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Age
As time goes on (after 25) we begin to lose muscle and gain fat. This
makes it easier to gain weight even if we are eating the same way. The
solution is to exercise to keep muscles strong.
Hormones
Hormonal changes can cause the weight increase. The biggest culprit is
the thyroid, but also excessive or low levels of estrogen and the
stress hormone cortisol (which helps to accumulate fat in the abdomen)
can promote weight gain.
Disease and medicine
Some diseases cause hormonal imbalances and that can lead to weight
gain. Also some drugs increase appetite or cause hormonal problems
that lead to weight gain. Other drugs and diseases have the opposite
effect. Therefore, it is always a good idea to discuss with your
doctor and read yourself all the known side effects of any medication
that you are taking, and if weight gain is a known side effect, ask
your doctor what you should do.
Psychological factors
Stress, depression and other emotional problems can cause weight gain.
Stop smoking
Someone said that French women are not thin because they eat well and
walk beautifully all over Paris; the real reason could be that they
smoke. Why people who stop smoking gain weight has been the topic of
many studies.
Some research shows that smokers eliminate stress by smoking. Former
smokers need to plan on activities to relax, such as exercise. One
simple tip used for many years is to chew gum.
The most common reasons
Inactivity
The lack of physical activity slows down the metabolism.
Overeating
You know this already. Sometimes we eat more calories than we think we
do (the labels are not always straightforward and you should read them
very carefully). If you're gaining weight write down everything you
eat for one week (food and approximate amounts) and after that with
the help of the Internet try to calculate how many calories you
consume.
Genes
Blame your parents. Some people are more prone to gaining weight than
others, but the environmental conditions mentioned above are required
to gain weight. Even people with a tendency to be thin can gain if
they eat in excess.
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