It’s a well-known fact that an unhealthy lifestyle causes weight gain. Eating more calories than you burn accounts for those extra kilos. But how do you explain those kilos that keep adding up even after you eat healthy?
Sometimes, gaining weight isn’t as simple as eating unhealthy. It may be due to some not so well known factors. Here are nine of the little-known reasons why your weighing scale could be drifting upwards:
1. Stress
When you are stressed, your body responds by releasing the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol. This can increase your appetite, make you crave for fatty foods and cause you to pack on more kilos. Long-standing stress also contributes to obesity development by influencing your stress response system in the brain.
Excess levels of cortisol may also be seen in Cushing syndrome, a very rare syndrome which may be a result of a tumour of the cortisol producing gland or can develop due to a long-term steroid treatment. Weight gain, especially around your face and upper back, is a common symptom.
2. Depression
Suffering from depression affects you emotionally and physically. To make matters worse, it does no good to your weight either. According to a study, emotional eating acts as mediator between depression and weight gain.
3. Medications
The culprit could be in your medicine cabinet. Weight gain has been linked to the use of antipsychotics, antidepressants, insulin therapy, blood pressure medicines, etc. With depression as well as antidepressants contributing to your weight gain, you are hit with a double whammy!
4. PCOS
Obesity and weight gain are significantly associated with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS affects women of childbearing age. It causes irregular periods, excess body hair and acne, and weight gain especially around the waistline. The body has difficulty converting glucose to energy (insulin resistance) causing it to produce insulin in excess which in turn increases male hormone (androgens) production. These factors contribute to weight gain.
5. Vitamin D Deficiency
Do you get enough sunshine? Studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency may predispose to fat accumulation.
6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation in today’s times is contributing to the recent obesity epidemic in children and youth. Reduced sleep impacts hormonal regulation of appetite, leading to increased food intake and the preference for high energy foods.
7. Long Work Hours
Employment could influence your weight! A study suggests that working longer hours is associated with more weight gain in women. The most likely reason could be related to the lifestyle choices that employed women make.
All you need to do is make a few simple lifestyle changes to stay fit.
