Overview

Weight gain can bring different effects to every person. To most women, this condition can make them lose their self-confidence and can affect their lifestyle. But the more severe outcome of a weight gain is health issues such as high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, a weak blood lipid profile, and many more. These conditions, if left untreated, can get worse and even result in someone’s death. 

Causes of Weight Gain

If we talk about the causes of weight gain, the list can be endless. We will have a long list of reasons why a person is gaining weight. But below are the most common causes, and we should be aware of them as early as today.

Lack of sleep

If you stay awake late at night, there is a considerable chance that you are grabbing a late-night snack, and it could mean calories for your body. Physical activity is also slow at night, so there is no way that those calories can be removed from your body. Another outcome of sleep deprivation is the changes with your hormone levels. This change can affect your hunger and appetite, making you eat more than your usual amount of food.

Stress

Our stress hormone, which is called “Cortisol,” is being secreted when we feel intense with life’s demands. This hormone causes an increase in our appetite, and we often end up with high-calorie comfort foods to fight the stress that we feel.

Antidepressants

It’s quite reasonable that you experience weight gain as you start taking your antidepressant medicine because you are feeling better, and it will lead to a better appetite. But, if your antidepressant continues to increase your weight, it’s time to talk to your doctor and discuss a change with your treatment plan. 

Hypothyroidism

Our thyroid should produce enough thyroid hormone. Otherwise, it will make you feel weak, tired, cold, and gain weight. If your body does not make enough thyroid hormone, our metabolism slows down, and it will be a huge cause of weight gain. If you think your thyroid is not in its best condition, seek treatment from your doctor.

Sugar

You don’t have to take a cup of sugar to gain weight. Sugar can be found in everything that we eat, and what’s worse today is that most of those foods increase our appetite and make us crave for more. If we want to stay at our present weight level, we have to be careful and carefully watch our sugar intake.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Weight Gain

The signs of weight gain may differ from one person to another. The cause of weight gain can affect the diagnosis in a person. If you experience the following symptoms, it is advised that you see a doctor immediately before your condition becomes more pressing:

• Fever
• Shortness of breathing
• Difficulty in breathing
• Skin sensitivity
• Sweating
• Palpitations
• Changes in vision
• Irregular menstrual cycle
• Fatigue
• Hair loss 
• Temperature sensitivity

There are a number of treatments available for weight gain. You have a lot of choices that you can choose from. You can opt to do it on your own or see for professional help and support. An essential part that you must keep in your mind is your commitment and willingness to lose weight and achieve the healthy body that you’ve wished for.

Below are some of the available treatment for weight gain:

Dietary Plan – it is time to keep track of the foods that you are eating each day. Excess weight and fats will be accumulated if a person is taking more calories than she is used to. Unconsciously, there are many foods that will lead to weight gain, such as processed food containing additives. Reduced the consumption of processed and ready-made meals that are high in fats and sugar. It is advised that you increase your intake of whole grains and high-fiber foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Physical activity – although a person burns calories while just sitting and sleeping, you will have a higher chance of losing weight if you establish an active physical activity every day. The more active you are, the more calories you will burn. 

Below are a few excellent ways to start an active lifestyle:

• brisk walking
• use the stairs instead of the elevator
• go on swimming
• water the plants every morning
• walk the dog around

Weight-loss Medications – there are available medications that are prescribed by doctors when a person wants to lose weight. Orlistat is one of them. But this treatment is not available for all. Weight loss medication can only be advised by your doctor if:

• dietary plans and physical exercise don’t help with weight loss
• the person’s weight can bring risk to his health

You have to keep in mind that medication must come with a reduced-calorie diet. The Orlistat or any other medicines will never be replacing the lifestyle change. 

Surgery – weight loss surgery can be an expensive option, but it’s a safe choice for a person who is suffering from weight gain. The most common surgery will involve changing a part of someone’s stomach, such as the small intestine, so that he or she will not consume many foods. This will bring a meaningful change to a person’s weight and can reduce the chances of high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health problems caused by weight gain.

What is your normal weight?

The ideal weight of every person will differ from each other. Your height and weight will play a huge factor in determining the right weight for your body. Other factors that can affect your normal weight are body muscles, bones, and fats. You can use an interactive body mass indicator, or you can check our height and weight chart below:

Source: https://www.rush.edu/

Your Body Mass Index or BMI will show you the maximum amount of fat that your body should have. Although BMI is not a perfect measure, it will provide you an excellent assessment of your body composition. Here is a guide on how you can assess your BMI measurement:

• A BMI of less than 18.5 means that a person is underweight.
• A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is ideal.
• A BMI of between 25 and 29.9 is overweight.
• A BMI over 30 indicates obesity.

Risks of Weight Gain

A lot of health risks can be linked to weight gain. Depending on a person’s condition, health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and other cancer conditions may be developed. If a woman is pregnant, weight gain may lead to a shortage of breathing and health problems for both the mother and the child. 

Below are some of the severe health problems that you might develop with weight gain:

• Type 2 Diabetes – your belly fat can cause insulin resistance inside your body. In this condition, your body produces insulin, but your cells cannot utilize it correctly to get the glucose out of your body. If your body holds blood sugar that is higher than usual, that’s when diabetes will be developed, and it can bring trouble to your heart, eyes, nerves, and many more.

• High Blood Pressure – as soon as our body expands or gets more substantial, our heart will need to pump harder so that the blood can reach all your body cells. If your artery walls cannot handle the force that pushes it, that could lead to artery damage and a fatal condition to your entire body. 

• Fatty Liver Disease – as the fat builds up in your liver, it can produce scar tissue that will result in a liver shutdown. The symptoms will never be visible until the damage has been done. There are no exact causes of fatty liver disease, but you are more likely drawn to this if you are overweight and respiratory problems. 
• Kidney Disease – there is a significant possibility of kidney damage if fat builds up inside it. Our kidneys are responsible for filtering blood and controlling our blood pressure. But this function will not take place properly if a person is overweight. 

• Osteoarthritis – if you experience pain and stiffness with your bones, it may be because your weight has put more strain on your joints and your cartilage. If this discomfort continues, you will need to lose some weight inside your body. A 5% weight loss will minimize the pressure off your knees, lower back, and hips. 

• Mental Illness such as anxiety, clinical depression, and other psychiatric disorders

When to Seek Medical Attention

There are certain conditions that you might experience with weight gain. These symptoms can lead to a person’s death if being ignored. Promptly seek medical care if you, or someone you know, will experience these symptoms:

• Absence of pulses
• Fast heart rate
• Rapid swelling in the face, legs, arms, ankles, feet, or abdomen
• Seizure
• Severe headache
• Shortness of breathing
• Sudden loss or changes with vision   

Table of Medications

• phentermine
• Adipex-P
• topiramate
• Topamax
• Belviq
• Contrave
• Desoxyn
• Alli
• Xenical
• phendimetrazine