7 Ways You’re Wrecking Your Metabolism Without Even Realizing It
The speed of your metabolism depends on various factors, some of which are out of your control, and others that can be biohacked. For example, you can’t change your age or gender, which influences the speed at which your body processes food. But you can change other things, like how much sleep you get every night and the type of food you eat. We asked Dave Asprey, 4x NY Times Bestselling Author of Heavily Meditated, Health Science and Biotech Entrepreneur and “The Father of Biohacking’ to reveal the daily habits secretly sabotaging your metabolism, and here is what he had to say.
Scrolling on Your Phone
Scrolling on your phone is the first habit secretly sabotaging your metabolism. “Artificial light, like the kind that comes from your phone or computer, can mess up your circadian rhythm. It’s especially bad at night. Studies show that artificial blue light exposure at night may contribute to insulin resistance,” says Asprey. When the sun goes down, he recommends that you stop looking at screens or use light-filtering glasses like the ones from his company, True Dark. “You’ll also sleep a lot better since artificial light suppresses melatonin, a hormone important for quality sleep,” he adds.
Low Quality Sleep
Low-quality sleep could also hurt your metabolism. “Make sleep your top priority. Just one night of poor sleep can negatively affect your hunger hormones and your insulin sensitivity. When it comes to sleep, quality is more important than quantity,” Asprey tells us. “If you track your sleep with a wearable (which I highly recommend), aim for around 1.5 hours of deep and 1.5 hours of REM sleep each night. Some of the most impactful things you can do to improve sleep quality include avoiding artificial light before bed, keeping your bedroom cool (around 68 degrees F is the best temperature), eating your last meal at least a few hours before bed, and avoiding exercise or anything very stimulating in the evening.” As a gift, you can also join his 14-day sleep challenge, where he will teach you all the details on how to get the best sleep of your life. Sign up at sleepwithdave.com.
Undereating Protein
Failing to eat enough protein will slow down your metabolism. “Protein helps you rebuild tissues, recover from exercise more quickly, and keeps you feeling full and satiated,” he says, recommending at least one gram of high-quality animal protein per pound of ideal body weight per day. “When you do this, it has a similar effect to Ozempic without the nasty side effects. Protein also helps you build and maintain muscle. The more muscle you have, the more Calories you’ll burn at rest. Protein quality matters. Plant proteins don’t work because of their antinutrient content and their less-than-ideal amino acid profiles. Instead, choose animal-based proteins, which are much more bioavailable. Some of the best ones include grass-fed beef, wild game, wild-caught and low-mercury seafood, pasture-raised eggs, and grass-fed dairy if you can tolerate it,” he says.
Unending Keto
Yes, keto diets work…until they don’t. “Going too low-carb for too long can lower thyroid hormones. Your thyroid controls your metabolism. When you don’t have enough thyroid hormone, you’ll feel sluggish, tired, and you’ll gain weight easily. Instead of cutting carbs all the time, experiment with a cyclical ketogenic diet (like the Bulletproof diet). Every few days (or even more frequently if you’re very active or a woman) consume a good amount of low-toxin carbs. Some of the best ones are white rice, lower-fructose fruits, and raw honey. Your metabolism will work a lot better if you do this,” Asprey says.
Alcohol
Alcohol, even in small amounts, is slowing down your metabolism. “Don’t drink alcohol. It’s a poison to your liver and your brain,” warns Asprey. “When your liver is busy trying to detox alcohol, it can’t metabolize fats and sugars properly, which leads to weight gain and other major problems like fatty liver disease. Instead of alcohol, you can try something called Kava, which is good for enhancing social interactions without the hangover the next day. Make sure it’s high quality – low-quality kava can be toxic,” he says.
Drinking Moldy Coffee
Drinking moldy coffee is another metabolism no-no, per Asprey. “Because of how it’s processed and stored, most coffee is contaminated with mold toxins, aka mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are kryptonite for your biology. They’re especially toxic to your liver and kidneys. Mold interferes with your hormones and can slow your metabolism, sabotaging your fat loss efforts,” he says. Always choose coffee brands that test for mycotoxins. “I only drink coffee from my company, Danger Coffee, because we test extensively for toxins.”
Doing the Wrong Type of Exercise
Doing the wrong type of exercise is the final bad habit for your metabolism. “Not all exercise is created equal. Your 60-minute treadmill run may be doing more harm than good,” he says. Long, medium-intensity cardio sessions burn up muscle tissue. “Muscle is very metabolically active, and the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be. If you’re only doing cardio, you’re not doing much to improve your metabolism. Not only are long cardio sessions bad for muscle gain, but they also increase cortisol. If your cortisol levels are chronically elevated from too much cardio, this signals your body to put on fat, especially in the abdominal area,” he says. A better strategy is to do high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and weights a few times per week. “HIIT is superior to steady state cardio because it preserves muscle, takes less time, and revs up your metabolism for hours after you do it. Adding resistance training a few times per week is crucial if you want to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you’ll burn at rest. You’ll also look a lot better and live longer because muscle mass is a predictor of longevity.”
