Weight Gain Causes

When we talk of weight gain we usually associate it with overeating. It is not usually the case since there are a lot of reasons for gaining weight even if you are eating healthy and working out regularly.

Why do we gain weight?

There are plenty of reasons why you have gained weight. It could be that you were eating too much.

Then again, it could be among the other reasons which you could not have thought of and this includes:

Medical Problems

For a great number of people the cause of their weight gain is due to some health problems. It could be that you have diabetes or other illness that might have caused your weight gain.

Another cause of weight gain is having thyroid problems, since it regulates the body's metabolism.

Not only is the contraceptive pill a contributing factor to weight gain, but other medications as well, such as steroids and other similar medications can be factor to your weight gain.

Stress

Though most people would say that stress can actually cause weight loss due to decrease in appetite and irregular eating, it is actually the opposite.

Cortisol, a stress hormone can be a factor to weight gain since it impedes weight loss.

Our body can sometimes read stress as a 'starvation mode' and converts instinctively as many calories as it can into fat.

There are extreme cases of this that are linked to low fat and yo-yo diets and can lead to insulin resistance while calories are being turned into fat the cells are still deficient of nutrients.

Emotional Reasons

When you are affected by your emotions, you are affected by how you feel about yourself. When you are feeling down, you tend to comfort yourself by eating, and food is actually a great comforter.

We usually eat the foods that are bad for us like junk foods, chocolates, cakes, etc. since it makes us feel better.

People associate the foods that give them 'comfort' with their happy past and people who gave them comfort when they were depressed.

Lacking Essential Fats

What many people don't know is that we need some essential fats in our body, and not all fats are bad. These fats are known to decrease cholesterol and the development of arthritis and other joint disorders.

If you lack some of the essential fats in your body, it could lead to food cravings for fatty foods and that is when you gain weight. So be sure to have a supply of the good fats that your body needs and make it part of your healthy eating habits.

Quitting Smoking

Most people who try to switch their lifestyle to healthy living notice that their weight skyrocket when they try to quit smoking. Other than the food being a substitute for cigarettes, there are other reasons behind this.

The reason for this is that heavy smokers burn calories up to 2,000 calories a day,and since it burns calories it also speeds up your metabolism. Moreover, cigarettes have nicotine and nicotine is an appetite suppressant, so it makes you feel full most of the time and stops your food cravings