Have you been exercising and dieting and yet you seem to be gaining Fat? This happens to a lot of people and it is one of the most discouraging things that can ever happen in your Fat loss endeavors.
While there are many reasons why this might be happening, you will need to sit down and evaluate your life and lifestyle and see where the problem might lie. Talk to your doctor if you can’t figure it out on your own. Here are 3 of the most common reasons that cause Fat gain instead of Fat loss.
1. Stress – This is the #1 reason for gaining Fat in the first place and it can often work against you when you are trying to shed pounds. Different people handle stress differently and the body also reacts differently to different kinds of stress. While daily stress might be causing problems, it is more often the occasional major events that cause Fat gain.
Being in a bad marriage or relationship can be stressful… but going through a messy divorce is likely to cause Fat gain. Children get sick all the time and if you have more than one child you may feel stressed because it seems like one of them is always sick… but having a child with cancer is the type of stress that causes Fat gain.
Sometimes these stressors last for only a few weeks, sometimes they go on for months or even years. Taking a yoga class or a course that teaches you how to relax and meditate might be beneficial to you. Or maybe you feel a trip to the doctor might be your best bet. If it is a temporary situation that you can just ride out, that is one thing. But if it is something that is ongoing and really upsetting your life, you need to figure out the best way for you to deal with it.
2. Medications – Many medications will mess up your system’s delicate hormonal balance which then sends your body into a status of not knowing how to react to things. Some medications actually list Fat gain as a side effect while others simply cause Fat gain for you. If you have a choice, phase off of the medication, replacing it with a natural alternative. If you must continue on the medication, talk to your doctor and see if there is another form of the medicine that maybe won’t cause you to gain Fat.
3. Sleep – In the hectic and busy world that we all live in, it is often our sleep that takes a backseat to our other activities. The general consensus is that you need 7 to 8 hours of good sleep every night. Some people are fine on less, some people really need more. And if you’re in bed for 8 hours but you toss and turn for 3 hours, that doesn’t count as 8 hours of sleep!
If your body is not getting enough sleep, it may let you know its displeasure by slowing down your metabolism and storing fat. You need to figure out the optimum amount of sleep your body needs and then cut out some activities so you can get your rest every night. A well-rested body makes for a well-digested body. Get the sleep your body needs… or pay the price.
So if the scale refuses to budge or even is inching up regardless of your Fat loss efforts, start evaluating every part of your day and see if you can pinpoint what is sabotaging your efforts. Once you figure out what is causing the problem, then you can deal with it appropriately.
