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Weight gain doesn't always come from what you eat. There are many unexpected causes of obesity. Body weight generally increases when the body's calories burned while on the move are less than the calories that come from the food consumed. But besides food, there are many factors that also affect the body's metabolism and body weight. Get to know these factors.
1. Stressful
When you are stressed, your body will become tense and produce a hormone called cortisol. This hormone is the main cause of increased appetite which makes it easy for you to eat any food to calm down.
2. Lack of sleep
There are several things that make a lack of sleep closely related to weight gain, namely:
- When you lack sleep, there is an increase in hormone levels in the body which can increase hunger and appetite.
- Sleeping late makes you more likely to eat snacks at night so that it adds to the heap of calories in the body.
- Sleep deprivation makes you tend to choose any food such as fried foods rather than healthy snacks like fruit.
3. Technology and lifestyle
Lifestyle with all conveniences such as internet access to almost any place can make people sit longer in front of the screen than before. This long-term sitting habit is often combined with the habit of consuming high-calorie snacks that cause weight gain.
4. Extreme diet
An extreme diet with the aim of drastically losing weight in a short time is an ineffective way. This method does not train the body to burn large amounts of calories in the long run. As a result, the food you consume will not burn completely and the impact of your body weight will rise again quickly.
5. Take certain drugs
It turns out that taking certain drugs can cause weight gain, such as:
- Antidepressants: depression is one of the causes of weight gain because sufferers prefer to be inactive and stay at home. But unfortunately, drugs to treat depression can cause body weight to increase as well. But there are also some sufferers whose appetite returns because their moods are better and not because of antidepressant side effects.
- Steroids: weight gain due to increased appetite can be a side effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as prednisolone. People who take steroids can also experience changes in certain body parts that store fat such as the stomach and face.
- Other drugs: other drugs can also cause body weight gains, such as drugs to treat migraines, high blood pressure, diabetes, and convulsions. Similarly, antipsychotic drugs are commonly used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
6. Having certain diseases
Some of the following diseases can trigger hormonal changes that can be a cause of obesity, including:
- Hypothyroidism : is a condition when the body does not produce enough thyroid hormone. This condition causes weight gain due to the slowing down of the body's metabolism.
- Cushing's syndrome : occurs when the adrenal gland produces too much stress hormones, such as cortisol, or in people who take steroids for the treatment of lupus, arthritis, or asthma. Weight gain can especially be seen on the face, upper back, neck, and waist.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) : women with this syndrome generally have many small cysts in their reproductive organs. Women in this condition have resistance to hormones that play a role in controlling blood sugar levels (insulin), causing weight gain which is generally centered on the abdomen.
7. Quit smoking
Inhaling cigarette smoke makes your heart rate increase 10-20 times more in one minute so that your body burns more calories when you smoke. When someone stops smoking, appetite will increase but this effect will disappear within a few weeks. The benefits of stopping smoking will be far greater than continuing to smoke for fear of being fat.
Reducing the risk of gaining weight
Although more difficult to detect, the factors that cause obesity can still be managed in the following ways:
Good sleep patterns. Get used to having enough hours of sleep, and start sleeping and waking up at the same hour every day. Use the bedroom only for sleep and sexual activity.
Ask your doctor before stopping taking certain drugs. If you have experienced weight gain because of taking the drug, you should consult your doctor before deciding to stop using it. You can also ask for alternative treatments that do not risk increasing body weight.
Active moves. Whether because of drug consumption or because of health conditions, an increase in body weight is generally caused by a decrease in the body's metabolic conditions. Moving actively every day, such as walking up stairs, is a simple way to maintain fitness. With regular exercise, a person's mood will be better so far from excessive stress and depression.
Understanding fluid buildup due to drug consumption. Weight gain due to the consumption of certain drugs is sometimes only caused by fluid buildup. Increased weight because this condition is not permanent and can immediately disappear after the period of drug consumption. During these times, you are advised to adopt a low-salt diet. Examples of drugs that can increase body fluid content are birth control pills.
