There are plenty of people out there that spend a lot of time trying to lose weight. We’ve all been there at some point, the endless hours of exercise, and the switch to strict healthy eating habits. For some, this lifestyle change will completely turn their physical health around, and they become a much healthier weight.
Unfortunately, for others, weight loss isn’t achieved, and there’s still some weight gain that just can’t seem to be explained. So, that’s what I’ll do for you in this piece; explain your unexplained weight gain. The reality is that you might be putting on weight because of various things going on in your body.
Tiredness & Fatigue
If you’re one of the many people out there that don’t get their full 8 hours of sleep per day, then this could be the hidden cause of your weight gain. A quick search online shows loads of studies supporting the case that tiredness is linked to being overweight. The suggestions are because tired people have more hormones that cause hunger, while also having a chemical imbalance that means they don’t feel full quickly. As such, you’re prone to eat more, despite already consuming enough calories every day. Try sleeping more, as this should help you control your eating habits and avoid being overweight.
Underactive Thyroid
Thyroid problems are highly common in women and could be the reason you’re gaining weight despite your best efforts to live a healthy life. A thyroid specialist will refer to this issue as hypothyroidism, but us regular folk call it an underactive thyroid. It’s when you don’t create as much thyroid hormones as you should, meaning you can’t regulate your metabolism properly. As such, you struggle to burn calories at the normal rate, which is what causes your weight gain. Two symptoms of this problem are headaches and dry skin, so, if you have both – along with unexplained weight gain – maybe head to your doctor, and they can refer you to a specialist to diagnose the problem.
Getting Older & Losing Muscle
Yes, getting older could be the reason you keep gaining weight instead of losing it. However, the reason for this is because older people tend to have less muscle mass than younger people. We get a lot weaker as we age, and we become less active, and our muscles begin to waste away. Speak to any medical professional, and they’ll explain that the more muscle mass you have, the easier it is to burn calories, which ultimately leads to weight loss. So, the solution here is to try and remain active, even as you age. But, more specifically, don’t just focus on cardio activities to get fit and lose weight. Make sure you’re also adding muscle building exercises to help stimulate muscle growth and retain muscle mass. This will ultimately help you lose weight.
So, if you’ve been eating well and going for runs every day – yet still find you’re gaining weight – it’s probably down to these three factors. There are other possibilities, but these are the most common reasons.
