Do you have trouble losing weight, no matter how much you diet and exercise? You may be suffering from a "broken metabolism." Yes, a broken metabolism, or slow metabolism, is an actual term which means your metabolism has been damaged due to a faulty fitness, lifestyle and diet regime.

What causes your metabolism to break down or seem to have a personality of its own?

First of all, weight loss and management is not about eating less, or exercising more, but about eating the right way for your body type. You may not be making the most of your metabolism. Most commonly, people are not building enough muscle to keep their metabolism going. 

When you do not have the proper nutrition and exercise routine, your hormones, such as the thyroid and leptin are affected; subsequently your muscle tissue begins to break down, causing your metabolism to act out of whack.

Remember that health is not defined by your pant size, weight or stamina to work out. Health is the state of being free from illness or injury.

If you are having difficulty losing or maintaining weight, chances are your metabolism is indeed broken. Your focus should be on stabilizing your metabolism and health, and then try to lose the weight.

The hard part is learning how to get there. A key component is protein, which is super important in keeping your metabolism going. 

Author, dietitian and nutritionist, Karen Ansel, RDN, breaks down her philosophy regarding your metabolism, weight loss and weight management.