Weight loss has been a source of worry for centuries. Over a hundred thousand books have been written on how you can lose your weight (sometimes, even without exercising!). It is well known that junk food and lack of physical activity are the primary causes for gaining weight. However, it is time to divert your attention towards the factors which might seem minor, but can lead to a major weight gain.
Factor 1: Lack of Sleep
When your body rests, it stabilizes the functioning of the body metabolism. If you do not get enough sleep, your body begins to react to this by storing fat, and also when you are tired, you will tend to eat more to ‘get energy’ when indeed; all your body needs is a little sleep! Moreover, when you wake up, you tend to feel more hungry, thus resulting in snack-munching. This also leads to weight gain.
Fix it! Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
Factor 2: Stress
The fast-paced life demands that we improve ourselves; do more, get more, and be more. In this act of getting ‘more,’ our mind often gets stressed and goes into what can be called the ‘survival-mode.’ In this mode, the body begins to stock up energy and reduces the speed of metabolism, resulting in abdominal obesity. In addition, when you are in stress, you might consume high-carbohydrate food which contains serotonin. Serotonin calms your mood and helps you relax. However, stress-binging is only a temporary solution. In the long run, it only results in obesity and unsolved dilemmas.
Fix it! Join yoga or simply learn breathing exercises. Take a break from your routine, go for a long walk, or go for a short trip to a nearby hill station!
Factor 3: Inadequate Eating
When you do not eat properly, your body’s metabolism slows down due to lack of energy and the body begins to store up fat. Thus, dieting only ruins the whole dream of weight loss than to take you nearer to it.
Fix it! Consume a balanced diet and ensure that you get all the essentials right!
Factor 4: Depression
In depression, you look for situations which can comfort you and the situation involving chocolate in your hands is definitely one of them! This is similar to stress-eating, but for a prolonged period of time you might binge eat during depression to feel better. But this only solves the problem for an hour or so and you are back to feeling upset again.
Fix it! If you feel depressed, talk to a companion about it. Schedule an appointment with a psychologist and find ways to resolve issues which grounds your depression.
Factor 5: Illnesses
A variety of diseases may increase the weight of the patient. These include issues with liver, heart, and kidneys. Women who suffer from cysts in the ovaries also gain weight rapidly. Treatment for breast cancer also leads to unstable weight gain. Hypothyroidism is another disease which leads to high level of weight gain amongst women.
Fix it! If you find yourself gaining weight at an accelerated rate, then visit a physician and get tests done to eliminate the chances of it being a symptom of any other illness!
Factor 6: Nutrient Deficiency
Deficiency of nutrients like magnesium, iron, or vitamin D can result in reducing the strength of your immune system. This will lead to low energy, making your body metabolism slower and prone to storing fat.
Fix it! Get your nutrient level checked, and if you find any deficiency, go on a medically advised diet.
Factor 7: Medications
A variety of medicines used for diabetes, psychological disorders, hypertension, and migraines can lead to increase in weight. If you are on medications for a disease and you feel that after beginning the course of medicines, you have suddenly gained a lot of pounds, then it is time to recheck the side-effects of the pills. Remember that most often the pills are not solely the cause of weight gain and there might be other contributing factors.
Fix it! In case you wish to discontinue any pill, visit your doctor and confirm that the pill is causing the weight gain. It is dangerous to stop taking any medication without proper advice.
Factor 8: Birth Control Pills
Medical studies have shown that birth control pills lead to fluid retention in the body, which might lead you to gain ‘water weight.’ However, this only happens for a short period of time. After you have taken the pill for many months, you might experience gaining weight in the breast area, hips, or thighs. If the pill you are taking is high on progestin, then your appetite will be increased resulting in weight gain.
Fix it! Reducing the amount of salt in your diet can help to keep a check on ‘water weight.’
Factor 9: Menopause
Menopause occurs with its companions – poor sleep, hunger, and depression. Medical studies show that when women undergo menopause, there is a loss of estrogen. This leads to loss of weight in thighs and hips. However, fat starts getting concentrated in the abdominal region. The love-handles which you might witness during menopause are often called the ‘menopots.’
Fix it! The best solution for weight gain due to menopause is to amplify the amount of lean body mass, which will also increase your body metabolism. This can be done through weight lifting and body strengthening exercises. You can also get a diet recommended by your doctor. This should include a balanced system with food rich in vitamin D and calcium.
Factor 10: Aging
As you age, your body wears out and the amount of calorie you lose while doing an activity at the age of 20 is more than that which you lose when you are over 45. Your body’s metabolism is lowered as it ages and it will require to store up more fat to get energy.
Fix it! If you are over 40 already and not exercising, then you are in for a tough ride. Start walking or exercising from today and make sure that your weight does not spike up as you grow older!
