10 Common But Unspoken Causes of Weight Gain Your Doctors, or Dietitians Don't Talk About
If you’ve been eating less than 1000 calories every day and exercising an hour every day, tracking every calorie you eat and burn, and are 100% sure that you’re eating a calorie deficit diet, and yet you are not losing weight, you know something's not right.
And it is not your calorie calculations. I’m sure your calorie calculations are on point, knowing that this is likely your thousandth dieting attempt.
What this shows is that calories are not your enemy. In fact, calories are never your problem because the human body does not “burn calories.” There is no “burning” happening in the body. The human body is not a furnace or BBQ grill.
The human body turns food we eat into nutrients through an intricate biochemical process, and then these nutrients are turned into energy that the body can use called “adenosine triphosphate” (ATP) through a delicate system called the Kreb Cycle or Citric Cycle. And it is ATP that our body uses to keep us alive and allow us to do amazing things, not calories.
So, what’s your real problem or problem(s)?
From my experience, weight is never an issue with only one single cause, such as an imbalance of calories in calories out, like most weight loss experts want you to believe. In fact, your weight often is not even the problem. Your weight gain is often the '“symptom” or “manifestation” of what lies underneath skin deep. Weight issue is usually a multi-faceted, convoluted, intertwining problem that requires a delicate holistic approach to untangle each knot one at a time.
Here are 10 common but unspoken causes of weight gain in women struggling with weight loss or weight issues I see in my weight loss clients:
Yo-yo dieting: From my experience, many women struggling with weight loss are also suffering from disordered eating behaviors because of years following “diet culture” advice of “eat less, burn more,” “drink water when you’re hungry,” “eat low-calorie food to fill your belly,” “eat in calorie deficit,” “tracking every calorie you eat and burn,” “weight yourself daily,” etc.
Unfortunately, these tactics may result in some initial weight loss, but most people revert back to their old eating habits once they hit their goal weight or events that require you to be at a certain weight. This yo-yo dieting and weight gain and weight loss cycle messes up your metabolism over time, making it harder and harder to lose weight with each subsequent weight loss attempt. But you put the blame on yourself for “not working hard enough,” “not motivated enough,” and “not diligent enough with your calorie deficit or exercise routine.”
Emotional binge eating: Starvation-restrictive dieting is often one of the major causes of binge eating. With my unique holistic nutrition therapy approach, I am able to help women achieve the significant weight loss they'd never seen in years. And yet, everyone eventually reverted back to their old eating habits after 2-3 months. It took me a while to realize that these women are actually struggling with emotional eating disguised as “I have a sweet tooth,” “I love junk food,” or “I love sweets,” and using food as therapy for their stress, anger, resentment, sadness, boredom, etc.
Poor digestion: When you restrict or deprive your eating in any way, your body flips into starvation or survival mode, trying to conserve energy for survival by shutting down non-essential organ systems, such as digestion, fertility, and immune systems. Starvation mode is an evolutionary and biologically driven physiological mechanism that keeps you alive. Poor digestion disrupts nutrient absorption and metabolism, potentially leading to overeating to compensate for nutrient deficiencies. Provides temporary comfort during stress or emotional distress, leading to excessive food consumption and weight gain.
Food sensitivity: Food sensitivities can contribute to weight gain through inflammation in various ways. When individuals consume foods they are sensitive to, their immune system may trigger an inflammatory response, leading to chronic low-grade inflammation in the body. This inflammation can disrupt metabolic processes, insulin sensitivity, and fat metabolism, making it harder to lose weight.
Food sensitivities can also contribute to leaky gut, allowing undigested food particles and toxins to enter the bloodstream and trigger further inflammation. Chronic inflammation resulting from food sensitivities can also disrupt hormonal balance, leading to increased appetite, cravings and overeating, insulin resistance, and promotion of fat storage, particularly visceral fat around the abdomen. Identifying and addressing food sensitivities through elimination diets and allergy testing can help reduce inflammation, support weight management, and improve overall health.
Chronic stress: A little stress in life is normal and healthy, but when stress is chronic and persistent, it becomes a problem. Chronic stress contributes to hormonal changes by increasing the fight-or-flight response stress hormone cortisol, which often leads to increased appetite and cravings for calorie-dense foods as the body prepares for the imaginary need for a fight-or-flight response. Elevated stress hormone levels are also associated with increased belly fat, which is linked to numerous chronic health conditions.
Not eating enough: Severe caloric restriction or skipping meals can lead to intense hunger and cravings, making it more likely for individuals to engage in binge eating episodes. When food is eventually consumed after a period of deprivation, it's common for people to overeat, particularly on high-calorie, high-sugar foods, which can result in consuming more calories than they would have if they had eaten regularly.
Secondly, chronic under-eating can disrupt the body's metabolism. When the body is consistently deprived of adequate calories, it may respond by slowing down metabolic rate to conserve energy. This adaptive response is the body's way of surviving during periods of food scarcity. However, when normal eating patterns resume, the slowed metabolism can lead to more efficient calorie storage, making it easier to gain weight, especially if calorie intake exceeds the body's reduced energy needs.
Hormone imbalance: High-stress hormone or cortisol levels promote cravings for sugar/carbs and fat storage, particularly in the belly area, contributing to weight gain. Estrogen levels fluctuate throughout a woman's menstrual cycle, and imbalances in estrogen levels can affect metabolism and fat distribution. Lower estrogen levels, particularly during menopause or conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), can lead to weight gain, especially around the abdomen. Estrogen helps regulate metabolism and insulin sensitivity, so decreased levels can result in reduced metabolic rate and impaired blood sugar regulation, promoting fat storage.
Progesterone, another female sex hormone, also influences metabolism and weight regulation. Low progesterone levels relative to estrogen, such as during certain phases of the menstrual cycle or in conditions like PCOS, can contribute to weight gain. Progesterone helps counterbalance the effects of estrogen and has a calming effect on the body, so its deficiency can lead to increased stress, cortisol production, and subsequent weight gain, particularly around the abdomen.
Thyroid hormones, including thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), play a crucial role in metabolism regulation. Imbalances in thyroid hormones, such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), can lead to weight gain, fatigue, and sluggish metabolism. Thyroid hormones influence the rate at which the body burns calories and converts food into energy, so disruptions in thyroid function can result in weight gain, even with normal caloric intake.
Insulin resistance: Insulin resistance is a condition where cells in the body become less responsive to insulin, causing intense sugar cravings and fat storage that hinder weight loss efforts. This resistance impairs the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels effectively, promoting higher insulin production and hyperinsulinemia. Consequently, insulin resistance promotes fat storage, particularly around the abdomen, as excess glucose is converted into fat in the liver and stored in adipose tissue.
Also, insulin resistance disrupts appetite regulation, leading to increased hunger and cravings for sugary and high-calorie foods, perpetuating a cycle of overeating and weight gain. Ultimately, insulin resistance contributes to the development of metabolic syndrome, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
Not sleeping enough: Not having enough sleep disrupts your hunger hormones and metabolism, increases cravings for high-calorie sugary foods, and reduces energy expenditure, leading to weight gain. It disrupts the delicate balance of appetite-regulating hormones, leading to increased feelings of hunger and reduced sensations of fullness. Ghrelin, the hunger hormone, rises, while leptin, responsible for signaling satiety, decreases, prompting individuals to consume more calories than necessary.
Also, not having enough sleep skews your food preferences towards more high-calorie, high-carbohydrate options, as it influences the brain's reward centers, intensifying cravings for sugary and fatty foods. Not having enough sleep also impairs the body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels effectively, promoting fluctuations that trigger additional hunger and cravings.
Past trauma: Trauma survivors may struggle with emotional regulation, finding it challenging to cope with intense feelings and flashbacks. Binge eating can be a maladaptive attempt to self-soothe and regulate emotions. The temporary pleasure derived from consuming food can serve as a means of seeking comfort and control in the face of overwhelming emotional distress. Unaddressed trauma can lead to emotional eating or food addiction as a protective or coping mechanism, making weight loss challenging. Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden recently conducted a meta-analysis of previous studies, which included a total of 112,000 participants, and concluded that having been subjected to trauma and abuse during childhood leads to a marked increase in the risk of developing obesity as an adult.
Now, can you see why eating like a toddler (1,200 calories a day) won’t shrink you down to a mini-me? It just sets off your body's starvation alarm and wakes up your inner hungry toddler screaming with a raging tantrum for junk food.
Instead, put back on your big girl pants and eat like a grown-a$$ woman who takes care of her body with love and respect.
