WHY UNWANTED WEIGHT GAIN?

Do you keep gaining weight despite trying out everything possible? Does the number on your scale keep increasing? Unwanted weight gain is a common concern for many people. The journey of weight loss is not without its struggles. The fluctuations, the ups, and downs, and the constant waiting, all can discourage you. When the weight keeps spiking despite dieting and exercise, it’s easy to be discouraged and wonder why it’s so difficult for you to lose weight.

This confusion does not target you alone, but many like you. Some meal plans work wondrously on certain people yet completely fail on other people. Finding the perfect balance of nutrition and activity strategies may require time and plenty of trials and errors.

Unintentional weight gain occurs due to many possible reasons. It can stop you from reaching your weight and health goals and can further demotivate you to try losing the extra pounds. Identifying the reasons leading to unwanted weight gain can assist in finding strategies to overcome the obstacles. Here are a few of the reasons causing the unintentional weight gain.

AN UNREALISTIC WEIGHT GOAL:

Your goal is to lose 10 pounds in a month, yet the results are showing otherwise! What is the problem? It can be that your weight loss goal is unrealistic.

There has been an increase in unrealistic weight loss goals due to the misinformation and unrealistic body goals spread around social media. Losing weight sustainably requires patience and healthy weight loss strategies. It can be that your methods are entirely wrong causing you to gain the pounds back. Following dangerous diet plans to lose weight quickly can result in gaining the weight back. Visiting a Weight Loss Specialist can immensely help in acquiring healthy strategies and defining a realistic goal.

GENETIC INFLUENCES:

Genes play a significant role in weight gain, often found running in families. They affect metabolism, appetite, body-fat distribution, sense of fullness, and food cravings. Over 400 genes are linked to causing weight gain. The influence of genes on weight gain varies from person to person. Some may account for 20 percent, while some can be high as 80 percent on an individual. By having an insight into your genes predisposition, you can level your calorie intake accordingly to have the most effective weight loss.

UNDERESTIMATING YOUR CALORIE INTAKE:

A study conducted in 2013 in BMJ Journals shows that people tend to underestimate their calorie intake. Such people usually find themselves gaining weight yet not understanding why.

It is highly important to accurately count the calorie intake of all the foods you eat throughout the day. Noting and calculating the measurement may take more time, yet it can help immensely in avoiding any unconscious weight gain. To get you more in perspective, if you accidentally eat 175 extra calories per day, it can result in 1.5 pounds of weight gain each month! Counting is your friend to successfully achieve your weight goal.

OVERESTIMATING YOUR CALORIE BURN:

Staying active is essential to burning your calories but overestimating your calorie burn can lead to overeating later in the day. Trusting your instincts or relying on the calorie burn listed on your exercise machine alone cannot help you. A study conducted in 2020 in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness showed that subjects overestimated their calorie burn by 300 to 400 percent. This can eventually lead to weight gain.

Investing in a heart monitor/fitness tracker can change your life. It could give an accurate and personalized insight into how many calories you are burning. You can tailor your activity and exercise techniques accordingly.

SLOW METABOLISM:

If you are gaining weight despite using an online calculator for your calorie intake needs, you may have a slower-than-average metabolism. Despite calculators providing an adequate insight into your calorie needs according to your age, activity, and body size, your genuine calorie needs might differ as much as 10 percent from the result.

You can try losing weight by reducing your calorie intake to a certain percentage until your weight levels out. A helpful way to know your metabolism rate is to get a Basal metabolic rate (BMR) test done. This, coupled with getting an accurate calorie burn and eating the right amount of calories can ultimately fight off the unintentional weight gain and put you right on track to achieving your ideal weight goal.

To address unwanted weight gain, it is important to adopt a balanced and healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious diet, regular physical activity, and stress management techniques. If weight gain is due to a medical condition, seeking treatment from a healthcare provider is recommended.