Gaining weight? Learn why

You may be sticking to a diet and working out as often as you can during the week; but whatever you do doesn’t seem to have any effect on your weight! 

If this seems to be just what you are experiencing, rest assured you are not alone. Getting to know some of the reasons for the increase in weight and body fat, may help you control some factors that might affect your weight.

1. Overeating: Weight gain occurs when the calories you consume are higher than what your body needs and is able to burn. This imbalance causes your body to store the excess calories as fat.

2. Irregular meals: Skipping meals, especially breakfast, will result in the slowing down of your body metabolism, and reduce the calories you burn. As a result, you may gain weight or reach a point where you cannot lose any more weight, even if you are following a weight loss diet.

3.Lack of exercise: Leading a sedentary lifestyle is one of the main causes of weight gain. Regular physical activity helps your body burn extra calories and therefore store less fat.

4.Emotional stress: One of the ways in which many of us cope with stress is by over-eating – especially sweets. The result is rapid weight gain and a vicious cycle of feeling overweight and depressed, and then eating again to feel better.

5.Pregnancy: Women who gain excessive weight during pregnancy or repeated pregnancies find it hard to lose weight after delivery. In addition to that, some may even gain weight during breast-feeding. This is why it is very important to watch what you eat and make the right healthy food choices to meet your nutritional needs without adding unnecessary calories.

6.Medication: Medication, like anti-depressants, cortisone and the contraceptive pill may also contribute to hormonal irregularities and can lead to weight gain.

7. Be careful of cigarettes! Giving up the habit of smoking is a great step forward. However, it is commonly associated with weight gain (between 3 and 7kg).

8. Lack of sleep: Insufficient sleep is associated with higher levels of the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite, and lower levels of the hormone leptin, which leads to feeling less full. This sets people up to gain weight. By contrast, sleeping better could alter these hormones and bring them back to balance.

So, remember to stay active and eat mindfully to maintain your weight.