By now most of us know that if you consume (eat) more calories than you burn (through exercise), you will gain weight. But did you know there are others way you could be gaining weight, even if you’re watching your calories? Here are some surprising causes of weight gain to consider.
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Giving up Caffeine
Caffeine acts as a stimulant, which lessens your appetite, and it also acts as a diuretic, so it makes you shed water. So if you stop drinking caffeinated coffee and colas, be prepared to be a little more hungry than usual… and possibly gain a little weight.
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Food Allergies
We all know that food allergies or sensitivities can give us breathing issues and migraines, but did you also know they can make you retain water, and even gather fat in weird places? True!
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Prescription Drugs
Birth control pills and NSAID pain relievers, as well as other prescription drugs, can cause weight gain as a side effect, so be prepared!
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Quitting Smoking
Everyone knows smoking is very unhealthy, but one reason a lot of people don’t want to quit is because they know if they do, they may gain a little weight.
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Thyroid Problems
Thyroid problems are one of the most common medical conditions that can cause weight gain. It’s very treatable, and very easy to detect, so if you have an issue with unexplained weight gain, you may want to raise the issue with your family doctor.
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To give oneself earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom.
Cushing’s Syndrome
This is a relatively rare, but treatable, disease that causes progressive, unexplained weight gain. The weight gain normally occurs mostly in the face and neck, giving the inflicted person a “moon face.” This disease can be fatal if not treated, so if you think you may have it, talk to your doctor!
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Blood Sugar Imbalances
Got a sweet tooth that you can never satisfy? You may have a blood sugar imbalance, such as hypoglycemia or diabetes. Both imbalances can lead to otherwise-unexplained fluctuations in weight, and strong cravings for sweets.
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Kidney Disease or LUPUS
The symptoms of both of these diseases include water retention and weight gain. Both are very serious, and have a host of other symptoms. Another common symptom is frothy urine, or frequent urination, so please check with your doctor if you have these symptoms, too.
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Ovarian Cysts
There are many reasons women with ovarian cysts have experience weight gain, but most of them are due to abnormal fluctuations in hormone levels. If you have ovarian cysts, and do experience the weight gain associated with them, your doctor can help you devise a diet plan to help.
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Fatty Acid Deficiencies
People with fatty acid deficiencies will crave foods high in Omega-3’s, which may lead to weight gain. It’s been found that people with ADD/ADHD or hyperactivity are also at a higher risk for this deficiency, so if you are ADD/ADHD, and have unexplained weight gain, you may want to check with your doctor about this, too.
Who know there were so many causes for unexplained weight gain? These are just a few! Do you have anything to add to the list? Please let me know… thank you!
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