Clueless About Your Weight Gain? 3 Shocking Possibilities

We all know that a diet having large portions, fried food, sweet desserts, sugary sodas and alcohol will gradually lead to weight gain. We also know that your weight will continue to rise when you keep on consuming more calories than burning them through regular physical activity. However, do you know why you keep on adding weight even when your lifestyle involves a healthy diet, regular exercise and a daily control on calories? Sadly, guessing how and why you still gain weight can lead you nowhere. Weight gain is caused by an array of factors, but there are three top factors that might be the cause of your weight gain, despite your best efforts to prevent it.

1 – Lack Of Sleep

The fact is your body will only function properly when it is well rested. When you are exhausted and unable to deal with stress, you might find food as a way to cope with how you feel most especially late at night. Some believe that snacking at night can help them sleep, but it only adds more unwanted calories each day. If you are always low on energy, worn out and irritable, then you are not getting the right amount of sleep that you need. To avoid lack of sleep, make sure that you get at least eight hours of sleep every night. You can also develop better sleeping rituals and enhance your regular exercise in order to sleep well. Inspect your mattress and replace it if you think that it is uncomfortable and if it already sags in the middle. Invest in a quality mattress that is firm, comfortable and provides all the support that your body needs to be able to sleep better each night. Once you start sleeping better, you will be able to lose weight better.

2 – Stress

Life and the society today demands a lot from us and this can lead to stress. While stress can encourage you to keep moving forward and cope with the demands in life, it can also seriously affect your emotions and mood. It triggers a biochemical process where your body will jump into survival mode by slowing down your metabolism and release leptin, cortisol and other hormones that can cause obesity. Sadly, food seems to be the most common way for people to help deal with stress, but this habit does not always work out the way you want. High carbohydrate foods can trigger can increase in serotonin which offers a calming effect, but this is just temporary. The best way to deal with stress is through relaxation techniques such as yoga and daily exercise that are beneficial to your health and can effectively burn calories.

3 – Medications

If you suffer from migraines, mood disorders, heartburn, depression, diabetes, seizures and blood pressure, the medications you take for them may be the reason for your weight gain. In fact, certain drugs used in hormone replacement therapy, steroids and contraceptives can also trigger weight gain. If you maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, but find yourself gaining five or more pounds each month, then your medications are the cause for the added unwanted weight. However, there are also certain drugs that can cause fluid retention making it appear as gained weight and this can always be treated. You may find yourself gaining extra pounds because of your medications, but it is worth it if your overall health is improving. Nevertheless, continue to maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly and consult with your doctor on how you can manage your weight gain according to your health condition.