Reasons you are gaining weight which has nothing to do with food

Be it weight loss or weight gain, there can be more than one reason for it. But weight gain, in particular, can be quite disheartening especially if you follow a healthy, disciplined diet. But, what many don't realise is that the weight gain is not entirely because of food! If you, like many others, feel bad about your changed appearance, you should know that the reason you have gained those extra kilos can also be something other than diet and exercise. We list out a few warning signs you should be looking out for:

The smog and dust attacks our body; our immune system slows down, making you feel sick and tired, which increases your dependency on food. Pollution also leads to inflammation of vital organs, which has been singled out as one of the biggest causes for obesity and diabetes.

While certain bacteria present in the body help in warding off illnesses and keeping the immune system healthy, the same bacteria can also impact your weight, making you put on the extra kilos.

Genetics also have a big role to play in affecting weight gain. If you see yourself battling a weight issue in spite of maintaining a good lifestyle, your genes, which are linked to slow metabolism may be the cause for this. In fact, a study conducted in Minnesota found out that the risk for weight gain is up to eight times higher for people than the ones with no family history.

Contraceptive pills, just like medication are also linked to rapid weight gain as they contain powerful compounds like SSRI and weight gain related hormones which impact your metabolism. However, birth control pills, which have a low dose of hormones in them do not have the same effect.

As you get older, the body composition also undergoes a change. Muscles weaken and the elasticity of the skin is also compromised. The presence of visceral fat, which is concentrated around the abdominal area also increases, which in turn leads to weight gain.

Blame it on your emotions. Any kind of stress affects you in more ways than one and also leads to weight problems. If you are an emotional eater, you tend to attach dependence on food and this can be a contributing factor for unexplained weight gain.

Facing sleep problems makes you exhausted and not to forget, forces the body into stress. This, in turn, imbalances the hormones and also affects the hormones. If you stay up all night, you are also bound to feel hungrier as the body doesn't get rest. Getting a minimum of seven hours ensures that healthy weight is maintained.

One of the basic rules for effective weight management is maintaining a proper diet regime as well as paying attention to exercising well. Only focusing on a single goal doesn’t do the job. You might lose weight but the body reacts to this process by activating the hunger hormones, which in turn make you feel even hungrier. Again, if you regularly workout at the gym, you might be seeing a muscle build up, which is also counted as the body weight.

Believe it or not, the plastic all around us is also responsible for the weight gain. One of the most dangerous components found in most plastic products is BPA (Bisphenol-A), which not only pollutes the environment but also disturbs our natural metabolism. When the system reacts to it, it can lead to a rise in insulin levels as well as fat cell formation, which are both reasons which contribute to obesity.