Common Causes Of Weight Gain In Women

The Weight of the Hustle Culture

What are your thoughts on a healthy weight? We’re living in a fast-paced world where the focus of more and more people has shifted to their careers, traveling, extracurricular activities, and attending regular social events. Such situations have given rise to a demand for ready-to-cook and packaged foods, heaper and quicker food options, and multiple branches of large fast-food joints opening everywhere.

Such lifestyle patterns can have a very negative impact on a person’s health. Needless to say, adopting a healthy lifestyle, especially eating right, has become an urgent concern.

Why is it necessary to maintain a healthy weight?

It is important to maintain a balanced weight not only to look your best but also for your own health. An overweight person is at the risk of developing serious health conditions like

• Heart diseases
• Stroke
• Asthma
• Arthritis
• High blood pressure
• Cancer
• Diabetes

Maintaining an ideal weight not only reduces the vulnerability to these diseases but also keeps you fit. In fact, even if you currently suffer from breathing problems, high blood pressure or other conditions, changing your lifestyle to control your weight can help you manage these diseases.

How can being overweight or obese be more harmful to women?

Women’s weight concerns are different from that of men. A combination of hormonal, emotional, environmental, and psychological factors put women at increased risk of weight-related issues, unintentional weight gain, and sometimes even obesity.

Overweight women can be at a higher risk of diseases like diabetes, heart conditions, complications during pregnancy, or some type of cancer. Even minimum weight loss, in such situations, can sometimes reduce or eliminate the risk completely. Moreover, losing weight can increase women’s energy levels, help them sleep better, and even reduce joint pains!

What are the common causes of weight gain in women?

There are several reasons for weight gain specific to women. Some of which are –

Pregnancy

There are two major reasons why women gain weight during pregnancy –Expecting mothers tend to eat more to provide nutrition to their babies.

The actual weight of the baby and its supporting ecosystem in the mother’s womb. The mother’s weight keeps increasing as the baby keeps growing inside her womb.

Menopause

Estrogen is a hormone found in women that regulates everything from their menstrual cycles to their fertility. Over the years, levels of estrogen begin to decline and when it is too low to boost menstrual cycles, women hit menopause. Menopause can cause weight gain in women around their hips, thighs, and abdomen. The change in the body’s hormonal functioning can also make it difficult for them to lose the excess weight gained.

Other hormonal changes

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the major reasons for weight gain in women today. Apart from PCOS, other hormonal changes can also lead to slowing down of metabolism which further leads to weight gain. Hypothyroidism is another hormonal change that can cause weight gain in some women.

Stress and depression

The modern woman in many cultures and countries is burdened with the pressure of managing her family along with a career. The prospect of multitasking every day alone can send a woman’s body into stress, causing its metabolism to slow down and store fat. Depression is another reason for weight gain in women as many women tend to indulge in emotional eating to distract themselves from their pain. To combat depression, women generally tend to eat sugary treats and forget the uncomfortable truth – A moment on your lips, forever on your hips!

Birth Control

Weight gain is a major side effect of most birth control pills. So, when you begin to take a new pill, you are bound to notice some weight changes in your body.

Diseases

Diseases specific to women such as ovarian cysts can cause a sharp spike in a woman’s weight as can breast cancer treatments and kidney, liver, and heart-related ailments.

What are some ways in which women can achieve a healthy weight?

Women can achieve an optimum weight through a balance of 4 key factors – right nutrition, exercising, getting enough sleep, and reducing stress!

Several other measures must also be adopted in addition to these steps –

Self-acceptance and self-forgiving are important. Your weight loss journey will not be the same throughout. You will face many twists and turns and will need to start and restart several times. In times like these, it is important to stay positive, motivated, and compassionate towards yourself. You simply need to remind yourself to take it one day at a time to reach your ultimate weight goal.

Don’t fall prey to fad diets. Crash diets will help you lose weight quickly, but they aren’t sustainable and when you go back to eating normally (which you will), you will put on weight quicker than you lost it. Instead, indulge in mindful eating. Only when you know what you are eating will you be able to make conscious decisions.

Set realistic goals for yourself. Don’t be too harsh or ambitious. Small, sustained steps are better in the long run, and you need to reaffirm the fact that you are moving ahead in the right direction, no matter how gradual it may seem.

Spend less time in inactive activities and find hobbies that keep you active.

Eat properly. Eating less than what your body needs for its daily functioning will cause more harm than good. It can cause your metabolism to slow down instead. To lose steady weight, it is important to eat regular healthy meals.

Lastly, download this app to track your progress to understand if you are going in the right direction or if you need to adjust your plan to match your goal!

In summary, women tend to face more problems in maintaining a healthy weight than men. However, by adopting healthier lifestyle options and not losing sight of the goal, women can stay fit and reach an ideal weight that will help them combat a host of fatal diseases!