These 5 Factors Are Slowing Down Your Metabolism
Cortisol (Hello, Stress!)
Stress isn’t just in your head → it impacts your hormones, your blood sugar, and your metabolic rate. Cortisol is a hormone your body makes when you feel stressed, it acts like your body’s built-in alarm system. When something stressful happens, your body releases cortisol to help you deal with the stressor. Cortisol helps your body deal with stress by making you alert and raising your blood sugar to give you energy- which is good in the moment, but can be problematic long term.
Chronically elevated cortisol can lead to:
Blood sugar imbalances
Increased fat storage, especially around the belly (visceral fat= around your organs)
Muscle breakdown, which lowers metabolic rate
What you can do: Prioritize sleep, say “no” more often, try meditation or breathwork, and get your cortisol tested to see where you really stand.
2. You're Under-Eating (or Eating the Wrong Things)
Many people trying to lose weight are eating too little. This can actually tell your body to go into "survival mode", slowing down your metabolism to conserve energy.
Pair that with ultra-processed, nutrient-poor foods, and your body’s missing the tools it needs to fire up its metabolic engine.
What you can do: Eat enough protein, prioritize whole foods, and don’t skip meals-especially breakfast. Metabolism thrives when it knows nourishment is consistent and reliable.
3. Your Thyroid Might Be Underfunctioning (Even If Your Labs Are "Normal")
Your thyroid is the master regulator of metabolism. If it's even slightly sluggish, it can impact:
Weight gain
Cold hands/feet
Brain fog
Fatigue
And here’s the kicker: many people are told their thyroid is “normal,” but only TSH is tested. Without looking at free T3, free T4, and thyroid antibodies, imbalances often go missed.
What you can do: Ask for a full thyroid panel and work with someone who knows how to interpret it.
4. You're Not Strength Training
Muscle is metabolically active tissue. If you’re not doing some form of resistance or strength training, you’re missing a huge piece of the metabolic puzzle.
What you can do: Add in 2–3 strength sessions per week (focusing on major muscle groups- these are the most metabolically active) and incorporate daily movement (walking counts!).
5. Your Blood Sugar Is on a Rollercoaster
Unstable blood sugar leads to:
Fatigue after meals
Sugar cravings
Fat storage (especially around the middle)
When insulin is constantly spiked, it tells your body to store rather than burn. Over time, this contributes to insulin resistance, inflammation, and -you guessed it -slower metabolism.
What you can do: Balance every meal with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Limit sugar and refined carbs. Try a continuous glucose monitor or testing post-meal blood sugar for real-time insight.
Final Thoughts
Your metabolism isn’t broken- it’s adaptive. It responds to signals from your hormones, your habits, and your environment. If it’s slowing down, it’s not trying to sabotage you- it’s asking for support.
The good news? These root causes are addressable.
If this sounds like you, you're not alone- and you're not stuck. I help people like you get to the root of their symptoms and rebuild health from the inside out. Book a discovery call or contact me here to start your journey back to balance.
