Guide for weight loss

Obesity remains one of the biggest problems in our society. Despite countless educational campaigns about the effects of food on the body, despite the increasing number of fitness enthusiasts, despite Weight Watchers and other diets, obesity continues to rise in our world. It's not a lack of willpower that's the issue. Many people have already tried one or more diets, but unfortunately, they haven't been able to maintain their desired weight. Often, the dreaded yo-yo effect strikes again. Below, we will focus primarily on the most important causes that can be responsible for obesity. If you understand how your excess weight developed, you can quickly find and implement the appropriate remedy.

9 causes of obesity

The following article discusses nine different causes of unhealthy obesity. Why should this help? It's like an illness: once the cause is known, it can be treated effectively.

Cause 1: Too little exercise

Effective strength training is far from being a magic bullet for sustainable weight loss. Plenty of exercise is the key. Humans are inherently active individuals who need a lot of movement. Even in childhood, activity and physical exercise are encouraged through outdoor play. School children are also expected to be very active. It's only in working life that lifestyle and activity levels often change, resulting in a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. Since eating habits don't change, weight gain is practically inevitable. Furthermore, as metabolism slows down with age, physical activity levels remain very low. Many new mothers confirm that they become significantly less active after giving birth. Strength training, which demands considerable energy, also increases hunger. While more muscle mass can burn body fat, it also requires a greater energy supply. The key lies in a combination of exercise and a healthy diet that provides all essential nutrients.

Cause 2: Poor quality food

Your body needs certain nutrients to function optimally. If these nutrients are forcibly deprived, feelings of hunger are intensified because the body lacks the necessary energy. Industrially produced foods, in particular, contain many artificial ingredients that the body doesn't want. Therefore, it sends signals in the form of hunger, indicating that there isn't a lack of energy, but rather a deficiency of specific nutrients. Healthy foods containing all the essential nutrients are also more satiating because they don't contain too many carbohydrates, which quickly lower blood sugar levels and stimulate insulin production.

Cause 3: Too many meals

When we're at parties or in restaurants, the combination of food and alcohol often leads to uncontrolled eating, which can result in significant weight gain in the long run. This behavior also occurs on vacations or popular cruises, when the lavish buffets are so tempting. Then people eat until they're stuffed. Often, tourists eat up to five times a day simply out of boredom. Uncontrolled overeating with too many meals is one of the main causes of unwanted weight gain. If you eat about 300 more calories per day per week than you actually need, you'll quickly accumulate 2,100 calories per week. Over 52 weeks, that adds up to around 109,000 calories, which corresponds to about 30 kilograms of excess weight. While this example may seem exaggerated, it clearly illustrates the impact that overeating can have. It also shows that you can always regain control over your weight if you're aware of what you consume daily. Often, we eat something even when we're not really hungry. Especially popular hamburgers cause you to eat uncontrollably, since junk food doesn't fill you up.

Cause 4: Stress and depression

Stress and depression are also triggers for weight gain in today's society. Stress produces hormones that trigger feelings of hunger. A slowed metabolism caused by depression can further contribute to weight gain. Since we can't avoid stress in today's world, we have to learn to manage it. Therefore, we should be careful not to try to solve problems with food, otherwise unwanted weight gain is practically guaranteed.

Reason 5: Liquid calories

The calories in sugary drinks and fruit juices are dangerous and are often underestimated or ignored. Fruit juices often contain a lot of sugar in the form of fructose. These drinks are further made more calorie-dense and palatable by the addition of other sugars, which is particularly unhealthy for children. These sugary drinks don't quench thirst; instead, they increase the urge to drink. They are also bad for your teeth. Therefore, pay close attention to the ingredients in fruit juices and drink more mineral water, which is sold without calories, instead of high-calorie sugary drinks.

Cause 6: Too many carbohydrates

Excess body fat and the resulting weight gain are the result of consuming too many carbohydrates. Carbohydrates and the glucose they contain raise blood sugar levels, which are then lowered by the hormone insulin, produced in the pancreas. Glucose is converted into glycogen, which is stored in the liver and muscle tissue. When there is too much glucose in the body and glycogen stores are full, the body stores the excess glucose in fat cells. There, it is stored as a reserve for times of scarcity. Therefore, we can conclude that the development of excess body fat is caused by consuming too many carbohydrates that cannot be stored in the full glycogen stores. You should therefore always pay attention to the quality and intake of your carbohydrates to keep body fat development under control.

Reason 7: No nutrition plan

A weekly meal plan can be a powerful tool in the fight against weight gain. We can learn this structured daily routine from well-known fitness and bodybuilding stars who prepare their meals the day before, thus avoiding any unwanted surprises. If you know exactly that you need to eat chicken and rice after your workout today, the thought of fries with mayo won't even cross your mind.

Cause 8: Medications and drugs

A study by Glasgow University involving over 25,000 participants found that certain medications used to treat illnesses can be a significant trigger for sustained weight gain. Intriguingly, the study revealed that individuals with mental health conditions gained almost 11 kilograms in one year while taking neuroleptics such as olanzapine or clozapine. The study also demonstrated that diabetics using insulin gained nearly seven kilograms in a year. Antidepressants led to an additional four kilograms of weight gain. Cortisone, beta-blockers, and olanzapine were by far the medications that caused the greatest weight gain among the participants.

Cause 9: Hormones

Hormonal imbalances can also lead to significant weight gain. The onset of menopause, in particular, causes weight gain in over 90 percent of women. Generally speaking, many people become overweight between the ages of 35 and 55. This can be due to a drop in testosterone levels, which is important for many growth functions in the body. Since these ongoing hormonal changes have natural causes, it's advisable to try to counteract the risk of weight gain with a healthy lifestyle and plenty of exercise.

Simple rules for successful weight control

From the aforementioned causes, we can draw important conclusions that can help us prevent or even eliminate the threat of obesity. Below, we have compiled nine lifestyle rules for you that can be used as an effective remedy against obesity.

Rule 1 – Always keep moving and do cardio or strength training every day.
Rule 2 Eat more consciously! You don't have to be perfect, but small changes in your food choices can lead to great success.
Rule 3 – Control your eating habits, especially when you are at social events or on vacation.
Rule 4 – Try not to suppress your stress with unnecessary meals.
Rule 5 – Avoid fruit juices or sweet drinks that contain hidden calories.
Rule 6 – Don't eat too many carbohydrates and avoid foods with a lot of white sugar or white flour.
Rule 7 Plan your meals in advance, prepare them today, and store them for tomorrow. You need to know exactly what you want to eat today and tomorrow.
Rule 8 – Ask your doctor about the side effects of your prescribed medications.
Rule 9 – Pay attention to your lifestyle, respect yourself and your body, and give it only the best, because it deserves it.

There are certainly countless methods for combating excess weight and body fat. However, if you know the causes of your excess weight, you can very quickly prevent it from becoming overweight without immediately resorting to a pointless diet.