11 times you are gaining weight without even realizing.

Things making you gain weight without even realizing it 

                   

seeing extra pounds creep on the scale  or not loosing weight at all even after trying all those expensive boring diets and exhausting exercises, actually sometimes loosing or gaining weight has nothing to do with complex diets and hours at gym  so here i am with some of  the main factors which are not letting you loose weight.

1.Sitting for too long 

guess what? sitting for too long actually contributes a lot in our weight gain, Most people in modern societies spend the majority of their time indoors, sitting on their butts (like you're probably doing right now) studies shows us that sitting for most of the time create up to 50% of more fat in our hip and thigh areas. since the only route to improve metabolism is through  more physical activity and sitting  for long periods make our metabolism slower in addition to that hormone called insulin's ability to move glucose out the blood and into cells also declines.  sitting can make you obese,depress,lazy and fat , so stand up and walk a bit -- it could help you loose weight .

I'm sure this isn't news to you; most people are aware that physical activity is essential to good health. But what you may not know is that too much sitting time is harmful even if you're getting enough exercise.

                                   

                        

2. Packaged or processed food

sugar free? gluten free? diet food? zero calories?   these are the tags we see labeled on most of the products like healthy sweeteners , zero calorie drinks, flavored yogurt, diet cereals e.t.c which are claiming to help you loose weight or claimed to be healthy .  i just simply advice you to not fall in the trap! here are the reasons why i am saying this .. most of the diet food available in the market are processed which means the nutrients ,vitamins and the actual nature of food is almost already destroyed so what are we having then ? just skull of the food may be..next when the product is claiming its sugar free but still tastes sweet than there must be something artificially added to make it taste sweeter and  we surely don't want to have anything that's not natural specially when on a weight loss journey, third reason is most of these products labelled with all fancy healthy tags are not even closer to what they claim to be because these tags are only marketing strategies to trap the consumer. so what we should do if all this is trash.. eat organic by saying organic i mean eat naturally healthy foods like seasonal veggies ,fruits , home made cereals ,curries,juices and all that's being cooked in your home just don't go for ready to eat or diet food  tagged packaged products.
                                     

                       

3.STRESS

   its known for some time that stress is connected to weight gain, because a high level of the stress hormone cortisol has been shown to up appetite, drive cravings for junke food , when cortisol is triggered it suppresses the hormone called adrenaline it  prepares your body to take action and minimizes your desire to eat but once the adrenaline wears off ,cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, hangs around. Cortisol temporarily suppresses functions that are non-essential, such as your digestive, immune, and reproductive responses.When you have more cortisol in your system, you may crave less healthy food options like snacks containing high sugar and fat content.
        The stressed person also have higher levels of insulin, which contributes to the storage of fat. They also have less fat oxidation, which is the conversion of large fat molecules into smaller molecules that can be used as fuel. Fat that is not burned is stored.
Excessive stress even affects where we tend to store fat. Higher levels of stress are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat, which can be particularly tough to shed.
In order to avoid stress try exercising , yoga , meditation and most importantly determination and focus on  eating healthy .

4.Insufficient water intake

Many people around the world are constantly dealing with the bloating, or retention of water in their bodies. An increase in water can help fluid retention.
When the body does not receive enough water it will perceive this as a threat to survival. So every drop of liquid that you provide, it will hang onto. Water is stored outside the cells and this will show up in swollen hands and feet .The best way to combat this is to drink more water. The body will know that there is an endless supply so will stop hanging on to every dro.  Drinking water is one of the easiest ways to turn up your fat-burning capacity. I cannot say that drinking water alone will cause weight loss; however, if you are eating a perfect diet, but are dehydrated, you will lose less weight. When your body is dehydrated it cannot burn fat. So please, get 64 ounces per day—and as a bonus your hair and skin will shine.
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5. Medication

This may be hard to swallow, but a medication your doctor prescribed could be to blame.Certain prescription drugs used to treat mood disorders, seizures, migraines, diabetes, and even high blood pressure can cause weight gain - sometimes 10 pounds a month. Some steroids, hormone replacement therapy, and oral contraceptives can also cause unwanted pounds to creep up on you.
But even if you suspect a prescription medication is causing weight gain, never stop taking the drug without consulting your doctor, experts stress.

6. Pcos / Thyroid

PCOS makes it more difficult for the body to use the hormone insulin, which normally helps convert sugars and starches from foods into energy. This condition -- called insulin resistance -- can cause insulin and sugar -- glucose -- to build up in the bloodstream. High insulin levels increase the production of male hormones called androgen. High androgen levels lead to symptoms such as body hair growth, acne, irregular periods -- and weight gain. Because the weight gain is triggered by male hormones, it is typically in the abdomen. That is where men tend to carry weight. So, instead of having a pear shape, women with PCOS have more of an apple shape.

If you have hypothyroidism, losing weight can be very challenging. Many people think that once you start taking thyroid hormone replacement medications, the weight just falls off. While treatment can help you lose some of the weight you have gained, it takes planning, hard work, diet, exercise, and getting enough sleep to shed a number of pounds.

                                                               

7. Drinking your calories:

A 12 oz. can of a soft drink contains approximately 9 tsp. sugar. You wouldn't sit down and eat a heaping 1/4 cup of sugar, so why waste your calories on empty nutrient beverages that have added sugar? Over time, you will lose weight by cutting your intake of sugary drinks in half. After a week or two, you may find you don't need the sugary drink and will be able to avoid drinking it. Gradual changes make long lasting successful changes. Another way that carbonated drinks can really lead to weight gain is because the majority of them are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Of course, this is just a form of sugar but it is rather evil whenever you start to look under the hood. It is not really the calories that are in the high fructose corn syrup, as they are bad enough, but it is the fact that it works in the body in order to suppress our natural ability to feel full.

                       

                                                    

8. Nutritional Deficiencies:

Both overeating and under-eating can cause nutrient deficiencies. You can eat too many calories and still be undernourished. These include macro-nutrients: protein, fat, carbs and fiber; and micro-nutrients: magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, and others. When the body is undernourished, the metabolism slows, meaning it can’t process food efficiently. That in turn may cause you to hang onto more calories than it burns.

Magnesium – Found in leafy greens, nuts, and legumes. Involved in over 300 chemical reactions in the body. Good for sleep and digestion .Vitamin C – Found in vegetables and fruit. Low levels are linked to larger waists and higher BMI. Good for immune system and metabolism. Vitamin E – Found in spinach, broccoli, and sunflower seeds. Good for red blood cell production. Vitamin A – Found in yellow, red, and orange fruits, dark greens, and dairy. Good for the gut and immune system. Vitamin D – Found in fatty fish and fortified foods. Sunshine is the best source! Good for immune system, bones and teeth, and disease prevention. Omega 3s – Found in wild caught fish. Good for burning fat, blood flow, and lowering insulin and cortisol levels.

                                                           

9. Snacking Unhealthy:

Your snack is mostly a mini meal, If you stopped to count calories, you'd realise your plate is actually more like 400 calories, rather than the recommended 150. Sure, a handful of nuts offers protein and healthy fats, but just because a food is good for you doesn't mean you can eat all you want. It's easy to grab handful after handful and end up consuming 300 or more calories. Keep portion sizes in mind even on nutritious foods Sugar and refined carbs spike insulin levels, and when insulin levels are high, your body can't tap into its stored fat. Eating sugar and white flour also doesn't offer your body any nutrition — it's essentially just empty calories.

                                     

10. Eating Dressings with Salads :

Even if your dressing is fat-free, it doesn’t mean you will be. Fat-free dressings actually tend to be more processed, and higher in sodium, high-fructose sugars, and carbohydrates compared to their full-fat counterparts. Nuts are a great source of naturally occurring healthy fats and protein, and can add staying power to any salad, But when they’re candied, they’re just about as much sugar as they are anything else. Stay away at all costs. Too much of a good thing is still a bad thing. “Even healthy foods, like walnuts, avocados, and olive oil can rack up the calories if the portions are out of whack,”. After all, a half-cup of walnuts contains nearly 400 calories, a whole avocado contains 322 calories, and three tablespoons of olive oil contains 357 calories and 63 percent of your daily fat needs

                                                     

11. Skipping on Meals :

Eat regular meals. It is easier to control calorie intake by planning to eat regular meals, and appropriate foods are more likely to be available. It may also help to control appetite because your body will ‘learn’ when to get hungry. It is best to listen to your body’s cues for hunger and for fullness.. Eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full will help you to consume an appropriate amount of calories. Restricting meals takes the pleasure and enjoyment out of eating, and it may adversely affect weight loss plans. You are more likely to overeat and consume more calories if you’re feeling extremely hungry. Rather than waiting until you feel like you’re starving, have healthy meals and snacks throughout the day

Do let me know if this helped you in any way  by commenting down below .