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Your metabolism can seem like a mystery. Experts blame a slow metabolism for keeping you from reaching your weight loss goals, while fast metabolisms get most of the credit when fat becomes easier to burn and the weight seems to come right off.
In reality, our metabolism are very much a product of genetics, though there are steps we can take (making certain diet choices and exercises) that can help slightly, according to Samantha Cassetty, RD, who spoke with NBC News.
Avoiding certain foods is one of the ways you can speed up a slower metabolism. This is the one food everyone with a slow metabolism should avoid, according to a nutritionist.
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Processed Foods
It’s a major category of foods that fall under the same umbrella: processed foods. And they are doing a number on your metabolism.
Processed foods call your name on long, busy days because they offer a fast solution that requires little to no cooking — a snack or meal that’s ready the second you open a can or tear open a bag.
If your diet consists of a lot of processed cereals, white bread, chips, cookies, and microwave meals, it’s a good idea to cut down on these foods for the sake of your health and metabolism.
According to Cassetty: “Swapping processed and manufactured foods for whole ones is the other way to maximize the metabolic boost you get from eating. Think of it like this: Once food is processed, it’s much easier for your body to grab the energy (another way of saying ‘calories’) it needs. That means you’re not going to burn as many calories from eating processed foods as you are from eating foods in their whole form.”
Many processed foods are also high in sugar. Eating sugary foods spikes your blood sugar levels, which throws your metabolism out of whack and can even lead to you snacking on more sugary foods (because cravings happen after that sugar crash).
Your best bet is to keep your consumption of processed foods to a minimum and instead fill your diet with whole foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, fish, and plant-based proteins like beans and legumes.
