells. The number of calories that your body is using for these basic functions is known as your basal metabolic rate. Lots of factors determine your basal metabolic rate:

1. Body size and composition- overweight people with more muscle mass burn more calories, even during the rest, so they are more likely to have a faster metabolic rate not a slower one.

2. Sex- men probably have less body fat and more muscle mass than does women of the same age that is the reason they burn more calories.

3. Age – when you get older, your muscle mass decreases, which cuts down the rate at which you burn calories.

While many people believe that their extra pounds are charged in a not active metabolism, in most cases the problem arises from taking more calories than are burned off. Even those people who exercise regularly compensate for their increased activity by overeating. They are sure that they burned off more calories than they did in reality. However, in some cases, a low metabolic rate can play a great role in weight gain. Let’s have a look on the most common causes of a slow metabolism.

1. Firs reason cause of a slow metabolism is one that can’t be directly controlled – genetics. Some gifted people are blessed with a fast metabolism, but that certainly does not mean that genetics always is destiny. A regular exercise program that includes both aerobic activity and resistance exercise to build lean body mass can do much to speed up a slow metabolism.

2. Age – it is known that lean muscle mass burns more calories than fat tissue. When you have a higher percentage of muscle mass, your metabolism is faster. As you get aged, the percentage of lean muscle mass you have naturally decreases and is slowing down your metabolism. Training is important for any age group, but it is especially important for adults after the age of 25.

3. Lifestyle factors can be the cause of a slow metabolism. Some medications, particularly those which are used to treat depression, may cause the slowing of metabolism. The same can do skipping meals and fasting. If you skip a meal, your body goes into a survival or resting mode. When in this state, your body responds to a lack of food by slowing down your metabolism in an effort to store calories. This leads to a decreased metabolic rate and probably weight gain. To prevent the body from entering this starvation mode and keep your metabolism running effectively- eat small meal or snack every two to three hours.

4. Eating too many calories - when people receive calories more than they burn off it leads to increasing blood sugar. Tissues can’t assimilate partly divided glucose. It accumulates in cells and causes slowing down of metabolism.

Even though there are some marked lifestyle habits and things you can’t control like your advancing age that can cause a slow metabolism, a decreased metabolic rate is usually the result of an underlying hormonal disorder.

5. Cushing’s Syndrome - a disorder that develops when your tissues are exposed to cortisol- a hormone responsible for maintaining the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats- for an extended period of time. This prolonged exposure slows down metabolism, which can result in obesity, increased fat around the neck and a rounded face.

6. Hypothyroidism - a disorder which is characterized by an underactive thyroid gland. When this gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones all of the processes taking place in our body including metabolism slow down.

7. Diabetes - It is not yet completely clear why diabetics have slow metabolisms, but they seem to have more trouble with taking off weight than non-diabetics. This fact may be related to their higher blood sugar levels which fools the body into believing there is lots of energy around, resulting in a slowing down in metabolism.

source:http://www.fitnea.com/7-reasons-your-metabolism-is-slow-and-you-gain-weight/3/

By making a few simple adjustments to your diet, you can elevate your mood and boost your metabolism. The benefits are potentially huge: Maintaining a good mood will help you stick to a healthy diet, be more productive, and increase your self-esteem.

Metabolism is the process your body uses to break down food. “Ensuring your metabolism is working most effectively will help you feel your best and energized to get the most out of life,” explains Nicole Berkowitz, RD, a nutrition consultant in Toronto, Canada.

Here are six simple tips to help you optimize your diet to boost mood and metabolism.

1. Resist Skipping Meals

Skipping or missing a meal can cause a dip in your blood sugar, leading to crankiness and lethargy. Maintain your blood sugar levels, and your energy, by eating small amounts of food throughout the day. You might even prefer eating six smaller meals rather than three large ones.

2. Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can also make you feel sluggish and lethargic. Be sure to drink throughout the day, and don’t rely on thirst alone to remind you to have another glass of water. Some experts say the average person needs about eight glasses of water, and that may be hard to drink without reminders.

3. Think Moderation, Especially for Low-Nutrient Foods

Avoid a lot of caffeine, refined carbohydrates (sugar), alcohol, salt, and other food additives. Any of these, especially in large amounts, can decrease your metabolic efficiency. “Eating large quantities of carbohydrates tends to cause an energy rush and then a big crash, which can lead to crankiness and fatigue," says Heidi McIndoo, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant in Roslindale, Mass. Excess salt can disrupt your fluid balance, changing your daily water needs, not to mention increasing health risks like high blood pressure.

4. Strive for Balance in the Food You Eat

Properly combine protein, carbohydrates, and fat to achieve a balanced energy intake. In general, a healthy diet includes a mix of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and some protein, but each person has individual needs based on age, sex, physical activity level, body size, and stress factors. To determine the best foods for you, consult a nutritionist who can help you find the right balance.

5. Get a Boost From “Good Mood” Food

While research about the mood- and metabolism-boosting qualities of certain foods is mixed, foods high in the amino acid tryptophan have been found to increase serotonin levels in the brain, contributing to feelings of optimism and calm. Add some bananas, avocados, dried apricots, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds for some extra tryptophan. Polyunsaturated omega-3 fats help elevate mood and reduce anxiety and depression. Look for omega-3-rich fish, like salmon and mackerel; walnuts and pumpkin seeds are also sources of these healthy fatty acids.

6. Keep a Food Diary

Some foods can have the opposite effect of tryptophan and instead trigger negative changes in mood and cause irritability or headaches. If you think a particular food might be affecting your mood, start a food diary. Record all the foods you eat each day and how you feel before and after every meal. After two weeks, review your entries to see if any foods line up with specific moods, either good or bad.

In addition to following a healthy diet, regular exercise will keep your body working most effectively and will augment both your mood and metabolism. The key message here is balance. A variety of healthy foods with a dose of exercise will help you maintain your energy, speed up your metabolism, and boost your mood.