Causes of unintentional weight gain

Set realistic goals for yourself and overall health benefits will be yours to hold, writes Vinita Alvares Fernandes

Having experienced both sides of the spectrum, being too thin and unable to put on a single kilo of weight in spite of a diet filled with dessert galore, (blame it on my sweet tooth) carbs and fried food. Then with age came the reverse of weight gain, even more frustrating stagnation of weight instead of weight loss in spite of controlled eating and regular exercise.

I’m sure a lot of you have and still are experiencing the latter. Often wondering — why am I putting on weight? 

Did you know that the answer to this might not necessarily be just your diet?

Did you know that other factors like stress, lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain or stagnation even if you are eating a controlled diet?

Here are some causes of unintentional weight gain and what you need to do about it to reduce the imbalance —

Culprit-1: Eating highly processed food —

Highly processed foods include all sugary food, microwave frozen dinners, fast food, ready to add sauces, all these are packed with a slew of harmful ingredients, added sugars, preservatives and unhealthy fats. Basically, calories devoid of essential nutrition, protein and fiber make you hungry frequently.

The formula is clear: processed foods = weight gain.

Mind you even if you have portion control!

A study in 2019 in 19363 Canadian adults where they were all given ultra-processed foods as daily food, results showed that 32% of those who ate ultra- processed food on a daily basis with or without portion control gained weight and were likely to be obese than those who ate the least. (Trusted Source)

Too much sugar can lead to obesity, type-2 diabetes and heart disease.

Cure: Cut out processed foods, say no to yo-yo diets and count your healthy food calories every single day. Make the switch to a permanent diet of adding whole foods such as oats, fruit, veggies, yogurt, lean meat and poultry, eggs, millets, nuts. Eat with your mind! It is an effective way to promote overall health and the side benefit being steady, permanent weight loss and more importantly keeping the weight off permanently. Always choose whole, minimally processed foods. A few cheat days will not send you to hell.

Culprit-2: You have a sedentary lifestyle —

The pandemic has seen a huge shift, work-from-home or hybrid versions are trending for many companies. It has worked out cheaper and reduced the stress on employees too. This shift is here to stay. The downside being; getting sucked into an even further sedentary lifestyle. Inactivity is a definitely a contributor to weight gain and chronic disease subsequently. Hours of work on your computer can leave you tired and stiffen your body too, what’s even worse is getting your meal to your desk and gobbling while working. By the end of the day you just want to sink into your couch and stare at the idiot box blaring and glaring at you. 

Cure: Making a few lifestyle changes will go a long way, every hour, deliberately take a break by getting off your chair, walking up and down your hallway or apartment for ten rounds, touch your toes five times, stretch you arms too. On an average six hour working day, you would have moved six to eight times, (if you count before you start work and after) Another tip is to walk for ten minutes after each meal, this way you have put in 30-minutes each day. Once you have established this routine, your body will ask you for more and all unintentional weight gain will be halted in its tracks.

Culprit-3: Medical issues those that are undiagnosed —

Very often we take health for granted, if we can manage our everyday routine comfortably with a few aches and pains, it can be years before we get a medical check-up. Unlike the west our medical insurance does not mandate a yearly health check-up. So it is only when we feel something really amiss, do we investigate. After all why spend extra money on tests when you would rather a bottle of Moet!

Well let me warn you, this is not recommended, get an annual check-up, often you will save yourself from advanced undiagnosed medical issues that do lead to unintentional weight gain.

-Hypothyroidism causes weight gain or difficulty with weight loss.

-Depression can be linked to over eating, weight gain and obesity.

-Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) a hormonal imbalance in women especially of reproductive ages can cause weight gain.

– Binge eating disorder (BED) uncontrollable overeating, does lead to complications and weight gain.

– Diabetes, another weight gain problem.

Cure: Seek medical advice and get the right diagnosis with current reports and medication you are under. Do not self medicate.

Culprit-4: Adequate sleep —

Did you know that insufficient sleep or disturbed sleep is a trigger for weight gain or difficulty in losing weight?

Some evidence associates seven or more hours of sleep per night with a 33% greater likelihood of weight loss, compared with sleeping fewer than seven hours a night (trusted source)

A study in 92 women demonstrated that those who slept fewer than 6 hours daily had the highest body mass index (BMI) and the highest levels of visfatin (a protein secreted by fat cells), compared with women who slept 6 hours or more per day (trusted source)

Cure: Increasing your sleep time may aid weight loss, if you have poor quality sleep – reduce screen time, reduce caffeine and make sure you give sleep time prime importance.

Culprit-5: Stress —

High levels of the stress hormone cortisol have been shown to increase hunger and your desire for comfort foods, which may not necessarily be healthy options, thus leading to weight gain if indulged in regularly. Studies indicate that people with obesity do have higher cortisol levels.

Cure: Engage in relaxation techniques, be one with nature, teach yourself to zone out of stressful situations and revisit the situation with a calmer mind.

With all of these factors, grab every opportunity to make lifestyle changes. 

Set realistic goals for yourself and overall health benefits will be yours to hold.