There’s nothing more frustrating than making some good diet changes, starting an exercise routine to burn fat, but still not getting the desired result. Has that ever been you? If the answer is “yes”, here’s one possible cause why this happens: you’re eating foods that slow down your metabolism.
You may think you’re eating a “healthy diet”, but there are often certain foods in your diet that may be sabotaging your weight loss efforts. The foods that keep you stuck at a plateau and keep you from losing that last 5 pounds are known as foods that slow down metabolism.
The term may sound alarming, and it can be. Your body is likely to treat those processed foods as toxins, which means you can suffer some ill effects from consuming them frequently, such as poor gut health.
In addition, you may even push your immune system into overdrive with foods that lead to blood sugar swings or food intolerances that result in inflammation — keeping your body in a continuous fight-or-flight state.
The food groups listed below negatively affect your metabolism by causing problems such as:
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Fatigue or muscle weakness
- Weight gain
- Blood sugar fluctuations
- Hormone imbalances
- Microbial gut changes and digestive distress
- Sugar cravings, overconsumption of calories, and increases in appetite
But that’s not all! These foods are often labeled as “healthy”! Read on to find out which foods can slow your metabolism, plus healthier swaps.