Everyone knows overeating is a very easy way to add weight. We all tend to agree that inadequate physical activity/ exercise can bring weight gain. If you are eating healthy and exercising regularly, then you could be confused about why you added a few extra pounds. Here is a list of potential causes of weight gain other than excessive feeding and inadequate exercise:
- Stress: When stressed, the stress hormone in the body known as cortisol tend to increase. The increase in this hormone improves appetite, which can make us consume more food than we normally Also, after a stressed day, we are more likely to opt for processed food from restaurants rather than eat something healthier. Eating processed food as long been associated with excess fat and weight gain.
- Inadequate sleep: irregular/ inadequate sleep alters the biochemical state of the body, which consequently can make you hungry even after eating. Also, late sleepers tend to eat or drink while awake at night, which results in undesired weight gain.
- Antidepressants: A common effect of antidepressant drugs is improved appetite, which makes us want to consume more and more. If you notice you have a massive appetite due to your antidepressants, talk to your doctor to discuss an alternative medication for your
- Steroid medication: Steroid medication causes weight gain. This is simply because steroids increase appetite and store fluid as well. A common effect of steroids is uneven fat distribution in the body, and steroids tend to distribute more fat to the face, neck, and abdomen, which makes the body visibly bigger than it was before medication.
- Hypothyroidism: Hypothyroidism refers to a low level of the thyroid hormone when the thyroid hormone is low, it reduces the rate of metabolism, which in turn results in weight gain. Symptoms like weight gain and tiredness could be that of hypothyroidism. When you experience these symptoms, book an appointment with your
- Cushing’s syndrome: This is a condition caused by an increase in cortisol hormone, it’s characterized by swellings in the neck and upper back area. However, steroid medications can cause Cushing’s syndrome, as
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): PCOS is a condition that affects women within reproductive age. The typical symptom of PCOS is the presence of many small cysts around the ovaries. Presence of PCOS can make the body insulin resistant, thereby causing weight gain.
- Dehydration: Sometimes the brain mistake thirst for hunger and we eat more food when all we need is the satisfaction of quenching our Research has shown that drinking one or two cups of water before a meal can save the body a whopping 100 calories in a meal. Always try to give the body with as much water as it needs, drinking enough water will reduce consumption of food and subsequently stop the body from excess weight gain.
- Lack of protein: Proteins digest slowly compared to carbohydrates, eating food high in protein will give feeling of being full for an extended period, which will significantly reduce the size of food consumed.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables: Eating food concentrated in fruits and vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower helps with weight loss. It’s advisable to eat these fruits and vegetables rather than food low in fiber when we attempt to shed some weight.
- Eat Fibers: It’s been established that eating nutritious fiber like blueberries and raspberries help reduce belly fat. Blueberries and raspberries have low sugar content, and they are high in vitamins. They should be incorporated into diets to help take the belly fat away.
- Overeating Healthy Foods: When aiming to cut down our weight, we seem to opt for nutritious foods like oatmeal, avocados, and nuts. The knowledge that what we are eating is healthy could trick us into consuming more than we should, which can result in weight gain.
- Avoiding weight scale: Some people run from the weight scale altogether, thinking if they don’t know they overweight, they won’t be worried about being overweight. Research has shown that most people who fall into the category tend to be overweight. Don’t be scared of the scale, get on it, and know if you are overweight at a very early stage.
- Ordering the healthiest meal on the menu: Ordering the healthiest meal on the menu might cause the brain to produce more ghrelin (appetite-boosting hormone) and make you consume more of the food.
- Over-reliance on exercise: Some people tend to have an appetite for any sweet food that comes their way, thinking their work out sessions should negate the effect of extra calories. They are likely to eat more calories than can be run off on the treadmill and end up being overweight as a consequence despite being a gym regular. Exercise alone is not enough for weight control, eat healthily, and live healthy as well.
- Unable to work out due to pain: Sometimes, we are unable to hit the gym because of some pain or injury. It’s possible to add some weight when we don’t work out especially when the body is used to workouts. Swimming and light walk can be a useful means of exercising when we are unable to do rigorous exercise due to pain.
- Aging: We tend to lose muscle mass as we age, this makes metabolism slower than normal.
- Eating in front of the TV: When we eat while glued to the TV watching our favorite series or playing our favorite games, we tend to eat more than we normally would because all the attention is on the TV and not the volume of the food we are eating. Avoid eating in front of the TV.
- Adding to more milk to coffee: while coffee consumption is not a bad idea, most people prefer adding cream, milk, and sugar to their coffee, which adds unnecessary calories. Try black coffee and if you don’t like black coffee, add a little milk as possible.
- Socializing: Social functions are characterized by lots of foods and drinks. We all tend to eat more at social functions than normal. You might want to reduce the number of social functions you attend if you tend to eat and drink a lot when you
