Not gaining weight is extremely important for keeping good levels of health, as staying fit considerably lowers the risk of serious chronic disease, while boosting mood and enhancing self-confidence.
But maintaining a healthy weight is not always easy, especially for people with low metabolism, a fast paced lifestyle and following modern diets rich in calories and processed foods.
Once more, move more and eat less seems to be the magical combination of factors leading to losing extra weight and get back in shape. A good way to start is to skip sitting on the couch all day and watch TV. Turn off television and start thinking of ways to improve your quality of life, as changes cannot be avoided when deciding to become the best version of yourself.
In order to limit chances of developing severe conditions and boost overall health, you should know that is normal for most adults to put on one or two pounds each year. Gaining weight at a faster rate may translate into more chances of becoming chronically ill at some point in life.
So we can not stress enough the importance of keeping a fit silhouette, for both mental and physical health related aspects.
But what causes weight gain?
Knowing what causes weight accumulation is a good starting point, as you will be aware of what to avoid, what to change and what to keep doing.
- Poor diet: the quantity and quality of food in our daily diets have a strong impact on body weight. Stick to small portions loaded with fresh ingredients and stay away from processed foods, rich in carbohydrates, sugar, salt and artificial additives. Do not eat unhealthy fats and increase fibre consumption for an improved digestion. Maintaining a regular meal schedule is also important. And, of course, limit or stop alcohol and tobacco consumption in order to considerably lower health risks.
- Lack of physical exercise: staying active has a lot of benefits over health, including weight loss and all related advantages. Exercising is one of the key elements of body weight control, so you must start thinking about ways to boost movement and stave off the sedentary lifestyle so commonly linked to a modern lifestyle.
- Sleep: according to studies, short sleepers have higher risks of becoming overweight when compared to people sleeping an average of 7 hours per night, due to the fact that people who do not get enough sleep simply have more opportunities to spend that time eating.
- Genes: some individuals are genetically predisposed to gain weight more easily, but the good news is that genetic predisposition can also be balanced by eating a healthy diet, staying active and avoiding unhealthy habits.
- Hormones: hormones can control appetite, sleep, mood and considerably impact weight gain and illnesses, so make an appointment with your doctor to make sure your hormonal levels are in check.
