If your metabolism is sluggish and ineffective, your diet may be to blame! Nutritionist Josh Axe reveals the surprising foods that slow down your metabolism and the metabolism revivers you should eat instead.How to 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 smaller and more physically active you are, the faster your metabolism. Growing children also tend to have fast metabolisms. For a detailed discussion of how to lower your metabolism, read the following tips and tricks. Try to relax. While you may be finding yourself in a frightening situation, becoming stressed will only cause your body to use more energy. Stress raises levels of adrenaline and thyroxine, two hormones that powerfully increase metabolism. This is called the fight-or-flight response. Avoid caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant, speeds up your heart rate, and raises your metabolism. Stay warm, but don’t let your body overheat. Make sure that whatever you’re wrapped in can let a little air circulate. Being too warm causes you to perspire and forces your body to burn more calories, just like being too cold.