Metabolism: Does a Sluggish Metabolism Cause Weight Gain?

We hear the word “metabolism” frequently. And, if yours is “sluggish”, it likely impacts you daily. Although we have a general sense of what metabolism is and how it affects us, few people can accurately define it. Metabolism can be thought of as the body’s chemical processes that allow 3 crucial aspects of life to occur:

  1. Energy for body activity and body heat to stay warm
  2. Body functions for basic life to occur (like breathing and digestion)
  3. Body structure production and maintenance (brain, bones, muscles, hair, etc)

These areas of metabolism have in common a demand for an energy source, i.e. calories! If any one of these 3 aspects of metabolism is impaired or sluggish, negative consequences are inevitable, often including weight gain!