Is your slow metabolism making you FAT? – Times of India, The Times of India

Weight lossis not as simple as it sounds. For those who haven’t tried it, it might seem like an easy task of eating less and moving more. But the process of weight loss is more complex than that. Sometimes even after eating right and performing an intense workout session, a person is not able to lose weight. In such a condition, most of the time slow metabolism is held responsible. But do you really think slow metabolism interferes with your weight loss process?
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is actually referred to as a complex biochemical process in which your body converts the food you eat and the fluid you drink into energy. It is a continuous process as our body needs energy round-the-clock for carrying out basic functions like breathing, circulating blood, adjusting hormones and repairing of cells even when we are resting. The amount of energy a person needs to keep the body functioning at rest is called the basal metabolic rate.

Several things are responsible for your basal metabolic rate:
Your body size:If your body weight and muscle mass are more, then you will burn more calories, even at rest.
Your sex:Men lose more calories as compared to women as they have more fat and muscle mass.
Your age:As you get old, your basal metabolic rate decreases and you will burn fewer calories.

Apart from this, how active you are throughout the day and how much exercise you perform also affects your metabolic rate.

Does your metabolism affect your weight?

Probably not. There is definitely a thing called slow metabolism, but in a very rare case, it can hinder your weight loss process.

Weight loss is mostly dependent on the diet you follow, the type of exercise you perform, your genetics , medication you take, your sleeping habits and other things.

Metabolism is a natural process and our body is made in a way to balance your metabolism to meet the energy need of your body. When you eat less, your body slows down the metabolizing processes to conserve energy.

The bottom line

If you really think that your metabolism is slow and it is somehow causing hindrance in your weight loss process then consult your doctor. In some cases, medical conditions such as hypothyroidism and Cushing’s syndrome may slow metabolism and cause weight gain.