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Five
Surprising Reasons You're Gaining Weight
It's no mystery that a diet full of fried foods,
giant portions, decadent desserts, alcohol, and sugary soft drinks will lead to
weight gain. And there's little question why the pounds pile up when you take
in more calories than you burn in physical activity. But how do you
explain weight gain when your
lifestyle includes regular exercise and a healthy diet that is controlled in
calories? Gaining weight is absolutely maddening, especially when you really
don't understand why the needle on the scale keeps going up.
Several things should be considered if you
are gaining weight while watching calories and being physically active. More
than likely, it's a variety of things working together that have resulted in
the weight gain.
1. You
Might Be Gaining Weight Because of Lack of Sleep
The body functions best when well rested.
"When you don't get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and, biochemically,
you store fat more efficiently," says May.
When you're tired, you also don't handle
stress as well, so you may reach for food as a coping mechanism. Further, you
may be taking in extra calories from late-night snacking. Some people think
eating might help them get back to sleep, but all it really does is add more
calories to their daily total.
Symptoms that you may not be getting enough
rest include fatigue, low energy levels,
nodding off easily, and feeling irritable.
Strive to get eight hours of sleep each
night.
"Add about 15 minutes to your bedtime
and see how you feel," suggests May. "Continue to experiment with
additional 15-minute increments until you find the ... amount of sleep that is
right for you."
When you develop good sleeping rituals and
get regular exercise, you sleep better, she adds.
2. You May
Be Gaining Weight Because of Stress
We live in a society that demands we do more,
be more, and achieve more. Stress moves us forward and helps cope with life's
demands, but it also affects our mood and emotions.
"Stress response, whether it is
'fight-or-flight,' juggling too many responsibilities, or coping with financial
pressures, triggers a biochemical process where our bodies go into survival
mode," explains May. "Our bodies store fuel, slow down metabolism, and dump out
chemicals [cortisol, leptin, and other hormones] which are more likely to cause
... obesity in the abdominal
region."
2. You May
Be Gaining Weight Because of Stress continued...
Many people reach for food to help ease the
stress. But, of course, this doesn't work in the long run.
"Food is a temporary fix because it does
not deal with the real stressors that must be addressed in order to reduce the
trigger for eating and fix the problem," says May.
Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, assistant director of
the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, says stress eaters tend to prefer
high-carbohydrate foods because these foods trigger an increase in the brain
chemical serotonin, which has a calming effect. "It is almost like
self-medicating," she says. "Many people binge on starchy foods to
make themselves feel better."
Both May and Bowerman recommend relaxation
techniques as well as exercise, which also burns calories and provides other
health benefits.
3. You May
Be Gaining Weight Because of Medications
Some prescription drugs used to treat
depression, mood disorders, seizures, migraines, blood pressure, and diabetes can cause weight
gain, from a modest amount to as much as 10 pounds per month. Some steroids,
hormone replacement therapy, and even oral contraceptives may also cause
gradual weight creep. Your medicine cabinet might be the cause of your weight
gain if you've gained 5 or more pounds in a month without a change in your
lifestyle.
"Every drug works a little differently
to cause weight gain, from increasing appetite, altering the way fat is stored,
to how insulin levels change," says May. "And not all drugs have the
same side effects on all people."
In the case of antidepressants, weight gain may not
even be related to the action of the drug -- feeling better can also result in
a heartier appetite. Some drugs can cause fluid retention that shows up on the
scale as weight gain, but is not fat, and is usually easily corrected.
Experts say that some of the most common
types of medications that may cause weight gain are:
·
Steroids
·
Antidepressants
·
Antipsychotics
·
Antiseizure
medications
·
Diabetes
medications
·
High
blood pressure medications
·
Heartburn
medications
But it's important to remember that a few
extra pounds may be well worth the trade-off of what a particular medication
does for your overall health, experts say. Further, even if your medications
are the cause of your weight gain, you still need to be mindful of eating a
healthy diet and getting regular exercise.
"Rarely is the problem solved with a
change in meds," says May. "These things can contribute, but rarely
are the sole cause of the weight gain."
If you suspect your medication is causing
weight gain, talk to your health care provider to see about changing your
prescription. But whatever you do, don't go off your medication without seeking
medical advice.
"There could be very serious
consequences if you stop taking your medication without consulting your
physician," says May.
4. You May
Be Gaining Weight Because of a Medical Condition
The most common medical condition that causes
weight gain is hypothyroidism. A deficiency
of thyroid hormone can decrease
metabolism, causing appetite loss and weight gain.
"If you are feeling fatigued, lethargic,
swelling, hoarse voice, intolerance to cold, sleeping too much, or headaches, you should see your
doctor for an easy test to determine if you have hypothyroidism," says
May.
Much rarer is a condition known as Cushing's
syndrome -- a disorder caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol -- that can
also result in weight gain.
5. You May
Be Gaining Weight Because of Menopause
Women reach menopause at a range
of ages, but most are in midlife and are often less physically active than when
they were younger. Along with aging comes a natural slowing of metabolism. At
the same time, hormonal changes can trigger hunger,
depression, and poor sleep.
"It is multifactoral. When
women go through menopause, they lose estrogen, causing their shapes to change
-- usually a loss of hip and thigh weight. And they start to gain more in the
middle," says Bowerman. She explains that estrogen favors fat deposition
in the lower body, and when you lose this hormone, fat is more likely to be
deposited in the midsection (much like men). This spare tire around the
middle has been not so affectionately called the "menopot."
The key to avoiding this extra
belly fat is to maintain and increase the amount of lean body mass, which will,
in turn, increase your metabolism or calorie burn rate.
"Women need to understand
how critically important weight
lifting and strength
training is to
their health," says Bowerman. And don't worry, doing strength training
won't make women muscle-bound, experts say.
Exercise also helps offset bone
loss that can come with menopause. A combination of exercise and a
healthy, calorie-controlled diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is the answer to
thwarting menopausal weight gain.
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