Causes of sudden weight gain in women. Why we are gaining weight: reasons for weight gain not related to nutrition and their signs

Behind every gram of fat stored there is an entire metabolic system of the body. Normally, it serves to ensure that a person is healthy, strong and vigorous. If the weight begins to increase, it means that metabolic processes are disrupted.

Instead of muscles - fat

Men are the main candidates for becoming overweight even before they reach 30 years of age. Their metabolism is faster, since it is “designed” for greater muscle mass and a more active life. But many modern alpha males spend their days at their desks and their evenings watching TV. It turns out there is nowhere to build muscles. The ratio of fat and muscle mass changes - and lo and behold, the macho man’s tummy and sides have grown.

To gain weight, a man doesn’t even need to eat a lot, just move a little. But poor nutrition is a catalyst for the process of gaining extra pounds. The less healthy there is in food, the worse it is for your figure. So, baked goods, processed foods, and fast food are not recommended for sedentary men. It is better to lean on protein and complex carbohydrates (cereals, vegetables).

Another “male” problem is the accumulation of toxins in blood vessels. Women up to a certain age (before the onset of menopause) are protected from this - estrogen saves. Cholesterol plaques can turn into blood clots and cause an early heart attack or stroke in a man. Prevention: the same proper nutrition and physical activity.

Overeating is dangerous for both your figure and your heart, even if the food is healthy. Nutritionists recommend reducing the portion by 2-3 times if you have to work only with your head. Male office workers need to eat at least 500 Kcal per day less (subtract 2500-3000 Kcal from the norm).

Women under 30 years old gain weight for the same reason – physical inactivity. Of course, many people gain excess weight during pregnancy and then cannot get rid of it. The reason for the obesity is the hormonal changes in the body of the expectant mother and the uncontrolled consumption of junk food. Usually, an active life in the first months after the birth of a baby (try to “passively” look after him!) leads to weight loss. Some people note that they lost weight after they stopped breastfeeding - the reason is still the same hormonal change.

But if you do not take into account the weight gain associated with bearing and giving birth to children, then young women get fat for the same reasons as men - they move little and eat whatever they like. As a result, the ratio of fatty tissue and muscles is not in favor of the latter.

Age or laziness?

The answer is age. With each passing decade, a person's metabolic rate decreases by approximately 5%. Even slender women note that after 30 they began to gain weight a little. What to do?

Start metabolism, artificially speed it up. To do this, switch to fractional meals - portions of 200-250 g 5-6 times a day. Up to 15 hours - fruits, vegetables, protein (meat or fish). For lunch, carbohydrates (for example, porridge). Then vegetable salads. Do not eat fish and meat later than 4 hours before bedtime. You can have dinner 1.5 hours before bedtime, but it is advisable that it be something light. A salad or fermented milk product, recommends nutritionist Boris Skachko.

Sport also stands guard over slimness and beauty. Besides, as we age, only sports keep us in good shape (unless, of course, your profession is a skydiver). Recommended loads are half an hour a day. Exercises must be done intensely in order to sweat. If you are bored of repeating the same thing in the gym, for example, dancing will help. They force almost all muscles to work, while starting with a warm-up warm-up and giving an incomparable pleasure of creativity.

Dangerous legacy

The tendency to be overweight is transmitted through the blood. More precisely, by cells. As scientists from the University of Cambridge found out, several genes are responsible for obesity. One of them, the mutated KSR2 gene, is responsible for the breakdown of sugar and fats. Sometimes it manifests itself even in childhood. Fat kids can stretch out adolescence, but start gaining weight after 25.

The second fatness gene - FTO - causes the desire to eat sweets and fatty foods. Obviously related to control emotional state person. As you know, both sweets and fatty foods bring a feeling of happiness, as they affect the synthesis of positive hormones. Alas, the feeling is fleeting, and then it is very difficult to “drive away” the extra pounds.

A matter of character

Sudden weight gain not associated with pregnancy is a very dangerous sign. Often indicates a hormonal imbalance. First of all, you need to contact an endocrinologist, do an ultrasound of the thyroid gland and take a hormonal panel. You will also have to check sex hormones and adrenal function. Changes in behavior - moodiness, lethargy, aggression and irritability - also indicate hormonal imbalance.

A failure can be triggered by severe stress, but sometimes it indicates systemic disorders, for example, the development of diabetes. You cannot ignore this alarm bell, not only for the sake of returning to a good figure, but also for maintaining health in general.

By the way, beer can also cause hormonal imbalance in men. Many doctors believe that beer affects estrogen production. Men (like women) have both main sex hormones in their bodies - testosterone and estrogen, just in different proportions. If proportionality is violated, various unpleasant phenomena will begin. For example, a man experiences weight gain in the waist, buttocks, hips, and sides. Of course, this won’t turn you into a woman, but it will be very difficult to get back into shape. By the way, some doctors believe that excessive consumption of intoxicating drink also affects potency...

In women, a “skew” towards testosterone usually leads to an abdominal type of fullness.

Such women can be very sexy and attractive, but they are distinguished by greater determination, willpower, and character. Abdominal fullness is when the belly grows rather than the hips. That is, the extra pounds settle on the stomach and waist, says Boris Skachko. - To lose weight, you need to do abdominal exercises, use aerial exercises with varying tempos, play sports games and, again, eat small meals.

Seasonal

As a rule, everyone gets a little fatter closer to winter. This is due to a natural process: the body accumulates reserves for future use. After all, winter can be hungry...

In addition, fatty and sweet foods quickly provide energy, that is, they provide excellent warmth in the cold. For this purpose, we are drawn to tasty things with the first cold weather...

Lack of sunlight in the autumn-winter period leads to a lack of positive hormones and the so-called blues. During it, you also really want to treat yourself to sweets (or fatty foods), since products of this type give a short-term feeling of euphoria.

What to do if you are getting better for winter? First of all, control your portion size. Cold and hungry winter time– it’s in our genetic memory. But for a city person, winter usually passes in quite acceptable conditions. Of course, the body’s efforts are wasted on heating, but it’s not worth eating kilograms of candy for that. After all, we still spend most of the day in heated rooms, and more often also in a sitting position at a desk. So don’t lean on the deliciousness, but for fast heating V extreme situation Carry a couple of fruits and a bottle of water with you. Fruits provide energy no worse than sweets, and water will help balance the process of thermoregulation.

By spring (April, not cold March), a period of weight loss usually begins - 1-3 kilos are easily lost. This is especially facilitated by the transition to “garden” food – greens and vegetables.

Listed below are common reasons for rapid weight gain. They will help you answer the question of why I gained weight sharply. Some of them may be unexpected.

Reasons for rapid weight gain: Top 10

1) You stopped being on a strict diet

If you stop being on a strict diet, having achieved your goal of losing weight, then when you return to a normal diet, you will inevitably gain weight.

The body will begin to accumulate reserves in case “hunger times” come again. This is how the protective mechanism works, which for many centuries allowed a person to survive in conditions when there was a lot of food during the season, but in winter they had to starve.

For this reason, weight loss requires a balanced diet that ensures your body receives all the important nutrients.

2) You stopped playing sports

You may not have eaten more, but you used to exercise. And having stopped doing this, they did not change their eating habits. It is clear that with active physical activity, the body burns more calories. Therefore, it is not surprising that you have gained weight.

It will be helpful to get back into exercise if you enjoy the process. If you are not a fan of heavy exercise, walk for at least half an hour a day. And don’t forget to change the nutritional value of your diet in accordance with your new physical activity regimen!

3) You are pregnant

Gaining one or two kilograms can be caused by pregnancy. If unexpected irritability and morning sickness are added to a couple of kilograms, then you should go to the pharmacy for a pregnancy test.

4) You don't sleep well at night, or you don't get enough sleep

Scientific research shows that poor sleep quality can cause excess weight.

Those who go to bed late often eat at night or chew something until they go to bed. The desire to eat in this case is explained by the fact that lack of sleep leads to biochemical changes in the body that stimulate the feeling of hunger, while you should already be sleeping.

Try to go to bed early, and if you want to eat something after dinner, it should be a light, low-fat product - kefir, fruit.

5) There are hidden fats in your food

If you go to restaurants very often because your social status or work, this is the most probable cause the appearance of extra pounds. Side dishes, meat, salads, all kinds of desserts... For good taste You can’t do without oil here, even if at first glance it’s not there. Hidden fats from store-bought products are found, for example, in sausage, cookies, cheese, and chocolate.

If you eat something light between meals, but in large quantities Without changing your diet at your main meal, you end up eating more calories during the day than you think, and this can lead to weight gain.

Based on the above, try to go to restaurants less often. And when you buy food in the store, don’t forget to look at the packaging to see how much fat it contains. And remember, if you've eaten well and are still hungry, you may simply be lacking some vitamins or minerals.

6) You eat too late

Do you have breakfast after 10 o'clock in the morning with hot chocolate and a sandwich with butter and jam? What a mistake! The remaining day is not enough to use it all up!

Do you have lunch after 15:00 and dinner after 20:30? Taking part in an aperitif (with alcohol and saltine crackers) until 11 pm every Friday and Saturday? At night, your metabolism slows down and what your body does not have time to process during the day is stored in the form of extra pounds. Therefore, if you want to have a slim figure, you should have breakfast at 7-8 o’clock in the morning, and have dinner no later than three hours before bedtime.

7) You are premenstrual

There's no reason to panic if you've gained a kilo or two in the middle menstrual cycle. You should know that weight fluctuation in this case is normal. It is quite common that after ovulation a woman weighs a couple of kilograms more than before.

This is due to water retention in the body, the stomach may swell slightly, and the chest may become heavier. But after menstruation everything will return to normal.

8) You get nervous a lot

Stress leads to an increase in appetite and the desire to chew, and therefore can cause excess weight.

Instead of eating normally, are you chewing something at your computer? This way of eating prevents you from feeling full, and you end up munching.

In addition, cooked food is more balanced, and snacks often contain a lot of sugar, salt and fat. This may be good for calming your nerves, but not for your figure.

Therefore, if in stressful situation If you can't bring yourself not to chew, put something low-calorie on hand, such as pieces of chopped fruit or vegetables. It has been tested: whatever is lying next to the computer is eaten unnoticed during work, no matter what it is!

9) You recently quit smoking

If you have quit smoking, it is very possible that you are quietly chewing something in between meals to distract yourself from thoughts of smoking. Instead of a cigarette, you put food in your mouth.

This is very common reason Why do people gain weight when they quit smoking? In this case, replacing unhealthy crisps with fruits and vegetables will also help. This will not only distract you, but will also help cleanse your body of accumulated toxins.

10) You have health problems

Taking certain medications is known to cause weight gain. One of them, for example, is cortisone.

It is also possible that you have hypothyroidism (thyroid deficiency). Such a hormonal problem may be the cause of obesity.

These 10 possible reasons will definitely give you quick weight gain new information to search. In any case, if the weight continues to increase, you should consult a doctor.

Sometimes people don't understand why they gain weight. Excess calories are not the only cause of excess weight.

Everyone knows that huge portions of fried food, a fatty dessert, washed down with an alcoholic or carbonated drink, all this will definitely lead you to weight gain. In this case, it is clear why a person gains extra pounds.

When a person does not burn all the calories they consume, they gain weight due to the extra calories. But sometimes a person who exercises, follows the principles of rational nutrition and counts the calories consumed, still gains weight and does not understand the reasons for the weight gain.

If you exercise and have a balanced diet, but you continue to gain weight, then you need to think about the reasons. There may be several such reasons. Let's look at the reasons for sudden weight gain:

Lack of sleep.

The course of all processes in his body depends on how much a person has rested. If you don't get enough sleep, your body becomes stressed. As a result, biochemical processes occur that promote fat deposition.

Some people believe that it is easier to fall asleep on a full stomach, but this is not true at all. The result of a late snack is extra calories and nothing more. Fatigue, irritability, drowsiness and lack of energy are all signs of lack of sleep.

You need to sleep at least eight hours a day. Try adding 15 minutes to your sleep every day, and based on how you feel, you can determine how much sleep you need.

Stress.

Some people try to relieve tension with food, that is, they eat stress. Food does not affect the actual source of stress and therefore provides temporary relief. Most people eat carbohydrate-rich foods because they promote the production of seratonin. Serotonin is chemical substance, which has a calming effect.

Medicines taken.

Weight gain can be facilitated by certain medications taken for nervous breakdowns, depression, convulsions, high blood pressure, migraines, diabetes, etc. Due to such medications, a person can gain about 5 kg per month. Hormonal drugs, individual species steroids, and some contraceptives can gradually lead to obesity.

If, without changing your lifestyle, you have gained 2-3 kg in a month, the medications you are taking may be to blame.

Antidepressants may also contribute to weight gain, as feeling better may lead to an improvement in appetite. Some drugs retain fluid in the body. The scale will show you weight gain, but in fact it is not fat, but water.

Experts have highlighted following types medications that can lead to obesity: antidepressants, steroids, antipsychotics, diabetes medications, seizure medications, heartburn medications, high blood pressure medications.

If you are sure that medications are the cause of your weight gain, talk to your doctor, maybe he will replace these medications for you. But do not stop taking these medications without consulting a specialist, as this can cause very serious consequences.

Health problems.

In medicine, the most common cause of obesity is hypothyroidism, that is, low level thyroid hormones, which reduces metabolic rate. A lack of thyroid hormones can also lead to loss of appetite and weight gain.

If you feel tired, sleepy, overweight, or your voice begins to get rough, you have a hard time with cold weather, sleep a lot, or suffer from headaches, consult your doctor and do a simple test for hypothyroidism.

A disorder due to an excess of the hormone cortisol can lead to weight gain, but this is much less common.

The arrival of menopause.

In women in at different ages Menopause occurs, on average it occurs at 45–50 years. Over the years, your metabolic rate slows down. Hormonal changes occur in the body, which can cause sleep disturbances and depression. During menopause, many changes occur in the female body.

Women lose estrogen (female sex hormone). This leads to changes in physique, as muscle mass in the thighs is lost. In addition, the middle part of a woman’s torso begins to gain weight. Since estrogen promotes what is deposited in the lower part of the body. When the production of this hormone decreases, fat begins to be deposited mainly in the middle part of the body (much like in men).

If you increase and maintain muscle mass in your body, you can avoid the appearance of a layer of fat on your belt. It will also help increase your metabolic rate and burn calories.

Exercising will help prevent bone loss that is caused by menopause. Therefore, weight gain associated with menopause can be counteracted. To do this, you need to perform a set of exercises and combine it with a healthy diet. Consume foods rich in vitamin D and calcium, and also consider the number of calories you consume.

For most women, appearance is something that requires maximum attention and care, and often causes worry and worry. Even the most beautiful girls deep down they worry whether everything is normal on the face, with the body, whether extra wrinkles have appeared, whether additional kilograms have settled on the waist. The weight of a woman, at any age, is especially acute. Representatives of the fair half of society are interested in both the reasons for gaining weight and ways to quickly lose weight.

In pursuit of an ideal weight, it is important to correctly determine what a woman’s ideal weight should be. At the age of 30, you especially want to remain young and attractive, to feel comfortable in your body. However, after 30 years, gradual changes begin within the body, in particular, hormonal levels change. As a result, women gain a couple of kilograms. But is this always a bad thing? Perhaps weight gain should be taken completely calmly?

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It is believed that a woman’s weight throughout her life should be equal to her weight at 18 years old. Allegedly, it is at the moment of coming of age that girls are in their ideal form. But this theory is quite dubious and should not be blindly trusted. After all, first of all female body It is designed in such a way that there is a constant line of weight gain. Every 10 years, up to 10% is added to the previous figure (this is 5–7 kg). This is due, first of all, to a slowdown in metabolism. You can also lose weight, without harm to the body, by only this 10% per year.

In addition, there is no guarantee that at 18 years old the girl weighed within the normal range. It often happens that during this period, future beauties have not yet learned to control themselves in food, have not instilled a love of sports and clearly suffer from obesity or, conversely, from exhaustion.

Typically, women after 30 already have one or two children. After pregnancy and breastfeeding You will definitely gain a few kilograms. Although, there are cases when, after the birth of babies, ladies, on the contrary, suddenly lose weight.

To determine ideal weight a woman needs to take into account several indicators, namely:

• Height,
• Physique.

And besides, this could be a method visual assessment– if you absolutely don’t like your reflection in the mirror, if you don’t want to be photographed, dress nicely, and complexes appear because you are noticeably overweight, then you can think about losing weight. It is only important to know when to stop and lose weight correctly.

✔Ideal weight formulas

In practice, several methods are used with which weight norms can be determined. Namely this:

• Brocca's formula,
• Lorenz's dream
• Table of Egorov-Levitsky,
• Quetelet index

Brocca's formula provides an equation in which the difference between height and the number 110 is multiplied by an index of 1.15. For example, if you are 165 cm tall, you should weigh 63 kilograms.

Following Lorenz's Dream, there is a difference between the two indicators:

1. Height minus 100
2. Height minus 150 and divided by 2.

So, for a height of 165 cm, the weight should be 57 kilograms.

Using the Egorov-Levitsky table, women at any age can easily determine their norm. To do this, you need to look at the data between the age and height columns. So, after 30 years with a height of 165, a woman should weigh 70 kilograms.

Depending on which methods for determining ideal parameters are chosen, the indicators will differ. But this is quite subjective. After all, with the same height and kilograms, some girls can be plump, while others can be thin. When calculating your parameters, you need to remember your body type.

✔Weight table by age

You can determine the ideal body weight for women after 30 thanks to the data in the table, taking into account height. So, at 30 years old, girls with a height of 155 cm should weigh 54 kg, 160 cm - 59 kg, 165 cm - 64 kg, 170 cm - 68 kg, 175 cm - 73 kg.

✔Weight by body type

There are three body types characteristic of women:

• Asthenic, in which there is an elongated silhouette, long thin limbs, light bones, flaccid muscles. Usually there is no problem with being overweight.
• Normostethics have proportional body parts, most often distinguished by beautiful figures.
• The hypersthenic type is characterized by a predominance of transverse parameters. In particular, they have broad shoulders, voluminous chest, wide pelvis. It is women of this type who are most prone to being overweight.

You can determine your type visually, as well as using the wrist circumference parameter. For the first type it is less than 16 cm, for the third type it is more than 18.5 cm. An intermediate value is characteristic of the second type.

✔Worries about excess weight

After 30 years, body weight changes slightly. At this time, the woman is already fully formed, her body is mature. The hormonal background is significantly different from what it was in adolescence. In addition, after 35 years, women reconsider their diet and learn to give up junk food, preferring healthy ones.

If, during regular weighing, the scale shows a slight fluctuation in body weight, then there is no cause for concern.

If a sharp weight gain is noted in a young woman, then you should pay attention to this phenomenon. The reasons for such fast dialing may be:

• Uncontrolled eating, overeating,
• Stress and depression,
• Disruption of the endocrine system,
• Use of hormonal drugs.

If the problem is related to nutrition or stress, then the girl can return to normal on her own, with proper nutrition and limiting yourself from worries. If a sharp increase in weight was the result of changes in hormonal levels or internal diseases of the body, then you need to consult a doctor, treat the cause, and then deal with kilograms.

✔Foods that increase appetite

If your weight has changed due to nutrition, then it needs to be adjusted. A person does not always think about what he uses every day. At the same time, there is a whole list of products that increase appetite. And as a result of this, eating more food than required.

These products include:

• Acidic foods: pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, sauerkraut, green apples;
• Salty foods, especially chips, nuts, etc.;
• Freshly squeezed juices,
• Oat flakes,
• Whole wheat bread,
• Sweets,
• Seasonings, spices, herbs (greens).

By normalizing your diet, you can easily get rid of excess weight or, conversely, gain the missing kilograms.

A sharp weight gain in women, the causes of which can be determined by the attending physician, often indicates the development of a dangerous disease. Timely identification of the problem and subsequent treatment will help preserve not only the health, but also the life of the patient.

Lack of sleep

If a woman doesn't get enough sleep for several months, she may find that she has gained weight. According to numerous studies, lack of sleep almost always causes overeating the next day. Scientists have found the answer to the question of why weight increases. Lack of sleep increases the production of hunger hormones - ghrelin and leptin. The appetite begins to grow. This reaction of the body is more often observed with chronic lack of sleep.

After a sleepless night, a person feels weak and apathetic, which leads to lower energy expenditure. This becomes another reason for the development of obesity. An adult's sleep should last at least 8-10 hours. If you have the appropriate opportunity, sleeping for 30-40 minutes is also recommended during the day.

Stress and fatigue

To answer the question of why I gain weight during stress, a woman must pay attention to her behavior during a stressful situation. Feeling psychological discomfort, people strive to return to a more comfortable state with the help of tasty but unhealthy food - pastries, pies, sweets, pizza, chips, etc. Often people living in a state of constant stress do not monitor their diet and the quality of what they consume. products.

There is another explanation for why you gain weight. Frequent stress increases the production of the hormones norepinephrine and adrenaline. An excess of these hormones provokes an increase in cholesterol and glucose levels in the blood, which leads to diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis.

Avoiding obesity will help avoid uncontrolled eating during times of stress. You need to switch your attention: take a walk, listen to your favorite music, call a friend. Chronic fatigue can also be a cause of severe stress for the body, which can be avoided by periodic breaks in work and active recreation in nature.

Taking medications

Women gain weight when taking certain groups of drugs:

1. Medicines for diabetes. If a woman suffers diabetes mellitus type 2 and takes medication, after a while she may find that she has gained weight. To prevent obesity, you should use classic methods of dealing with extra pounds - sports training and dietary nutrition. For the treatment of type 2 diabetes, it is recommended to use modern drugs that do not increase body weight and normalize blood sugar levels, for example, Siofor.
2. Antidepressants. Drugs such as Sertraline, Paroxetine and Prozac can lead to obesity. Despite the fact that extra pounds appear only after 1 year of using these drugs, antidepressants should be taken under the supervision of a doctor.
3. Oral contraceptives. Contraceptives can lead to fluid retention in the body, which causes excess weight. If oral contraceptives are the reason for gaining extra pounds, a woman should try other remedies. unwanted pregnancy- condoms, intrauterine devices, etc.
4. Steroids. The need for the use of this group of drugs arises in the treatment of skin tuberculosis, inflammatory processes some internal organs and other diseases. Overweight can be gained even with short-term use of steroids. However, if you stop taking medicine, weight in short terms returns to normal. If long-term use is necessary, the doctor should select an alternative drug.

Diseases

Not knowing why the weight is increasing, a woman can be examined for diseases that lead to the appearance of extra pounds:

1. Diabetes mellitus. Patients with this disease experience an increase in appetite, which leads to uncontrolled eating. Diabetes also increases thirst, forcing patients to drink more fluids.
2. Hypothyroidism. The disease occurs due to insufficient activity of the thyroid gland, as a result of which the production of thyroid hormones decreases. In most cases, hormonal deficiency is caused by a lack of iodine in the body. The cause of weight gain with hypothyroidism is a slowdown in metabolism caused by a deficiency of thyroid hormones.
3. Nephrotic syndrome. With this disease, the kidneys are not able to cope with the removal of even small amounts of fluid from the body. Because of excess liquid The patient's weight can increase by 50% or more.
4. Neoplasms of various nature. If there is a tumor of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, the patient experiences constant hunger and begins to eat large quantities than before the appearance of the neoplasm. Weight gain may also be associated with gradual tumor growth.

To lose weight, you first need to fight not the effect, but the cause.

Menopause

When I reach the age of 40-45 years, a woman often states that I am quickly gaining weight. During menopause, ovarian function is suppressed, and a hormonal imbalance begins in the body. Due to a decrease in the production of the hormones progesterone and estrogen, the correct flow of metabolic processes is disrupted. Most of the calories entering the body are converted into fat deposits. Fatty tissue accumulates in the abdomen, thighs and buttocks.

To prevent a woman from gaining weight during menopause, she needs to reconsider her usual diet. Alcohol, sweets, baked goods, fatty, salty and fried foods are undesirable. You should avoid dishes with spices, as spices increase appetite and increase thirst. For regular bowel function, you should consume low-fat foods daily. fermented milk products, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat and fish. Every day a woman should drink at least 6 glasses of liquid. Regular physical activity will help you stay slim.