Are you Putting on Weight? Top 9 Reasons for Weight Gain
Sometimes you find that you have gained weight all of a sudden, in spite of you taking all necessary persecutions to control weight. You may wonder what went wrong. So, here we will see what makes you gain weight.
Top Reasons for Gaining Weight:
Age:
As soon as women reach their 30s they start losing their muscle mass. The levels of hormones like thyroid, progesterone, estrogens and testosterone gets low. There is also less activity and more stress as we age, which can lead to weight gain.
Solution for you:
Make sure that you workout. Join a gym and do cardio as well as resistance training. This helps in building up your muscle mass and in the maintenance of hormone levels. You can listen to your favourite music and meditate to get rid of stress.
Body type:
Body type has an important role in weight gain. If you have a mesomorphic body type, you tend to gain weight quickly. But you also lose weight fast. Worst affected are those having endomorphic body type. They gain weight quickly, but it is very hard for them to lose their weight.
Solution for you:
If you have an endomorphic body type, you should try to consume lots of green leafy vegetables and workout regularly.
Depression:
According to the WHO, about 350 million people of all age groups suffer from depression. It is one of the main causes for weight gain in many people. The antidepressants that you use can also lead to weight gain.
Solution for you:
Depression can be treated and cured only if you want to get better. So, push yourself to do what you like and things that can make you feel happy. An excellent way to treat depression without taking any antidepressants is to workout. You can start playing a sport or join an arts and crafts class. You can also travel. If you do not have a good friend to share your feelings, you can write a diary or book in which you write all your feelings. This helps in reducing the pressure you feel.
Genes and environment:
Scientists say that if there is family history of obesity, you are more likely to gain weight. The environment also plays an important role in gaining weight. If you eat unhealthy and lead a sedentary lifestyle, the next generation may also follow the same and gain weight.
Solution for you:
Avoid eating junk food, foods high in sodium, fried and greasy foods and foods rich in trans fat. Workout regularly and check your weight every 1 or 2 months. You may have one cheat day every week.
Inactive lifestyle:
The modern lifestyle, with the introduction of technology, has made us very lazy. We hardly get up from bed or couch and sit in front of the TV or computer for a long time. Even kids prefer this instead of playing outside. This can lead to weight gain.
Solution for you:
Try to play outdoor games or go for Zumba or any dance class. Take a break from your work after every one hour and walk around. You can also go for cycling, walk to the office from your home or go on hikes.
Large portion sizes:
Sometimes, even after you eat healthy foods, you fail to lose weight. This may be because you are not controlling the portion size. It is important to control portion size to lose weight. You cannot lose weight if you eat too much of food and do not burn the extra calories you have gained.
Solution for you:
Make sure that you take a portion size as big as your palm. Half of your plate should contain vegetables, third quarter of your plate should contain lean protein and the rest should be of complex carbs and fibre rich foods. You may have three to four servings of vegetables and fruits every day. Consuming 4 to 6 soaked almonds in the morning is good. The energy that you get from nuts can last for the whole day.
Stress:
Stress often leads to emotional eating and as a result you may gain weight. Stress can be at your work place or at your home. Stress can cause the secretion of cortisol hormone, which can increase appetite. This makes you eat junk and comfort foods instead of healthy foods.
Solution for you:
You can engage yourself in yoga or meditation, or try Chinese medicine, aromatherapy, acupuncture and cognitive behavioural therapy to manage stress. You can take the advice of your doctor for this. If it is very severe, then your doctor may also suggest medication.
Thyroid imbalance:
Thyroid is very important for the growth and metabolism of the body. It produces three hormones, which are T3, T4 and calcitonin. T3 and T4 or thyroid hormones and when there is less secretion of these hormones, you may suffer from hypothyroidism. It is characterised by weight gain and a slowdown of metabolism. So, if you find that you have gained weight suddenly, you should check whether it is due to the improper functioning of the thyroid glands.
Solution for you:
You can treat this condition by taking medicines that can replace the hormones concerned, like levothyroxine. You can also try some simple home remedies like consuming less salt, fewer carbs and drinking water in which fenugreek is soaked.
Unhealthy food choices:
Unhealthy foods are high in sodium, artificial colours, trans fats and carbs. They are very tasty but can affect your health. They also lead to weight gain, heart diseases, diabetes and cancer. Eating out for most of the days and eating processed foods can make you gain weight fast.
Solution for you:
Try to prepare meals at home for at least 5 days of the week. You can chop the vegetable on weekdays and keep them in zip-lock bags in the refrigerator. Try to avoid foods that contain high amounts of salt and simple carbs, as well as processed foods that you buy from the supermarket. Consume lean meat like chicken breast, fish and ground turkey. Eat wheat pasta and noodle, multigrain bread, quinoa, celery, eggs, broccoli, herbs, green leafy vegetables, almonds, citrus fruits, black pepper, cinnamon, tofu, fish oil, fat-free milk, lentils, soy milk, olive oil and dark chocolate.
Pregnancy, menopause, certain medicines, alcohol, lack of sleep, too much of salt and crash dieting also can lead to weight gain.
