Weight gain is a serious matter. It can both physically and emotionally affect individuals with disabilities. The weight can cause many different health complications ranging from joint issues to high blood pressure and heart disease. Medical equipment can be used, but not always and the item or piece of equipment sometimes costs more than the individual has available to spend. There are no real options for weight loss on an individual level. What you should do as an individual is start moving more, eating healthier, and follow a diet that will allow you to lose weight permanently.
Weight gain due to pregnancy is a common struggle among pregnant women. Fortunately, most mothers experience a significant reduction in weight after pregnancy. It is well known that weight loss during pregnancy makes labor shorter and delivery of your baby easier.
Some Surprising Causes of Weight Gain
Stress
Cortisol, the so-called "stress hormone," increases in our body when we're stressed out. This hormone, in turn, increases our appetite. Add to that the tendency to reach for comfort foods at times of stress, and you have a perfect opportunity for weight gain.
Drugs That May Cause Weight Gain
Other prescription drugs you take can also cause weight gain. Examples include antipsychotic drugs used to treat disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, as well as drugs that are used to manage seizures, migraines, diabetes, and hypertension. You can talk with your doctor about choosing medication options that have fewer side effects.
Not Enough Sleep
If you're not sleeping, you have more chances to indulge in late-night snacking. This is obvious. However, there's another reason lack of sleep might be adding on the pounds: biochemical changes in your body resulting from sleep deprivation can make you hungrier and leave you feeling less full after eating.
5 Reasons You May Be Gaining Weight Unintentionally
Weight gain can be extremely frustrating, especially when you don’t know what’s causing it.
While diet typically plays the largest role in weight gain, other factors — such as stress and lack of sleep — may contribute as well.
1. You eat too much sugar
Regularly downing sugary foods and beverages, such as candy, cakes, soda, sports drinks, ice cream, iced tea, and sweetened coffee drinks, can easily enlarge your waistline.
Many studies link sugar intake not only to weight gain but also an increased risk of chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
In particular, sugary beverages are the largest source of added sugar in the United States and strongly associated with weight gain.
For instance, a review of 30 studies in 242,352 children and adults tied sweetened beverage intake to weight gain and obesity.
One study in 11,218 women revealed that drinking 1 sugary soda per day led to 2.2 pounds (1 kg) of weight gain over 2 years — meaning that cutting out sweets might have the opposite effect.
You can try gradually reducing your sugar intake to ease the process.
2. You engage in yo-yo dieting
Yo-yo dieting refers to cycles of intentional weight loss followed by unintentional weight regain.
Notably, this pattern is linked to an increased risk of weight gain over time.
In a study in 2,785 people, those who had dieted within the previous year had greater body weights and waist circumferences than those of non-dieters.
Other studies reveal that restrictive eating and dieting may lead to future weight gain due to your body’s physiological responses to such behaviors, such as changes in hunger and fullness hormones.
Plus, most people who lose weight through restrictive dieting gain back most or all of it within 5 years.
To keep weight off long term, you should focus on sustainable lifestyle changes. These include exercise, cutting out processed and sugary foods, and eating nutrient-dense, whole foods rich in fiber and protein.
3. You’re stressed out
Chronic stress is a common problem that can affect your weight.
High levels of the stress hormone cortisol have been shown to increase hunger and your desire for highly palatable, calorie-dense foods, which can cause weight gain.
What’s more, studies indicate that people with obesity have higher cortisol levels than those without this condition.
Interestingly, stress management may promote weight loss.
In an 8-week study in 45 adults with obesity, those who engaged in relaxation techniques like deep breathing lost significantly more weight than those who only received standard dietary advice.
To reduce stress, try incorporating evidence-based relaxation practices into your routine. These include yoga, spending time in nature, and meditation.
4. You don’t get enough sleep
Sleep is essential for overall health and well-being. Insufficient sleep may trigger weight gain, among other negative effects.
A study in 92 women demonstrated that those who slept fewer than 6 hours daily had the highest body mass index (BMI) and the highest levels of a protein secreted by fat cells), compared with women who slept 6 hours or more per day.
In a 2-week study in 10 adults with excess weight following a low-calorie diet, those who slept 5.5 hours per night lost 55% less body fat and 60% more muscle mass than those who slept 8.5 hours per night.
As such, increasing your sleep time may aid weight loss.
Some evidence associates 7 or more hours of sleep per night with a 33% greater likelihood of weight loss, compared with sleeping fewer than 7 hours.
If you have poor sleep quality, you can try limiting screen time before bed, reducing your caffeine intake, and going to sleep at a consistent time.
5. You eat too many highly processed foods
Many healthy foods, such as oats, frozen fruit, and yogurt, are minimally processed.
However, highly processed foods, including sugary cereals, fast food, and microwave dinners, pack a slew of harmful ingredients, as well as added sugars, preservatives, and unhealthy fats.
What’s more, numerous studies link highly processed food to weight gain, in addition to rising obesity rates in the United States and around the world .
For example, a 2019 study in 19,363 Canadian adults found that those who ate the most ultra-processed foods were 32% more likely to be obese than those who ate the least .
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