50 Unexpected Causes of Weight Gain Part 2

Lifestyle Small changes in the way you live or elements of your daily life may be to blame for your weight gain.

1. Going on vacation. If you’ve just gotten back from vacation and noticed you’ve put on a few pounds, you’re not alone. Studies have shown that people often throw good eating habits out the window when they’re on a break, so give yourself a few weeks to get back into the habit of eating right and you’re likely to see the gain go away.
2. Working too much. Being a workaholic can not only stress you out and lead to weight gain, but it’s more than likely requiring that you spend hours in front of a computer screen, not moving much. This inactivity can cause you to burn few calories than usual and put on a few pounds over time.
3. Lack of sleep. As odd as it may seem, not getting enough sleep could be a major reason that you’re putting on weight. When you’re tired your body can’t function as it normally would and begins storing more fat.
4. Stress. Whether you’re stressed about a job, home life or something else, you could be setting yourself up to put on more weight. Our bodies react to stress by slowing down and storing more energy, anticipating hard times ahead.
5. Relying on "low fat" foods. Don’t fall for the low fat packaging on many supposedly healthy foods. Many of these foods contain just as many calories as their high fat counterparts and aren’t really all that healthy at all.
6. Not eating enough fiber. Studies have shown the fiber creates a feeling of fullness and satisfaction when eating that can cause you to eat less. If you feel like you just can’t get full, try switching to a higher fiber diet.
7. Too much high fructose corn syrup. A major ingredient in many sweet treats, this syrupy substance can also be a contributor to weight gain. Your body uses fructose more like a fat than it does glucose, another sugar, which it uses more as an energy source.
8. Drinking too much soda. While it may help perk you up when you’re dragging after lunch, too much soda can help you to pack on the pounds. Containing loads of high fructose corn syrup not to mention calories, soda can be a quiet culprit in weight gain, so if you can’t give it up at least try switching to diet.
9. Friends who are overeaters. If you find that when you go out to dinner with your friends that they encourage you to eat more than you should you may be putting on weight that you could otherwise avoid. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid these friends, just do things that don’t involve eating or be firm about being full.
10. Paying with credit cards at dinner. Studies by major credit card companies have shown that people are inclined to order more food when they are paying by credit card rather than with cash. Keep your hungry eyes from wandering by paying for your meals with paper rather than plastic.
11. Not eating enough. Oddly enough, starving yourself may have the opposite effect than what you desire, at least at first. When your body is starving it will slow down your metabolism and store energy, causing food to stick around longer. So eat right instead of just eating less.
12. Quitting smoking. Some people find that they pack on a few pounds after they quit smoking. Of course, this shouldn’t be a deterrent to quitting as the health benefits of not smoking far outweigh the costs of a few pounds. Just work to compensate for the change by adjusting your diet and lifestyle.
13. Small lifestyle changes. Sometimes your life with undergo small changes that you may not even be aware of related to your eating habits and fitness. Think hard about something that could have changed in your life that would be causing a weight gain.
14. Settling into a relationship. The old stereotype may be true, being in love can cause you to put on more weight. If you notice that you may be a little less conscious about what you eat nowadays, try to get your sweetie involved as well and make it a dual effort to stay fit and sexy.
15. Portion size. Just because something is put in front of you doesn’t mean you have to eat it. You may not realize you’re eating far too much due to simply being served more, so watch what you’re eating.
16. Spending too much time at the bar. Beer and mixed drinks can form a sneaky way for calories to creep into your diet. If you’ve been drinking more than usual your liquid diet could be to blame for your weight gain.
17. Feeling guilty. Many people feel guilty about putting on weight and get depressed, sometimes giving up or emotionally eating instead. Don’t beat yourself up over a few pounds, just try to do better in the future.
18. Skipping meals. Skipping meals can slow down your metabolism and cause you to overeat when you do actually sit down to a meal. So space your meals throughout the day to avoid meal related weight gain.
19. Eating too fast. You may be starving, but slow down and take time to enjoy your meal. It will give your body a chance to register that it’s full before you eat too much.
20. Not intensifying your workout routine. You may be working out, but are you working hard enough? Over time you need to ramp up your workout routine to get the same effect, so make sure you’re not just working out in name alone.

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