Why Some People Gain Weight on a Low Calorie Diet
Have you ever thought your low calorie diet was going perfectly - eating clean, counting calories and even exercising - only to step on the scale and see that you've gained weight? Nothing is more of a blow to your weight loss motivation than that.
But, before you give up on your diet and weight loss goals completely, there are a few reasons why the numbers on your scale went north instead of south.
Once you identify these reasons you can get back on track and lose those unwanted pounds.
Lack of sleep A lack of sleep causes your body to experience physiological stress and you store fat more efficiently.
Plus, you might be taking in a few more calories than normal from late night snacking.
You can fix this by getting at least eight hours of sleep at night and by going to bed at the same time every night to allow your body to fall into a pattern.
If all else fails, visit your doctor as there might be a more serious problem keeping you up at night.
Stress We all fell the pressure's of stress from time to time, but it's how our body handles stress is what can lead to weight gain.
As mentioned above, stress triggers a biochemical process that puts our bodies into survival mode, thus causing us to store fat.
You can fix this problem by finding a stress relieving activity that you enjoy doing - yoga, golf, play with your kids, etc.
And as an added bonus you might even burn a few calories in the process! Medications Certain prescription drugs may cause weight gain by increasing the appetite, causing your body to store fat, changing insulin levels, creating water retention, etc.
Do not, however, stop taking your medication without first consulting your physician.
Gaining a few pounds might be minuscule compared to what could happen if you stop taking your medicine.
Check with your physician to see if there is any alternative medications they could prescribe.
Calorie Fluctuation Cutting too many calories can lead to a decrease in your metabolism and possibly a loss of muscle mass, which will most likely result in weight loss at first, but any calories you add back to your diet, or if you burn less calories through exercise, fat may be stored more easily because of your lower metabolism.
As a general rule of thumb, do not to cut out more than 20% of your daily calories when dieting.
This should keep your body out of starvation mode and keep your metabolism from dropping and your body from storing extra fat.
Other possible reasons may include: Medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism Menstrual Cycle Menopause
But, before you give up on your diet and weight loss goals completely, there are a few reasons why the numbers on your scale went north instead of south.
Once you identify these reasons you can get back on track and lose those unwanted pounds.
Lack of sleep A lack of sleep causes your body to experience physiological stress and you store fat more efficiently.
Plus, you might be taking in a few more calories than normal from late night snacking.
You can fix this by getting at least eight hours of sleep at night and by going to bed at the same time every night to allow your body to fall into a pattern.
If all else fails, visit your doctor as there might be a more serious problem keeping you up at night.
Stress We all fell the pressure's of stress from time to time, but it's how our body handles stress is what can lead to weight gain.
As mentioned above, stress triggers a biochemical process that puts our bodies into survival mode, thus causing us to store fat.
You can fix this problem by finding a stress relieving activity that you enjoy doing - yoga, golf, play with your kids, etc.
And as an added bonus you might even burn a few calories in the process! Medications Certain prescription drugs may cause weight gain by increasing the appetite, causing your body to store fat, changing insulin levels, creating water retention, etc.
Do not, however, stop taking your medication without first consulting your physician.
Gaining a few pounds might be minuscule compared to what could happen if you stop taking your medicine.
Check with your physician to see if there is any alternative medications they could prescribe.
Calorie Fluctuation Cutting too many calories can lead to a decrease in your metabolism and possibly a loss of muscle mass, which will most likely result in weight loss at first, but any calories you add back to your diet, or if you burn less calories through exercise, fat may be stored more easily because of your lower metabolism.
As a general rule of thumb, do not to cut out more than 20% of your daily calories when dieting.
This should keep your body out of starvation mode and keep your metabolism from dropping and your body from storing extra fat.
Other possible reasons may include: Medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism Menstrual Cycle Menopause