Obesity is among the largest health problems in the world. It’s associated with many related conditions, like elevated blood sugar and high blood pressure, which contribute to a higher risk of heart disease. Since most people deal with fluctuations in their weight, it’s not uncommon to gain weight over time. However, if you gain weight in a short time, especially when trying to trim a little fat, there could be a reason. With that in mind, here are six things that might cause weight gain.
Eating Low-Fat Foods
Many foods in grocery stores are labeled “low-fat”. When trying to lose weight, people usually eat these products, assuming that they’re healthier. However, that isn’t always the case. Despite the “low-fat” label, many of these foods contain much higher levels of sugar, along with calories, which contribute to weight gain. This is why reading the nutritional information is so important.
Watching Too Much TV
Watching TV is unhealthy for numerous reasons. Screen time will not only contribute to sleep deprivation and isolation but a wider waistline too. When most people watch television, they eat energy-dense snacks, like chocolate. Considering that TV time is a highly inactive activity, the calories consumed aren’t burnt off. Because of this, you should try exercising while you watch.
Letting Stress Take Over
Everyone deals with stress occasionally. But, if you’re allowing stress to overwhelm you, it can directly affect your weight. Unhealthy coping mechanisms, like binge eating and drinking, will definitely lead to weight gain. Thankfully, you can seek help from your doctor or an alcohol rehab center. There are countless ways to combat everyday stress, including exercise and meditation.
Ditching That Smoking Habit
Smoking cigarettes is another unhealthy way to cope with stress. Although, unlike many other habits, ditching this one might result in weight gain. Experts believe that this is due to withdrawal symptoms, like stress, which can result in other unhealthy habits. Plus, nicotine is known to suppress appetites. Avoiding overeating is an effective way to stop weight gain from occurring.
Staying Up All Night
Sleep deprivation is proven to lead to weight gain. This is because changes in the sleep cycle affect mood and eating patterns, which might cause you to overeat. Getting into healthy sleep habits can prevent that from happening. For this reason, you must set yourself a bedtime and aim to sleep around eight hours each night. Avoiding caffeine before bed will help with this.
Taking The Wrong Drugs
Most medications have side effects, with weight gain being an incredibly common one. This weight gain can be a direct result of the drug, but sometimes the medication instead lowers your motivation to exercise or increases your appetite. If you’ve suddenly gained weight, you should speak to your doctor. When a medication is a cause, doctors will often suggest alternatives.
It’s perfectly normal to experience weight fluctuations over time. However, if you’ve gained weight suddenly, you can’t ignore it. Hopefully, with the information above and professional help, you can work out the cause.
This is a collaborative post.
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