20 Hidden Reasons You Are Gaining Weight

20 Hidden Reasons You Are Gaining Weight

• You’re not sleeping enough

Your body cannot act properly if you do not get a good night’s sleep.

When you don’t get the recommended 7-8 HOURS of sleep, your body secretes a hormone that makes you feel hungry all day.

But in fact, you’re just tired. Sleep deficiency has also been linked to lower resting metabolic rates, according to research.

It also impairs brain function in the frontal lobe, which regulates actions and decisions including eating.

• Your hormones are out of the whack

Unintentional and unwelcome weight gain is often caused by hormonal imbalance.
Certain medical disorders, such as menopause, can disrupt hormone regulation, resulting in weight gain.

If you have hypothyroidism, taking a drug once a day is also an effective treatment.

If you suspect that a hormonal disorder is behind your weight gain, see an endocrinologist who will test your levels and discuss treatment choices with you.

• Your body’s storing extra water

When your body retains extra water, you will begin to gain weight.

Water accumulation may be caused by drugs, hormonal changes, or an underlying medical disorder.

Women, for example, may retain excess water weight just before or during menstruation.
It may also be a symptom of a more severe condition such as heart failure, kidney disease, or lymphedema

(Also Check: 14 Reasons Why Drinking Water Is Important)

• You stress out a lot!

Stress will come on suddenly, as a result of fright or a dangerous circumstance.
It may also be recurring as a result of recurrent concerns such as work or relationship problems.

Stress causes the body to release hormones, such as adrenaline in ‘fight or flight conditions. This is why the body has to run out of risk quickly and cortisol for long-term stress.

These hormones are intended to aid the body’s survival.
One strategy for accomplishing this is to promote and sustain fat accumulation.
Simply put, stress will improve your ability to store fat, which serves as a secondary energy source for life.

• Steroids

Since they improve fluid concentration and increase appetite, steroid drugs are well-known sources of weight gain.

The level of weight gain is determined by both the drug’s dosage and the length of time it is used.

They may also result in a temporary adjustment in body fat distribution, with more fat in the face, back of the neck, or abdomen.

• You might be eating more than you think

When getting rid of your love handles is the target.
Portion control is just as important as balanced eating.

Many healthy foods, such as avocados, oatmeal, quinoa, dark chocolate, nuts, and nut butter, will cause weight gain if consumed in excess.

Don’t assume that the nutritious food you’re consuming is low-calorie unless it’s a fruit or vegetable.

 

• You’re skipping meals

When you skip food, your blood sugar levels rise and fall, affecting your energy and mood. You overeat in order to maintain good fitness.

Your body responds by slowing metabolism, maintaining weight, and entering famine mode.

• You might be gaining “muscle” and not “fat”!

If you’ve just started a new fitness routine, your weight gain could simply be muscle gain, particularly if you’re lifting weights on a regular basis.

Muscle mass gains are normally a positive thing, whether you’re trying to gain, lose, or hold weight.

Muscle increases metabolism and helps to tone trouble areas.

If you’re starting out with the goal of gaining weight, concentrate mostly on cardiovascular exercises such as jogging, running, walking uphill, or using an elliptical machine.

• You just quit smoking!

If you’ve just quit smoking, you will see a higher number on the scale. Weight gain is reasonably typical in smokers who quit for the first time.

The good thing is that there are precautions you should take to avoid the weight gain that comes with this.

To stop weight gain after quitting smoking, try increasing your physical exercise, keeping active, drinking plenty of water, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables.

• Eating too late at night

Everyone enjoys a late-night snack, but if you’re worried about adding weight, you should probably stop eating one too close to bedtime.

Eating less than three hours before going to bed does not allow the body to work off some calories before entering a low-energy sleeping state.

• Bad oral hygiene

Your dental health can have a larger impact on your overall physical health than you realize. Unhealthy gums will lead to weight gain!

There is a strong connection between the inflammation that causes gum disease and the inflammation that occurs elsewhere in the body.

When this inflammatory response spreads across the body, the body will begin to store fat. It will also leave you exhausted and nervous, which can lead to weight gain.

• You might be making bad food choices

A restaurant meal would almost never contain less fat and calories than a home-cooked meal. The more you go out for meals, the more likely you are to add weight.

• Eating a large meal after a workout

You can’t pig out on a crazy, carb-heavy meal just because you worked out. In reality, doing so might be one of the reasons you’re adding weight rather than losing it. The issue here is twofold.

One is that you may overestimate the number of calories you’ve burned by exercise. Two, you are underestimating the calories consumed by food, especially unhealthy treats. It takes a lot more miles of running than you expect to burn off that slice of cheesecake.

• Your thyroid function is disturbed

Your thyroid gland is vital to the proper functioning of your metabolism.

In addition, whether you have hyperthyroidism or an underactive thyroid, your metabolism can be delayed to the point that you are gaining weight.

An underactive thyroid can cause slower metabolism, which can and often does result in steady, unnoticed weight gain.

• You’re exercising too much!

There is no wonder that exercise regularly is an important part of losing weight and keeping in shape.

The healthiest way to avoid weight gain, though, is to find the right balance between exercise and calorie consumption.

• You’re not drinking enough water!

Dehydration may have a negative impact on the body’s mechanics. It influences how the body burns fat which can lead to an increase in calorie intake.

Dehydration will also hinder your metabolism, cause fatigue, digestive problems, and deplete the energy your body requires to retain or lose weight.

• Liquids have calories too!

We often overlook the calories in fruit juices, soft beverages, sodas, and smoothies.

Fruit juices do not keep you full for too long because they lack fiber.

Post-workout shakes, milkshakes, and smoothies all contain calories that can add to your calorie count just as well as solid food.

The trick with liquid calories is that they cannot be measured, so you must be careful.

• You’re breathing polluted air!

Pollutants in the air have far-reaching consequences that go beyond wheezing  and sneezing.

According to one study, rats exposed to heavily toxic air were not only more likely to become obese, but they were also more likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

It isn’t only restricted to rats either.

According to another report, people who live along high-polluting highways are more likely to gain weight.

• You’re Allergic to some food products

Any food allergies, like medications, can cause weight gain.

If you’re not aware of any food allergies but suspect you’ve acquired a non-threatening adult-onset allergy, an allergy test could help decide if it’s causing weight gain.

• Certain medicines can make you gain weight!

As a side effect, certain pharmaceutical drugs can induce weight gain.

Antidepressants, for example, have been attributed to gradual weight gain.

Diabetes medications and antipsychotics are two such examples.

These medications have little impact on your willpower.

They change the way your body and brain work, by slowing your metabolism or increasing your appetite.

Although relying on these sneaky causes can help you avoid gaining weight, there are other factors to remember, such as diet and habits, in order to achieve a slimmer waistline.

Although you cannot completely control how your body functions, you will learn how to control your eating patterns and improve your lifestyle.

Unless you have a medical disorder that prevents you from doing so, you have the ability to regulate your weight. It also takes hard work and a dramatic change in lifestyle, but many people excel in the long run despite the odds being stacked against them.

(Also Check: 14 Bad habits That Are Stopping You From Losing Weight)