I was chatting to a few people the other day and one of them happened to comment, “Have you ever noticed how weight gain can creep up on you over a period of time and you don’t even really notice it? Well, that is, until it is too late and you end you end up with some dam lifestyle disease that you end up blaming on ageing.”
Unfortunately, the hidden causes of weight gain are an all too common occurrence for many people these days.
In many cases, if you are not maintaining or losing weight the way you would like, then the solution is generally pretty simple. Just eat less food, eat better quality food and do a bit of regular exercise but you must combine the three. However, in some cases, it can be difficult to figure out exactly why you are gaining weight.
If you are putting on weight and not really sure why, it is important to be aware of some of the possible causes so you can make lifestyle changes to fix the problem before it is too late.
You may even need to seek professional advice from your doctor or nutritionist to help solve your weight gain issues. Much better to catch it now before it leads to diseases like high blood pressure or diabetes 2.
So here are five of the main reasons I have found why many people gain weight.
1. The first reason for weight gain is eating too little or too much. Consuming too many calories, based on your gender, height, and weight, will cause weight gain. Conversely, consuming too few calories can also cause you to gain weight. A lot of people I talk to have trouble coming to grips with this one but when your body does not receive enough calories, not only does your metabolism slow down drastically, but your body also goes into starvation mode. This causes your body to actually store fat rather than burn it.
2. The next reason why many people gain weight is because they are dealing with way too much stress in their lives. Constant stress is a major contributor to weight gain. When you are continuously stressed, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. Increased levels of cortisol not only cause you to crave unhealthy foods, but it also causes your body to store more fat.
3. In addition, you may not be consuming enough fibre. The fibre in your food is one of the main things that help to make you feel full. Fibre has been proven to make people eat less. In addition, high fibre diets keep your blood sugar levels at a healthy level, which is crucial for maintaining your weight. On average, an individual should be eating about 25 to 35 grams of fibre per day. The best sources of fiber include beans (you know what good old baked beans are famous for), whole grains, berries, and fresh vegetables.
4. Also, you may be eating too much low-fat food. Lots of people are under the assumption that eating low-fat food will help you lose weight. They think because the foods are low in fat, they can eat as much as they want and still lose weight. This is far from the truth. Many low-fat foods are packed full of sugar and are high in calories so learn to read the labels. Alternatively, eat REAL food that doesn’t have a label and you won’t have to worry. While sugar and fat intake can affect weight, ultimately, it is your total calorie intake that causes you to either lose or gain weight.
5. Taking certain prescription drugs may also be causing weight gain. A few of the medications that have been shown to cause weight gain in some people include:
* Antidepressants: Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Pamelor
* Blood pressure medications: Lopressor and Tenormin
* Mood stabilizers: Clozapine, Risperdal, and Seroquel
* Antihistamines: Allegra and Zyrtec
This is not a complete list of medications known to cause weight gain but rather a warning that many medications have certain side effects such as weight gain, so beware. However, if you have started taking any of these types of drugs and have started noticing your weight going up, you may want to talk to your doctor about a possible alternative.
Without doubt, gaining weight can be extremely frustrating. This is especially true if you feel you are doing everything possible to maintain a healthy body weight. By being aware of these more common reasons for gaining some excess weight, you can take action and get back on the right track.
So even if you’re eating the same food, doing the same exercise but still the weight’s piling on, then here’s a link to some more surprising reasons you’re gaining weight.
Hope this helps.
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