Decrease Your Metabolism

Your metabolism is the rate at which you "burn off" energy from the food you eat. Everybody's metabolism is slightly different, so everybody has slightly different needs when it comes to calories. As a general rule, the larger and more physically active you are, the faster your metabolism. Growing children also tend to have fast metabolisms.

Decreasing your metabolism means you are "turning down" your body's internal furnaces, which lowers your calorie requirements. It can help you survive if you are lost in the wild or starving. Heat loss is a major energy drain, so dress warmly to slow down your metabolism. When you are cold, your body increases the levels of uncoupling protein in your cells. Uncoupling proteins produce heat instead of useful energy from the food that you eat. Levels of thyroid hormone also rise. This may serve to initiate the production of uncoupling proteins. Thyroid hormone is "the most significant regulator of basal metabolic rate."[1] Remember that your basal metabolic rate is your rate of metabolism while you are sleeping. In laymen’s terms, that means that nothing increases your metabolism more than thyroid hormone. Huddle with other people if you have company. Move to the warmest area you can find, or build a shelter if you are outdoors. Lie still. Everything that you do burns Calories, and you probably know that exercise also increases metabolism. If possible, sleep. Do not drink cold water or eat snow. Your body will have to go to extra effort to stay warm.

Part of your metabolism is genetically controlled. You can tweak your metabolism up or down, but only within limits. Stay warm, but don't let your body overheat. Make sure that whatever you're wrapped in can let a little air circulate.

If you lower your metabolism and continue to take in the same number of calories you were eating before, you will gain weight. Your body does not need as much food with a slower metabolism, and it will store the extra energy as fat. This would be a good thing, however, if you found this article because you are trying to gain weight.