Oh, that dang scale. In the classes that I facilitate we have private weigh ins every week. Sometimes people are surprised at the number. Both good (wow, I’m down? I did awful last week!) and bad (I’m doing everything right, why am I not losing weight?) Or they are doing everything right and gaining. Sometimes I don’t see anything wrong with their food logs. So what gives?
The first thing to ask yourself is if you are REALLY eating the same or better than before. Even if you are tracking calories in an app like MyFitnessPal, it’s possible that you are eating more than you think or burning less than you think. Check out this infographic from Precision Nutrition.
If you are POSITIVE that your eating hasn’t changed or has improved, the good news/bad news is that there are a LOT of things that can affect your weight.
A lot of it comes down to your metabolic rate which is affected by things like your activity level, history of dieting, body composition, and even what you eat.
So let’s go beyond the “eat less and exercise more” advice and dive into some of the less obvious underlying reasons why you may be gaining weight even though you’re eating the same.
Things like:
- Aging;
- Hormones;
- Sleep;
- Stress
Aging
Funny things happen the older we get. People commonly experience lower energy levels, more digestive discomfort, weight gain, as well as aches and pains.
Aging can result in hormonal changes for both men and women. And these can contribute to loss of some lean muscle mass, as well as increases and changes in fat storage on our bodies.
The good thing is that, this is very common and not your fault one bit.
Hormones
Your thyroid is the master controller of your metabolism and can be a massive contributor to your weight gain. There are several things that can affect it and throw it off course.
When your thyroid gets off course and produces fewer hormones your metabolism slows down. And when your metabolism slows down you can gain weight. Even though you’re eating the same way you always have.
Pro Tip: Talk with your doctor about having your hormones tested. I did an at home test and discovered my thyroid was out of whack. I was able to see an integrative medicine doctor and am controlling things with a natural supplement.
Sleep
There is plenty of research that shows the influence that sleep has on your metabolic rate.
And as we age it can become harder and harder to get a good night’s sleep.
The general consensus is to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to help avoid weight gain.
It’s true! Lack of sleep is linked with weight gain.
Who ever thought you can sleep off your weight?
Pro Tip: Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. The first place to start is by implementing a calming before bedtime routine.
Stress
It seems to be everywhere! So many things that can cause stress responses in your body.
And you know that stress hormones are not going to help you sustain healthy habits or maintain a healthy weight, right?
While you can’t necessarily change your stressors you can try to adjust your stress response to them.
Pro Tip: Try meditation or yoga. Or even mindful eating. What about those new adult coloring books that are all the rage now?
Conclusion:
There are lots of factors that can affect your weight, even if you’re eating the same way you always have. Aging, hormones, stress, and sleep are all interconnected to each other and can all contribute to weight gain, even if you’re eating the same way you always have.
For further reading:
https://authoritynutrition.com/lose-weight-in-menopause/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/sleep-stress-and-fat-loss
What's on your mind?