Why Weight

5 Surprising Reasons You're Putting on Weight

By Kirsten Whittaker

We all know what puts on weight - too much fattening, calorie-laden food, too little exercise. But what if you're doing all the right things... eating a healthy diet and working out regularly and you're still putting on weight? Nothing is more maddening, more likely to chip away at your hard won resolve than the number on the scale going up instead of down. Before you give in and give up ask yourself if any of these unexpected reasons could be behind the scale moving in the wrong direction.

Reason #1: You're not getting enough sleep.

Surprising but true, and it makes sense if you think about it. Your body works best when it is well rested and full recharged. When you don't get enough sleep, besides feeling the fatigue, you don't handle stress as well - little things seem to drive you crazy. This makes it much more likely you'll each for comfort food - we all have our favorites. Not only that, lack of sleep makes our bodies more ready and willing to store fat - not the best thing for losing weight.

If you find yourself feeling fatigued, being irritable, nodding off or just have a lingering low energy level, your body is trying to tell you that it isn't getting the sleep it needs. What to do?
Start by making changes in your sleep habits so that you help yourself wind down and fall asleep. Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day, even on vacation and holidays is critical. You might also work on getting enough exercise during the day (but not too close to bedtime) so that you burn off excess tension. It's important to pay attention to your sleep environment too - make it dark, quiet and a comfortable, constant temperature.

"Add about 15 minutes to your bedtime and see how you feel," suggests Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work, "Continue to experiment with additional 15 minute increments until you find the amount of sleep that is right for you."

Reason #2: You're under stress.

Stress has become an expected part of modern living. Work schedules. School schedules. Hectic commutes. Rushing everywhere and always ten minutes behind. It's no wonder we're all dealing with the effects of this state of constant arousal on our bodies. Stress does harm to both body and mind, and has been noted as a contributing factor to many serious diseases.

What stress does is start a chain of biochemical processes - storing fuel, slowing down metabolism and releasing chemicals like cortisol, leptin and other hormones that are already linked to obesity. Not only that, stress leaves us open to eating things that taste good... that feel good... but are in truth not at all good for the body.

Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, says stress eaters want high-carbohydrate foods because these foods trigger an increase in the brain chemical serotonin. This has a calming effect on the body. "It is almost like self-medicating," she says. "Many people binge on starchy foods to make themselves feel better."

I know I'm guilty of this at times. If you think this might be part of your problem, getting more exercise will help. By doing something physical, you help your body to burn up excess energy that might otherwise be turned inward. Relaxation techniques, daily meditation or other practices are also highly effective ways to manage everyday stress.

Reason #3: You're taking a particular medication.

If you've suddenly gained five pounds in a month, without a change in your healthy, active lifestyle, you might want to take a look inside your medicine cabinet. Medicines, prescription or not, have side effects and weight gain can be one of them.

Drugs prescribed to treat depression or mood disorders; seizures, migraines, blood pressure and diabetes come with the potential to have you putting on weight. That weight can be as much as 10 pounds a month. Other treatments like hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives and steroids are known to contribute to gaining weight. Even heartburn medications may be to blame for that growing number on the scale.

If you suspect a medication, talk with your pharmacist and doctor to see what your options might be. It's important to evaluate the few extra pounds in terms of the benefits you're getting from the drug. Never stop taking a medication because you think it's making you fat - this can be dangerous. Talk with your doctor first.

"Rarely is the problem solved with a change in meds," cautions Dr. May "These things can contribute, but rarely are the sole cause of the weight gain."

What if you must stay on a medicine that is known to put on weight? Be sure to keep your lifestyle - diet and activity level - as healthy as possible. Drink plenty of fluids. Get the rest you need and manage that stress level so your body has the best chance of minimizing the effect of the drug on your system.

Reason #4: You have an (as yet) undiagnosed health condition.

As frightening as that sounds... the weight gain could be your first sign that something's up, and that you need to take action. Those extra pounds are a wake up call...

One of the most common conditions known to cause weight gain is hypothyroidism -your thyroid gland isn't making enough of a hormone the body needs. This affects the whole body - you feel tired and weak, your metabolism slows, you're putting on weight. These and other symptoms of hypothyroidism come on slowly, over time, so that you might miss them at first. But leave hypothyroidism untreated and you raise not only your cholesterol levels, but also the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Less common is a condition known as Cushing's syndrome. This is an excess of the hormone cortisol and comes along with a long list of symptoms. The weight gain of Cushing's is typically around your middle and upper back, and you may also notice a rounding of the face (known as moon face).

A visit to your doctor is in order if you're at all concerned. A physical exam and frank discussion about your symptoms are an important first step. Don't minimize anything, and write out questions before hand if you think you'll get flustered or forget them. Blood tests can be run and confirm a diagnosis (or refute one) in a matter of days. Once you know what's happening, you'll be in the best position possible to take steps to treat the problem and move forward.

Reason #5: You're in menopause.

Only a culprit for women, we all reach this milestone at different points, usually at midlife when we're far less active than we were in our 20's and 30's. Beyond the hormone surges (that can have us depressed, overeating and not sleeping) and hot flashes, there is a natural slowing of metabolism that comes as part of aging.

What you need to do to fight this is increase the amount of lean muscle mass you have in your body. This will enhance your metabolism, so that you burn calories more like you did when you were younger. It also helps hold off bone loss that can be crippling if left unchecked. The key is being active so that you can work to build this lean muscle mass. Weight lifting and strength training both can be amazingly helpful and won't have you looking like a bodybuilder.

Getting more of the right kind of exercise, as well as eating a healthy diet where you watch your calorie intake and include sources rich in calcium and vitamin D is the best way to fight putting on weight that the menopause is trying to give you.

Over 14,000 people have joined Kirsten's popular (and sometimes controversial) Daily Health Bulletin, so why not join them and stay up to date with effective methods for tackling putting on weight and other health news daily.

You'll also get 5 comprehensive health reports for free when you join - giving you all the information you need to treat common ailments, lose weight, look younger and feel healthier.
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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 5:21 PM