15 Effective Strategies to Slow Down Your Metabolism

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Lifestyle changes to decrease your metabolism and gain weight
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If you're struggling to gain weight, you might think your fast metabolism is to blame. Your metabolism is the rate at which your body converts calories into energy. How fast or slow your metabolism is mostly comes down to genetics, but you can slow it down (or speed it up) a little with diet and lifestyle changes. [1] The main way to gain weight is to consume more calories than your body burns, but this isn't always as simple as it sounds. Read on to learn how you can decrease your metabolism and put on a few healthy pounds.

Things You Should Know

  • Eat more calories than you burn if you want to gain weight. Aim to add a total of 300 to 500 calories per day above what you normally eat.
  • Choose foods that are high in healthy fats and carbohydrates, such as rice, pasta, and red meat. Snack on nuts and seeds, as well.
  • Use relaxation techniques such as meditation to cope with stress. More quality sleep can also bring your metabolism down and help you gain weight.
1

Eat food that is high in calories.

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  1. Regardless of your metabolic rate, you're not going to gain weight unless you're consuming more calories than your body needs to function. This is one of the reasons why knowing your BMR is extremely important. Without that number, you have no way of knowing how many calories you should be eating on a daily basis if you want to gain weight. [2]
    • Certified nutritionist John Burson notes that "foods high in refined or processed sugar, saturated fat, and simple carbohydrates" tend to slow down your metabolism because they take less energy to digest and process. [3]
    • Diets rich in simple carbs can stimulate the production and secretion of insulin, a potently anabolic hormone. However, over time, these diets can induce hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance, [4] quickly reducing their potential effectiveness.
    • Instead, focus on foods that are rich in high-quality, slow-burning complex carbs, such as rice, bread, and pasta, along with foods rich in high-quality fats and proteins, such as red meat, salmon or oily fish, and higher-fat dairy products. These kinds of foods promote better cardiometabolic health, maintain serum insulin levels over longer periods, and help you gain weight without potentially damaging your health.
    • Meats that are higher in fat, such as steak, pot roast, pork chops, and chicken or turkey thighs are also good choices if you're trying to gain weight. [5] When you're looking to gain weight, increasing your fat intake a little may help decrease your metabolism by reducing diet-induced thermogenesis and sympathetic activity and by allowing for efficient deposition of the extra calories. [6] Increasing healthful fats in the diet can also increase the overall calorie density of the diet and make foods more palatable, making it easier to take in enough calories without feeling uncomfortably full.
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2

Boost your caloric intake at each meal.

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  1. High-calorie drinks, spreads, and sauces are a great way to add a few calories to your meal. This is especially helpful if you're someone who doesn't have much of an appetite or feels full quickly because they're not going to weigh down your meal. [7]
    • For example, you might have a glass of whole milk with dinner instead of water. Milk is a much better choice than soft drinks or even juice because it's a rich source of protein - which make gaining muscle more efficient. Studies show that a higher intake of protein promotes more efficient weight gain, compared to a standard or lower intake. [8] For a bonus, you can add milk or whey powder to drinks for extra calories and protein and improved texture and viscosity.
    • Make high-calorie smoothies. You can easily pack 500 calories or more in a smoothie by using ingredients such as bananas or other dense fruit, peanut butter, full-fat Greek yogurt, oatmeal, protein powder, or nuts and seeds. Drinking a smoothie can be much easier than eating a meal, and the body can absorb more calories from the foods blended in smoothie form. [9] A research study also found that consuming a pureed meal results in a significantly lower thermic effect of food (TEF) than consuming the same meal in solid form by reducing digestion energy costs. [10]
    • You might also add condiments that are high-calorie and rich in healthy fats, such as avocado, chopped nuts or seeds, olive oil, shredded cheese, or hummus.
    • As a general rule, think about adding a total of 300 to 500 calories a day to your baseline calorie intake. This rule of thumb will help you gain weight in a healthy way. [11] If necessary, consider using a food diary to ensure that you're increasing your calorie intake enough to achieve a positive energy balance.
3

Eat several small meals throughout the day.

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  1. If you struggle with appetite, the idea of sitting down for a huge meal might sound like torture. But having 5 or 6 meals a day (instead of the usual 3) gives you more opportunities to get those calories in, maintains insulin levels within a more healthful range, and helps to promote a more positive energy balance. [12] [13]
    • Even if you're not hungry, having a few bites of something will at least feed your body a few more calories, which you'll need if you're looking to gain weight. Eating regularly can help prevent the body from eating a catabolic state - which can potentially lead to muscle loss.
    • If a lot of small meals aren't feasible for you, try eating slightly larger servings of each thing on your plate during regular meals. [14]
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4

Snack on nuts and seeds between meals.

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  1. High-calorie snacks between meals will certainly help you gain weight and maintain steady energy levels throughout the day. But you don't want to just eat junk food! High-calorie foods that are also rich in protein, such as nuts and seeds, can help you gain weight healthily. [15]
    • Nut butters such as those made with peanuts or almonds are also an excellent choice and provide an essential fatty acid known as linoleic acid - which may make weight gain more efficient by reducing diet-induced thermogenesis. [16] For example, you might have a peanut butter sandwich or peanut butter crackers for a snack.
    • Eggs and Greek yogurt are also good snacks. For example, you could make deviled eggs or mix a handful of nuts and seeds into a cup of Greek yogurt.
5

Limit fluids 30 minutes before meals.

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  1. This is especially unhelpful if you don't have much of an appetite or tend your stomach tends to fill up quickly. When you drink water or other beverages within a half hour of eating, they can make you feel full. The result? You'll end up eating less food and won't get the calories you need. [17]
    • Drink small glasses of water throughout the day so you stay hydrated, just taper off before mealtime.
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6

Manage your stress levels.

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  1. Mental stress significantly increases your metabolic rate, [18] and it can also take away your appetite. [19] It's not uncommon to lose a lot of weight in the aftermath of an extremely stressful event, such as a divorce or job loss. Often, your weight will return to normal once the stress eases up—but that doesn't always happen. Here are some things you can do to help decrease stress: [20]
    • Meditate
    • Write in a journal
    • Color in mandalas or other complex coloring pages
    • Focus on a specific task (e.g., a crossword puzzle) to stop overthinking
    • Spend time with family and friends
    • Go for a walk in nature [21]
7

Stick to low-impact, low-intensity exercise.

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  1. Many people who are trying to gain weight are afraid to exercise because they believe it will cause them to lose weight—and that can happen. The key is to avoid intense exercise sessions in favor of low- to moderate-intensity exercise that keeps you healthy and physically fit without impacting your metabolic rate too much. [22]
    • For example, you might try yoga for strength training and go for a walk for 30 minutes each day.
    • Exercise can also help boost your appetite, if that's a problem for you. [23] Exercising before a meal may improve calorie intake at that meal and also have health benefits, such as improved glycemia and insulinemia.
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8

Limit your intake of caffeine.

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  1. Studies show that drinking a beverage with caffeine can significantly increase your metabolism for up to 3 hours afterward, and even small amounts (e.g., 50 mg) can lead to a significant increase in resting energy expenditure in some sensitive individuals. If you're drinking coffee or tea throughout the day, this could be one of the reasons you have a hard time gaining weight. [24]
    • Stick to coffee in the mornings, if you must—avoid it in the afternoon or evening, especially close to bedtime. It can interfere with your sleep patterns, which can also reduce the energy-saving benefits of sleep. [25]
9

Avoid going out of your way to be active.

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  1. You've probably heard that a good way to lose weight is to squeeze activity into your daily life, such as by taking the stairs instead of an elevator. Being more active increases your metabolism a bit and causes your body to burn more calories for energy. But if you're looking to gain weight, go ahead and take that elevator! A little less activity can help lower your metabolism. [26]
    • At the same time, you do want to stay healthy, and being active is a great way to do that. So while you don't necessarily want to lay on the couch all day, it's always good to take shortcuts where you can if you're trying to lower your metabolism and gain weight. Getting in adequate levels of exercise can help you build more muscle (which weighs more than fat), avoid gaining too much body fat, and help protect your body from the deleterious effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
    • For example, you might drive to a store that's less than a mile away instead of walking, then search for a parking place as close to the entrance as possible.
    • Try to control fidgeting. Making these small, nervous movements burns an extra 40-60 calories per hour. [27] Studies consistently show that fidgeting and physical activity levels increase on high-calorie diets as a natural defense against weight gain [28] So learning to control excessive fidgeting can make it easier to enter positive energy balance and start gaining weight.
    • If you have a job where you're on your feet a lot, this can also cause you to burn more calories, be exposed to more mental stress, and have a higher metabolic rate than someone who spends most of their workday sitting at a desk. [29]
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10

Stay comfortably warm.

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  1. When you're slightly cold, your body has to burn more calories to stay warm. But if you're too hot, on the other hand, your body temperature will rise, and that will also increase your metabolism because of Q10 effects. [30] What you need is a happy medium where you're neither too cold nor too hot, which will keep your metabolic rate as low as possible. [31]
    • This is especially important while you're sleeping. Make sure you have several layers of light blankets on your bed so you can adjust as necessary.
    • When you're out and about during the day, wearing several layers will help you control your body temperature inside and outside without expending too much energy.
11

Sleep at least 7 hours a night.

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  1. Getting enough quality sleep is essential for your overall health, but it's even more important if you're trying to gain weight. If you don't get enough sleep, your metabolism and hunger levels are both likely to increase. [32]
    • If you have a sleeping disorder that negatively affects your sleep, talk to your doctor. Medications and assistive devices might help you get more restful sleep.
    • Practice good sleep hygiene by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Do something relaxing for about an hour before you fall asleep. Reading a book or taking a warm bath or shower will also help your body slow down and prepare for sleep.
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12

Take naps during the day.

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  1. When you're sleeping, your metabolism is about as close to your BMR as it can get. That sleepy feeling (also called "sleep inertia") you get after a nap suggests a decrease in metabolism that could potentially persist even after you've finished napping. All of this means that if you have the opportunity to take a short nap (under 30 minutes) or two over the course of the day, you could lower your overall average metabolic rate for the day. [33]
    • Even if you're not a napper, simply relaxing and doing something passive, such as watching TV or reading a book, can lower your energy expenditure a bit (though maybe not as much as when you're sleeping). Doing relaxing passive activities as opposed to more exciting ones (e.g., listening to rock music or watching horror movies) can reduce sympathetic activity levels and may make weight gain more efficient.
    • Keep in mind that there's not necessarily a rule that says you have to get all the sleep you need at one go either. If you have trouble sleeping at night for an extended period, a couple of naps throughout the day might help you ensure you're getting as much sleep as you need on a daily basis.
13

Get tested for a hormonal disorder.

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  1. Because metabolic disorders share symptoms with other disorders and conditions, specific medical testing is required. One of the most common hormonal disorders that raises your metabolism is hyperthyroidism, which can easily be checked for with a blood test to measure thyroid hormone levels. Your doctor will request tests to determine your basal or resting metabolic rate and order further tests if it's significantly high. [34]
    • Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) reflects the amount of energy your body needs to perform its basic functions. This makes up anywhere from 50 to 80% of the energy your body uses on a daily basis and you can't really adjust this up or down very much.
    • Genetic disorders can also cause abnormally high metabolic rates. These disorders are usually manageable under medical supervision.
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14

Try a supplement to boost your appetite.

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  1. Talk to your doctor about appetite stimulants, many of which require a prescription. These drugs can boost your appetite so that you'll be hungry more often and eat more food. They're typically prescribed if you're recovering from a recent health crisis, such as cancer, that causes a loss of appetite. [35]
    • Avoid potentially dangerous or ineffective products that claim to build lean muscle or increase muscle mass. None of these products' claims have been scientifically proven. [36]
15

Quit smoking.

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  1. If you're trying to decrease your metabolism, smoking or vaping won't do you any favors. When you quit feeding your body nicotine, your metabolism will typically lower quite a bit—this is one of the reasons many smokers gain weight after they quit. [37]
    • Keep in mind that it's not the act of quitting smoking that causes you to gain weight. It's because you will most likely continue to eat the same as you did before when you were still smoking and had a higher metabolism.
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      Warnings

      • Talk to your doctor before you make any drastic changes to your diet, lifestyle, or weight. They can help you ensure that your plan won't put your health at risk.
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      • For the most part, metabolism regulates itself and is only very rarely responsible for weight gain or loss. [38]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-metabolism
      2. ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolism
      3. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9312452/
      4. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622138836
      5. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/high-calorie-snack-ideas-for-weight-gain/
      6. ↑ https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/8360B6D8C8C020FDFBCA78ED002150BE/S0007114500001720a.pdf/role_of_highfat_diets_and_physical_activity_in_the_regulation_of_body_weight.pdf
      7. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/high-calorie-snack-ideas-for-weight-gain/
      8. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22215165/
      9. ↑ https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2023/how-to-gain-weight-safely.html
      1. ↑ https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jnsv/62/5/62_288/_pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2023/how-to-gain-weight-safely.html
      3. ↑ https://familydoctor.org/healthy-ways-to-gain-weight-if-youre-underweight/
      4. ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Xavier-Pi-Sunyer-2/publication/21205142_Meal_size_and_frequency_Effect_on_the_thermic_effect_of_food/links/02bfe50f022cded9f3000000/Meal-size-and-frequency-Effect-on-the-thermic-effect-of-food.pdf
      5. ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/weight-and-muscle-gain
      6. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/high-calorie-snack-ideas-for-weight-gain/
      7. ↑ https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2615
      8. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/high-calorie-snack-ideas-for-weight-gain/
      9. ↑ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2002.7
      10. ↑ https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/anxiety-lose-appetite
      11. ↑ https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/conditions/unintentional-weight-loss
      12. ↑ https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/tips
      13. ↑ https://familydoctor.org/healthy-ways-to-gain-weight-if-youre-underweight/
      14. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/managing-your-weight/healthy-ways-to-gain-weight/
      15. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7369170/
      16. ↑ https://jcsm.aasm.org/doi/10.5664/jcsm.3170
      17. ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolism
      18. ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11101470/
      19. ↑ https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-61552-3_7
      20. ↑ https://familydoctor.org/healthy-ways-to-gain-weight-if-youre-underweight/
      21. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306456518303164
      22. ↑ https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/2014/07/chill-out-sleeping-cooler-temperatures-may-increase-your-metabolism
      23. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929498/
      24. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929498/
      25. ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolism
      26. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2753007/
      27. ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/weight-and-muscle-gain
      28. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21893-metabolism
      29. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21893-metabolism

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