A client asked recently why she isn’t losing weight despite her strict dieting and regular strenuous exercise. Like many people, she’s assuming that calorie intake alone is affecting her weight. But there are other reasons why we gain weight that have nothing to do with calories and exercise. Here are 5:
Prescription drugs. Certain prescription drugs will promote weight gain. These include the antidepressants (particularly Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft), steroid anti-inflammatories (prednisone), drugs given for bipolar disorder, and medications given for hyperthyroidism. Learn about drug detoxification.
Scrawny muscles. Muscles are the body’s most potent force for the burning of calories. Any physical, whether walking through a parking lot or jogging up a mountain, will burn more calories if there are more muscles doing the physical activity. Better muscle volume also increases our calorie burn when the body is resting. The more muscles you have, higher the metabolism.
Dehydration. When your body doesn’t have sufficient fluid to function, it retains the fluid it does have. This creates fluid retention, which in turn adds inches to our body.
Splenda. Be cautious of the alternative sweeteners that boast zero calories. There are two reasons why they might lead to weight gain to the uninformed dieter. A 2008 research study by Duke University found that Splenda contributes to weight gain and destroys good bacteria in the intestinal track. There is also mounting evidence that substitute sweeteners raise insulin levels, which causes the body to store fat. Learn more about splenda and weight gain.
Bad food combinations. Nutrition research that shows that the ratio of carbohydrates, protein and fat in our body affects our insulin production, which in turn, affects how much fat our body burns or stores. This is true for every meal, including small snacks. If you have a reasonable snack of a rice cake with sugar free jelly, you are getting a meal entirely of carbs — no protein and no fat. Despite the fact that your calorie intake is merely 150 calories, your insulin levels will spike as though you just ate a couple of donuts. The key to keeping insulin levels low is to include a little protein and fat with every carb you eat. Learn about food combining and weight loss.
