Everybody at some point in their lives have looked at themselves and thought that they could lose a bit of weight and if you are a woman, you are probably having those thoughts multiple times during the day – regardless of your size. But why do we put on weight? Are we addicted to food, is it a medical problem, or are we just stuffing our faces 24/7 with the wrong food? Here are 10 of the main reasons we gain weight.
Full fat, packed with sugar, preservatives, junk, absolutely no nutrients, minerals, vitamins, or anti-oxidants whatsoever and completely and utterly irresistible, refined carbs are the closest thing to a diet sin there ever was. Bad for your complexion, your energy levels, your waistline, your adrenal glands and your soul, consuming any amount of refined carbs is the quickest way to put on weight on the planet. No question.
There is absolutely no excuse for not exercising whatsoever – at the Paralympics we saw super incredibly fit athletes that were missing multiple limbs and were blind to boot, and we have the gall to sit on the couch and complain about our sore knee. Get moving, even if it is just for 30 minutes 3 times a week. Get that lazy dog off the couch and out into the fresh air for a walk. The effect of endorphins is like an out of body experience, embrace them.
Booze. Nothing quite like a crisp lager at the end of a long day, or a large cocktail with an even larger umbrella peering over the beach sand in front of you to make your day. But in reality, drinking every day, in moderation or excess is going to pack on the pounds. Give your liver a break and save the wine for the weekends.
Comfort eating and refined carbs are the ultimate cardinal diet combination sin. Feeling a bit needy, nobody every cracked down into a plate of salad and washed it down with green tea. No, comfort eating is all about the rush of sugar, and if you do it often enough you will balloon rapidly. Keep a food diary to find out what your triggers are to help you avoid them and manage your cravings.
You may be insulin resistant without realising it. If you have difficulty in losing weight and are adding on weight at an enormous rate, you may need to get to your health care professional to have your insulin checked out.
Being tired normally means we are stressed, which means we are not sleeping well at night, which means we are tired which leads to exhaustion. The last thing you feel like eating when you are perpetually exhausted is a nice wholegrain salad with veggies. No, you want to chow down on something that is going to give you an instant boost of energy – in march the refined carbs. Even after 2 weeks, this routine is going to make you feel worse. Get some sleep, eat some plants, go for a walk.
Birth control and other medication are prime culprits for making people put on weight. Anti-depressants are another culprit. Find out from your doctor about the side effects of any medication you start taking and get some advice about how to manage these symptoms before you find yourself moving a dress size up.
People are really just too busy to eat well these days and with an instant lifestyle that is continuously on the go, we expect our food to be the same. Although quick and easy is not at all healthy, sometimes we don’t have a choice. Try to take time to prepare meals in advance, a bit of planning ahead can save you time and money and inches on your waist.
When you have small kids that just do not want to eat veggies, even with meat disguised as veggies, the battle for the plant is eventually lost and you start making meals to suit fussy kids and as a result end up eating mac and cheese 5 nights a week – and your clothes become significantly tighter. Although it is an effort to cook separate meals, be disciplined and make your kids eat at least one of each veggie served at a meal. You will help them with food choices later on.
For this one, you will just have to grin and bear it as it is temporary. Stay away from the chocolate and sweets, and increase your exercise and be disciplined about food choices to minimize the weight gain. Once you start exercising you will feel great and it will just be a matter of time until you drop back to normal.