Follow My Instagram

Friday 15 February 2013

6 Surprising Things That Make You Gain Weight

A healthy diet along with regular exercise should provide everything necessary to lose weight, but people often do things to support weight gain without even knowing it. Here are 6 surprising things that contribute to weight gain that you might be doing without realizing the consequences.

Food Allergies. Food allergies can lead to inflammation which can cause swelling and fluid retention. Many people who suffer from chronic weight problems have food allergies that they just aren't aware of. If you think you may be one of these people, try eliminating common foods that trigger allergies like dairy, eggs, and gluten and see if you notice a difference from when you started.


Stress and Anxiety. Stress is the cause of a variety of different health problems in the body. Not only does anxiety and worry leave you reaching for comfort foods, and low on energy it also increases the production of a hormone called cortisol in the body linked to increased belly fat storage. When you are under stress, especially for long periods of time, your body triggers cortisol to release stored sugar from the liver, and your muscles into your blood. This leads to an increase in insulin levels which thus inhibits fat burning and tells your body to store up that fat for later.

Not Enough Sleep. During routine sleep your body not only gets the rest you need to be a functioning human the next day, but it also uses this time to balance important hormones involved in the regulation of mood, appetite and metabolism. Try to get between seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Studies have shown that lack of sleep hinders the production of hormones in the body that end up slowing metabolic rate.

Environmental Contaminants and Toxins. Pollution may have more of an impact on your metabolism than you think. Recent studies published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition and the International Journal of Obesity have shown that chemicals commonly found in plastic (bisphenol A and others) may be associated with obesity because they interfere with hormone signaling. Pesticides that get into your diet may also affect hormone synthesis and metabolic rate. Check your environment for PVC plastic wrap, BPA-lined cans, and PBA-containing bottles and get rid of anything that is made with those compounds.

Medications. Some prescription, or even natural dietary supplements taken to control symptoms associated with depression, diabetes, and pregnancy can cause weight gain. Certain drugs that work as beta-blockers have been linked to weight gain as well as some birth control pills.

Diet Soda. Ever hear this one? I’ll take a Big Mac, large fries and a Diet Coke. Um…don’t bother trying to use diet soda to save calories. In the long run these soft drinks are going to do more harm to your waistline than good. Several studies have shown that people who drink diet soda have a greater chance of becoming obese. Why? Because diet soda triggers a response in the body that leaves you with a sweet tooth, cravings and the need to take in more calories. Plus the artificial sweeteners have been shown to have a negative effect on metabolic rate! Skip the diet soda and have iced tea, or water with a little fruit for a touch of sugar.

1 comment :

  1. I definitely agree on the sleep point. I am a terrible sleeper, hardly ever get more than 4 hours!! I am struggling to loose the weight i put on through December and i know sleep has a lot to do with my struggle :(

    came by via the blog hop and now follow on GFC, would love you to drop in and check out my blog too hon.
    Angela x

    http://british-bargains-and-beauty.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete

If you comment... I follow!