Despite changing your eating habits and exercising on a regular basis, you may be experiencing the frustration of not losing weight or even worse, putting on a few pounds. This can lead you to believe that your fitness changes aren’t really making a difference.
But hold on…there may be some explanations for it that you need to explore.
For instance, we know that eating salty or sugary foods can put on the pounds. But we fail to recognize other factors that can also contribute to weight gain, with one of them being stress.
Yes, stress can cause you to gain weight. That’s because your body’s metabolism begins to slow down and cortisol (a steroid hormone) starts to store fat. Stress can wreak havoc on you not only emotionally but physically as well.
Let’s face it, to some degree we all deal with some level of stress each day. So it’s not that you can never be stressed out in order to lose weight. However stress that is not dealt with and begins to consume a person can significantly interfere with weight.
Another possible reason that you aren’t losing weight or find yourself putting on a few pounds is a lack of sleep. Fat begins to get stored because your body reacts negatively.
Not getting enough sleep could also be working hand-in-hand with stress. When you don’t get adequate amounts of sleep, you get stressed. And vice versa, stress often leads to insomnia. So now you are stuck in this vicious cycle.
If you are changing your fitness lifestyle, you should also consult with your doctor and have a thorough examination. You want to rule out any potential medical problems that could be interfering with your weight. One of the more common types of conditions that can affect this is hypothyroidism.
But if you are on some type of medication, you should also look into whether or not it’s causing weight gain. Even birth control can cause some women to gain weight. You might be able to find an alternative that doesn’t cause this to happen, which is another reason to consult with your doctor.
It’s important to look at your total health when it comes to losing weight. It’s not just about eating right and exercising. There are other factors that could be affecting your weight.
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