Wait! That can’t be right!
Are you staring at the bathroom weighing scales in utter disbelief?
Are they giving you a perfectly valid answer for your pants seeming tighter than before?
But, how can you have weight gain? You’ve been following that low-calorie, healthy diet forever! And, you’ve been more regular than ever with your workout schedule.
So, what’s happening here?
Like this article on WebMD explains, watching the scales go crazy on you is something that happens to a lot of people. Scientists now concede that unexpected weight gain despite following a careful diet and exercise regimen is a more common phenomenon than you would think. And, if this is happening to you, there might be some medical and lifestyle causes. Before your weight spirals out of control, you need to get to the bottom of why that’s happening. Here are some of the first reasons to explore.
1. You Could be Going Through Hormonal Imbalances
As you near the age of 35, your endocrine system starts to slow down and produce a lesser amount of hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. These hormones are not only responsible for your body going through puberty, but they also regulate metabolism and various other functions in the body. A lower level of hormones in your blood results in a slower metabolism and that explains why you’ll start to gain weight even if you’ve followed a healthy diet plan all your adult life.
The solution? Consider opting for plant-based or bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. As the experts at the Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center will tell you, doctors begin by conducting a blood test to assess the exact imbalances. Once they have the results in hand, they’ll put together a supplement program using medications derived from plants to restore the balance and your health. These supplements have no side effects and as they start to work on you, they’ll revive your metabolism, so you find it easier to control the weight gain.
2. You’re More Stressed than Usual
Balancing the demands of a professional and personal life is challenging as it is. And, feeling stressed and anxious is a normal part of life. But, when the stress becomes a regular part of your life, your body finds it impossible to cope with the stress hormone cortisol that floods through your system. Chronic levels of cortisol result in weight gain because they’ll stimulate your metabolism and the release of insulin. As a result, you crave and end up eating more sweet, savory, and high-fat foods.
The solution? Check out this feature on MedicineNet that advises you to recognize the harmful effects of stress and cortisol. Work on lowering the stress levels by finding other ways to cope with the tension and anxiety. Adopt meditation and deep breathing exercises. You could also try aromatherapy to calm your mind and prevent the stimulation of cortisol. Each time you have unhealthy food cravings, understand where they’re coming from and focus on eating nutritious snacks instead.
3. You Haven’t Been Getting Adequate Sleep
When you have too much going on with your life, the first reserve you dip into for extra time is the eight hours that you should be spending on sleeping. Sacrificing on sleep once in a while to get some extra work done is okay. But, making a habit of it can lead to disastrous consequences like weight gain. Your body uses sleep to repair and rejuvenate your brain and body cells. Like this feature on the NHS explains, without this resting time, you experience exhaustion. To cope with the fatigue, your body produces more cortisol. It also releases more hormones like leptin and ghrelin that stimulate hunger and make you snack more often.
The solution? Make it a point to get the necessary 8 hours of sleep. Use all the help you can get to manage your work and personal life commitments. If needed, delegate and share tasks and chores, but put your own needs first. It’s okay to be selfish when the objective is to avoid weight gain and the related health issues that come with it.
4. You Haven’t Been Getting Adequate Nutrition
Even if you’re careful about eating the right diet, sometimes your body may not be getting the right balance it needs to absorb the nutrients and assimilate them into the cells. For instance, consuming sources of vitamins A, D, E, and K is a good thing. But, to process them, your body needs the right amount of fats because these vitamins are fat soluble. Like your dietician will tell you, eliminating fats completely from your diet is bad for health and weight loss. You need the right blend of fats to maintain regular body functions including metabolism.
The solution? Talk to your fitness expert and request a balanced diet plan. You will likely receive a program that includes foods like nuts, fish, avocados, olive oil, eggs, and chia seeds that are essential for good health and preventing weight gain. In addition to the right foods, you also need to be careful about your fluid intake and the optimum balance of electrolytes. Dehydration can also result in bloating and water retention.
5. You Could have Acquired an Infection
Most people are unaware that getting infections can also result in weight gain. The folks at LiveScience warn that if you’re piling on the pounds unexpectedly, go for a health checkup. Get a complete workup done to understand if you’ve acquired a viral or bacterial infection. A particular strain of the common cold called the adenovirus 36, candidiasis (a kind of yeast infestation), or specific pathogens in your gut can cause ill effects other than infections.
The solution? Get treatment for the infections and make sure the complete the entire course of antibiotics and you might find the excess pounds dropping quickly.
These are only a few of the hidden reasons why you may be seeing the inches piling on. Of course, it is highly essential that you continue to follow that healthy diet and exercise program. Side-by-side, work with your medical practitioner to understand the reasons behind your weight gain and resolve the issues.
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