6 Causes of Unintentional Weight Gain and How to Change Them

You woke up one morning, stepped on the scales, and were surprised that you gained weight. It doesn’t make sense since you’ve been eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and trying to stay fit. Now you’re overthinking the reasons behind your weight gain. Hmmm…

Don’t worry, you are not alone! These unintentional reasons why you may be gaining weight may go unnoticed but let’s take a look at ways how to circumvent them. This article aims to help you uncover the mysteries. As the old saying goes, “knowing is always half the battle”.

Here are 6 reasons why you might be gaining weight, as well as some suggestions for avoiding them:

 

1.Dehydration

One university study found out that drinking two cups of water before each meal may significantly help with accelerating weight loss.[1] This could be a good technique to avoid overeating since the body may feel slightly fuller before beginning a meal. Therefore, it should come as no surprise if a dehydrated individual starts to gain weight. When you’re dehydrated, the body will conserve water for vital bodily functions. This condition may result in water retention which may lead to weight gain in some individuals.

 

 

 

 

2. Sluggish Thyroid

Your thyroid, located low on the front of the neck, regulates a wide range of bodily functions including metabolism. Hypothyroidism is a condition where your thyroid can become underactive.[2] Your metabolism slows down and even with the right portion of intake, your body considers it as excessive. The worst part about acquiring this bodily condition is that it often develops slowly and a big chunk of the population doesn’t notice this until it is full-blown, say health experts.

 

 

 

 

 

3. Overeating Healthy Foods

Many healthy and delicious foods such as avocados, oatmeal, dark chocolate, nuts, and nut butter can lead to weight gain when eaten in excess. Portion size always matters as you may be exhausting the body. Remember that some things done in excess can be bad for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Staying Up Late

You may be eating right and exercising regularly, however, all of these efforts may be put to waste if you’re staying up too late to catch up on your favorite shows. Studies have revealed that the lack of sleep you receive may be associated with higher BMI levels. Sleep deprivation may increase the levels of the hunger hormone ‘ghrelin’, and decrease levels of ‘leptin’, the satiety hormone. Furthermore, our brains may tend to respond more strongly to junk food to compensate for the short hours of sleep. [4]

 

 

 

 

 

5. Stressful Job

The level of stress of an individual’s job may lead to negative effects on weight management. Stress produces a hormone called ‘cortisol’. Once cortisol is produced by the body, it may cause triglycerides to be relocated to visceral fat cells which, in turn, increases the storage of belly fats. It may also have an effect on blood glucose which could lead to constant feelings of hunger and overeating.[5]

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Aging

When we get older, we may start to lose muscle mass. Losing muscle mass may also result in a slowing our metabolism. If we continue to eat the same amount of food as we did when we were younger, the tendency is to elevate the chances of our

body to gain weight.[6]

 

 

 

 

If you are looking to help support your weight loss goals, you may want to consider a supplement. Nature’s Branch  Forskolin contain an exclusive formula with 40% standardized potency delivering a 300mg coleus forskohlii root extract in each capsule. Forskolin helps promote weight management, metabolism while supporting hunger cravings throughout the day.* 

 

 

 

While your workout and diet efforts are something to be considered for weight management, keep these points in mind. So get up and think about your daily routine. Today is your first day to get the show on the road!

 

Remember to consult your doctor or physician before taking any supplement.

 

References:

1. NS. (2010, August 25). Two Cups Of Water Before Each Meal Enhanced Weight Loss In Clinical Trial. APN News. https://www.apnnews.com/two-cups-of-water-before-each-meal-enhanced-weight-loss-in-clinical-trial/?msclkid=fa1b8582c6f111ec8e21d7d771183c1d
   
   
2. Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid). (2022, April 27). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hypothyroidism?msclkid=7b52b8a6c6f311ecbf4fd3fb9502c654
   
   
3. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Depression and weight gain: the serotonin connection. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8300977/
   
   
4. National Institutes of Health. (2016, July 13). Molecular ties between lack of sleep and weight gain. NIH MedlinePlus Magazine. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/molecular-ties-between-lack-sleep-weight-gain?msclkid=47f4739fc6f511ecbcf6b81d4577a2c8
   
   
5. Scott, E PhD (2021, January 5). How Stress Can Cause Weight Gain. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-stress-can-cause-weight-gain-3145088#:%7E:text=Researchers%20have%20long%20known%20that%20rises%20in%20the,source%20of%20energy%29%20is%20released%20into%20your%20bloodstream.?msclkid=614d8c82c6f611ecafe8951d608c5204