Why We Gain Weight

There are many myths surrounding weight loss and weight gain. In this short article I'm going to outline the real reasons we gain weight. Each person is an individual and as such there are complex interlinking reasons why we are the weight we are. If we can understand the reasons behind our weight, we can go some way to reducing our weight and living a healthier life!

Genes
Maybe you're born with it! Don't you hate your friends who never seem to put on any weight? Well, it might just be their genes. Some people have finely tuned appetites that allow them to eat just the right amount of food for their metabolism so they hardly ever put on weight. Others might find it more difficult to "hear" their body's signals of being full, so they tend to overeat and put on weight. Don't worry though, your genetic make up doesn't mean you can't lose weight, just that you need to factor in your own sensitivities to you meal times.

Bad Habits
Bad eating habits can easily cause us to be overweight. Often these habits are formed very early on in life and pattern us into eating specific types of food that make us put on weight more easily. Habits can be anything from always snaking in front of the TV to cravings for particular types of food. Noticing your habits can help you take control of them and cut down on unhealthy eating.

Emotions
Our emotions play a big role in our lives, and they can be our downfall when it comes to losing weight. Emotions are tightly linked to habits. The whole notion of comfort food plays in this arena, and it is usually a downward spiral - we feel bad so we eat foods that are high in fat, that makes us feel bad because we know we shouldn't, but feeling bad makes us eat foods that are high in fat etc etc. Understand how you react to various emotions with respect to food and you can avoid the inevitable weight gains.

Inactivity
By far the biggest cause of weight gain and obesity - inactivity. Simply put if you do not do some exercise, you will never be able to maintain a healthy weight. You don't have to be a gym freak to lose weight, but you do need a consistent and enjoyable exercise routine to help your body burn off excess calories and keep you trim and looking and feeling great.