Are you gaining weight even though you’re exercising and eating healthy?
Find out why you might not be meeting your weight loss goals.
Diet and exercise are often the main focus when the goal is weight loss.
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But weight loss has a lot of gray areas and does not boil down to just two components.
Besides genetics, there are several lifestyle factors that come into play in addition to diet and exercise.
There is evidence that suggests thatpoor gut health plays a role in making weight loss more difficult.
And the typical advice to justeat less and move moreto lose weight has not been proven successful.
Here are 10 ways your workouts might be causing weight gain.
However, this is not a hard and fast rule.
A 2023 review inAppetitereveals that it can go either way.
Some studies show an increase in appetite and others don’tit really is an individual response.
With that said, sometimes we use exercise as an excuse to eat more than we need.
Instead, pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues.
Eat enough to satisfy your hunger and stop eating when you start to feel full.
you could use a free app, like MyFitnessPal, for this purpose.
Most of our staff has a favorite nutrition bar for on-the-go snacking.
And according toMedlinePlus,hunger is not a sign of dehydration.
This can temporarily take away the feeling of hunger in your belly.
There are also benefits to your weight with hydration.
According to a 2021 study inClinical Nutrition, being well-hydrated is connected with weight loss and reduced waist circumference.
Rehydrating your body after an intense sweat session should also includereplenishing electrolyteslike sodium and potassium.
You Only Do Cardio
While trying to lose weight, many people jump onto the cardio bandwagon.
And cardio is important for strengthening your heart and lungsand if you enjoy it, all the better.
When you lose weight quickly,you also lose a lot of muscle mass.
Another reason to add strength training to your toolbox?
Maintaining and adding muscle mass to your frame can help your metabolism.
This is crucial, sinceweight loss and eating fewer calories can actually slow your metabolism down.
This is because exerciseespecially higher-intensity exercisecan produce atemporary inflammatory response in your body.
This can also trigger temporary water retention.
But there is another component we often leave out of the equationsleep.
Being well-rested gives us the energy to power through a workout and can help us make healthier food choices.
Sometimes the lack of quality sleep is resulting from a sleep disorder, such as insomnia or sleep apnea.
Besides affecting weight, sleep disorders can have other negative health consequences.
For example,insomnia has been linked with a 69% greater risk of heart diseaseas can sleep apnea.
If you suspect either of these conditions, work with your healthcare practitioner to find solutions.
And that4 minutes of walking a day may reduce your risk of cancer.
But that small amount of exercise will not be enough to healthfully lower your weight.
Our bodies have an amazing ability to adapt.
Hormone-related conditionscan lead to unwanted weight gain, even if you’re engaging in healthy habits.
For example,polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)affects about 5 million women of reproductive age per year.
PCOS can cause insulin resistance, chronic inflammation and weight gain.
Issues with your thyroidcan also cause weight issuesboth unexplained weight loss and weight gain.
Schedule an appointment with your healthcare practitioner if you suspect something is off in your body for testing.
Increasing your NEPA can also help your body acclimate to increased movement in general.
Be careful about allowing some of the potential temporary side-effects of exercise to be an excuse to avoid it.
Now lace up your shoes and get moving!
