In today’s scenario, 6 out of 10 people are struggling with their weight. They complain about gaining weight rapidly out of nowhere. There may be various reasons for this rapid weight gain, such as lifestyle changes and specific disorders. So are you also one of those people facing problems with weight? No need to worry about that. You need to develop a positive attitude towards it and try to overcome it. Here we will discuss the reasons which may cause weight gain and how you should react to that. So let’s get started.

REASONS BEHIND RAPID WEIGHT GAIN

We’ll look at the possible weight gain reasons one by one:

1. Thyroid Disorder: The thyroid gland is a small gland that sits in front of your neck to help you regulate almost everything, including your metabolism. People with untreated hypothyroidism, i.e., decreased no. of thyroid hormones, can gain weight. This is typically due to a hereditary disorder called Hashimotos, in which the body erroneously considers parts of itself as foreign and causes the immune system to attack it. Thus, the immune system attacks the thyroid gland and decreases its hormone production.

2. Undiagnosed Diabetes: Diabetic patients have insulin resistance. Insulin’s job is to get the glucose to enter the cell. But in diabetics, the receptor cells don’t function properly, and therefore, insulin cannot do its work. Because of this, the pancreas keeps pumping out more insulin to get that job done. However, insulin increases your weight. Therefore, uncontrolled insulin production tends to cause the person to gain weight more quickly.

3. PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: It’s a hormonal imbalance that also causes insulin resistance, just like in diabetics. This hormonal imbalance also causes irregular periods and sometimes acne, hirsutism, excessive facial and body hair, scalp
hair thinning and weight gain.

4. Menopause: Menopause is defined as one year without a period. During menopause, estrogen levels decline. This causes a shifting of hormones and subsequently increases our adipose tissue, fatty tissue in the body. Women report weight gain quite common during menopause.

5. Medications: Certain medications can cause weight gain as a side effect as well. Here
are a few examples.

● Some antidepressants, hormonal contraceptives, anti-seizure drugs and
antipsychotics.
● Chronic corticosteroids treating autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis
and lupus.
● Insulin and certain diabetes medications can also cause weight gain.
If you are taking any of these medications and struggling with your weight, make
sure to discuss it with your doctor. Always ask your doctor before you decide to
change or stop any medication.

6. Pregnancy: You may also experience rapid weight gain in pregnancy. Women who
are pregnant or breastfeeding come in with weight gain complaints. They may not
know they are pregnant in the first or second trimester and may worry about the
increased weight through this time. But they need to understand that this is
something natural.

7. Stress: There is a theory that cortisol levels rise during stress, and this cortisol is a
fat-storing hormone. Therefore, people experiencing great stress may gain weight
more quickly. They may be snacking or paying less attention to their nutrition and
health, and thereby gaining weight
You may also experience rapid weight gain after stopping exercise and posing an
unhealthy lifestyle.

8. Snacking And Liquids: Easier access to food and more snacks means easier weight
gain. Be careful because snacking can pose a great source of unnecessary calories
since most snacks are high in carbohydrates. Avoid taking chips, bread, sweets, etc.
Also, be wary of your drinks with sugar, soda, juice, sweetened iced teas, coffee
drinks etc. They may contain unnecessary amounts of carbs hidden in them, causing
you to gain weight.

HOW TO DEAL WITH WEIGHT GAIN?

So now let’s understand how you should react to your increasing weight and what
approaches you should take to deal with it positively.

1. Consult Your Doctor: If your weight gain results from any disorder or medication, speak about it with your doctor. They will either come up with lifestyle changes or find a drug that doesn’t affect you regarding weight gain. They may prescribe a different medication to help alleviate some of the side effects of weight gain.

2. Proper Diet: One of the obvious ways to manage weight gain is through nutrition. Knowing what you’re putting in your body and how it will subsequently affect you is
very important. Include more healthy food in your diet. Also, be aware of the amount that you are consuming as well.

3. Be Active: Another way to control weight is to be active and do regular exercises.
Even going for a walk can also make a big difference. Do mild exercises, yoga and
meditation. Follow the routing regularly with patience and perseverance.

4. Stay Happy: Try not to stress yourself out in any situation. Be happy, connect to the
world around you and follow a healthy lifestyle. Also, don't take the stress from your
increasing weight. Taking adequate and proper sleep is also necessary.

CONCLUSION

Remember that you are not the only one struggling with rapid weight gain. Don’t stress out,
get encouraged, and put in as much effort as you can into being healthy. Deal with the
problem positively. Adopt a more nutritious diet. Whatever you select to eat, read the food
labels and make sure that it says zero carbohydrates.