One or several factors might trigger and perpetuate your weight gain trend. You need to become aware of them and fix them to prevent further weight gain. Below is a list of common factors that are often overlooked by people who struggle with weight gain:
1) Hormonal disorders:
- Hypothyroidism: Regardless of its severity, will cause slowing of metabolism, increased cravings, weight gain, and difficulties losing weight. Thyroid Hormone excess (hyperthyroidism) can cause weight loss, but can also cause weight gain. •Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): PCOS is a hormonal disorder that affects at least 5% of women in their reproductive years. This estrogen and testosterone imbalance is associated with insulin resistance, being overweight, and, metabolic syndrome. The Protein Boost Diet is ideal for reversing the metabolic and hormonal changes associated with PCOS. • Growth Hormone Deficiency: It can result from a head injury, an immune attack on your pituitary, or pituitary damage. It causes weight gain, excessive belly fat buildup, metabolic syndrome, and even diabetes. • Perimenopause and Menopause: The most common causes of estrogen deficiency, be it surgical or natural. Estrogen levels gradually decline throughout perimenopause and abruptly fall at menopause. Estrogen deficiency causes a shift of fat towards the abdominal area and a slowing of metabolism.
2) Food addiction, binge eating, and food cravings
Binge Eating Disorder or BED is a syndrome characterized by repeated occurrences of binge eating large food quantities and the feeling of loss of control over the behavior. There is a clear link between binge eating and obesity. BED typically begins in the teenage years or adulthood but there are a few cases of children developing the condition. Obese adults with Binge Eating Disorder typically complain about a lower quality of life in regards to work, sexual life, and self-esteem. Many adults with this disorder also suffer from anxiety, depression, and sometimes even substance abuse. Many people have a hard time staying on a diet to lose weight. For those struggling with obesity, it can almost seem impossible to resist the urge to overeat in response to stress. Seeking certain foods as a reward or for pleasure may be what is causing such an urge to overeat. Food addiction is similar to drug addiction in that the brain receives reward signals when a person eats, just as the brain receives reward signals when a drug is ingested. Drug addicts who quit drugs may be more susceptible to relapsing during a stressful situation. Stress can also make us crave fattening foods so food addicts experience similar challenges and remain vulnerable for a while. Even though stress can cause a relapse of out of control behavior, it can still be managed with awareness and discipline. One thing to consider for challenging overeating is behavioral therapy. It seeks to change compulsive eating habits through the support of weekly group meetings with a specialist and individuals also struggling with overeating. This has helped many people control their eating impulses for effective weight loss. Take the first step towards reducing food addiction behaviors. Instead of using food as a reward, train yourself to obtain pleasure from eating high fiber, high protein, low sugar items. A substantial lifestyle change must occur in order to enhance motivation for non-food related activities. Work on reducing overall stress levels while learning how to cope with stress that cannot be avoided. Practice relaxation techniques and empower your mind to seek healthy foods. Learning how to improve your overall mood is one of the keys to successful weight loss.
3) Sleep Issues
Sleep apnea, or collapse of the upper-airways during sleep, is a very common problem among Americans today. It can contribute to weight gain because eight hours of nightly undisturbed sleep is crucial for optimal metabolism. For effective weight loss, you need to address any sleep issue that could be affecting your metabolism. Obstructive sleep apnea is most common in people who smoke, drink and are obese. Symptoms include difficulties waking up, daytime sleepiness, memory loss, headaches, and depression. In severe cases, obstructive sleep apnea can cause diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and sometimes even death while sleeping. This is why a sleep study is highly recommended in order to find out if sleep apnea is the root cause of current diseases or day to day sleep issues. There are several common treatments for sleep apnea such as continuous positive airway pressure, oral appliances, behavior changes, and surgery.
4) Food sensitivities
You may be sensitive to certain foods that, when eaten, cause inflammation and a slowing of metabolism. Avoiding foods you are sensitive to can help with weight loss because your metabolic hormones cannot function properly when inflammation occurs. These foods may not be causing a physical response but are still negatively affecting your immune system. A food sensitivity test is the best way to find out what foods you should be avoiding to keep your immune system calm and your metabolism as fast as it can be.
5) Organic Pollutants and Environmental Toxins
A correlation exists between the development of obesity-related metabolic disorders and being exposed to organic pollutants such as dioxins, polychlorinates, biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides. These chemicals accumulate in your fat tissues and liver. Pesticides are the primary reason you are exposed to these pollutants. They have the ability to induce metabolic and endocrine imbalances that eventually cause dysfunction throughout the body. To optimize health and weight loss, try choosing organic foods over non-organic foods, when available. Non-organic foods tend to have been exposed to harmful pollutants so avoiding them will minimize the pollutant concentration in your body which will reduce the harmful impact on your hormones and metabolism. Moreover, be sure to always thoroughly wash your fruit and vegetables in order to maintain a healthy and pollutant free body.
6) Gut Flora
As you may know, insulin resistance and obesity go hand in hand and are both strongly influenced by genes and the environment. Amazingly, gut bacteria also affect your weight and can contribute to the occurrence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Research has shown that obese people’s gut bacteria composition is different those of lean people. The bacteria found in obese people seem to cause inflammation, a big contributor to insulin resistance and a difficulty losing weight. Research shows that when obese people consume various species of Lactobacilli, insulin resistance decreased. Those who combined this probiotic regimen with physical activity experienced a significant decrease in subcutaneous (under the skin) abdominal fat. Probiotics have been shown to have beneficial effects on the GI tract so it would be helpful to take a daily probiotic in order to stabilize gut microflora. Proper probiotic supplementation should be a part of your weight loss program because it balances gut bacterial flora and reduces inflammation, which promotes weight loss and improves insulin resistance.
7) Beverage Intake
We have always assumed that drinking more water or calorie-free beverages instead of juice, soda, or other high calorie drinks was a way to shed pounds, however this has never been scientifically proven until recently. Some research has found that simply substituting calorie-containing drinks with water or diet beverages resulted in a 2 to 2.5% reduction in body weight over a 6-month period, without any other lifestyle changes. Research also shows that consistently drinking water throughout the day reduces appetite and gives you the sensation of being full. Make sure you are getting the recommended daily water intake to optimize weight loss efforts: 3 liters (13 cups) for men, and 2.2 liters (9 cups).
8) Low Fiber Intake
It is scientifically proven that adults who consume adequate fiber have a reduced risk of being overweight or obese. Moreover, there is evidence that fiber has substantial fat loss benefits. Therefore, consuming fiber-rich foods is an excellent and safe intervention in the management of weight problems in both adults and children. • Soluble fiber, found mostly in fruits and vegetables, slows down gastric emptying and regulates other chemical pathways in your digestive tract so that you feel fuller longer. • Insoluble fiber, found in high amounts in whole grains, has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity. Therefore, eating high fiber foods will help you metabolize sugars better, making your body less likely to store fat. • Beans and legumes, such as lentils, contain high amounts of both types of fiber.
OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO A WEIGHT GAIN TREND: • Your genes • Insulin resistance • Late night eating • Antioxidant deficiency • Low testosterone in men
THE MAJOR CONSEQUENCES OF EXPERIENCING A WEIGHT GAIN TREND: • Fat-burning hormones such as Leptin and Thyroid Hormone perform inefficiently, making your metabolism more sluggish • Insulin resistance increases • Appetite-regulating hormones and chemicals become imbalanced • Inflammation and free-radical buildup, which contribute to further weight gain and a slower metabolism Not only do these consequences happen as a result of a weight gain trend, but the consequences themselves perpetuate that weight gain trend. This vicious cycle is the reason why so many people struggle with losing weight. The solution to reverse the weight gain trend is the Thyrolife Protein Boost Diet weight loss program that takes into account all the above factors, and uses an eating plan conducive to speedy metabolism and fat burn.