You exercise regularly and eat healthy yet you're still gaining weight.
What could be wrong? If this is the situation with you, I understand how frustrated you feel but you need to understand that there are numerous interrelated factors that contribute to weight gain.
The five most important factors that could be responsible include: 1.
Lack of Sleep: Your body requires adequate sleep to function best.
When you don't get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress.
As a result of this, many people use food as a coping mechanism.
Late night snacking simply means extra calories; imagine what would happen when you add up those extra calories you accumulate for a month.
Sleep is important and you should have about 8 hours of sleep each night.
Dedicated Woman's Fountain of Youth (HGH) is a perfect start in catching those Zzzzzzz.
2.
Stress: Stress is a part of normal life.
It is unrealistic to avoid it completely however, you can learn the best ways to cope with stress.
Most people reach for food to help ease the stress.
Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, says stress eaters tend to prefer carbohydrate rich 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.
Bowerman recommends relaxation techniques as well as exercise to help burn calories.
Join our Mind and Body Club today and receive tips and suggestions of meal plans and exercise.
3.
Medication: There are several drugs that are known to cause weight gain.
The drugs cause weight gain via different mechanisms from increasing appetite to altering the way fat is stored.
These drugs include the following: a.
Anti-diabetes medications i.
Insulin ii.
Thiazolidinediones - rosiglitazone, pioglitazone iii.
Sulfonylureas b.
Steroid Hormones i.
Corticosteroids ii.
Progestational Steroids c.
Miscellaneous Agents i.
Antihistamines - diphenhydramine nytol ii.
Alpha Adrenergic blockers - prazosin, doxazosin, terazosin iii.
Beta Adrenergic blockers - propanolol d.
Antidepressants i.
Tricyclic antidepressants ii.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) iii.
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) iv.
Lithium e.
Antipsychotics f.
Anticonvulsants If you suspect that your medication may be causing you to gain weight, you should talk to your physician about it.
4.
Current Illness: There are a number of medical conditions associated with weight gain.
The most common is hypothyroidism - a condition due to deficiency of thyroid hormone causing decreased metabolism and weight gain.
A few others include: a.
Cushing's Syndrome b.
Depression c.
Type II Diabetes Mellitus d.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome 5.
Menopause: Post-menopausal women gain weight primarily because they lose estrogen.
Estrogen favors deposition of fat in the lower body but when you lose this hormone, fat is deposited more in the mid-section.
When women reach menopause, they are usually less physically active than when they were younger - physical inactivity promotes weight gain.
A combination of exercise and a healthy, calorie-controlled diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is the answer to defeating post-menopausal weight gain.
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