You may think that the things getting in the way of your weight loss are obvious, but sometimes the culprits are sneakier than you think. Even things that are meant to be good for your sense of wellbeing, such as friends and exercising, can actually curb your weight loss results.
Firstly, having close friends is often beneficial to your wellness, but according to research being overweight can be contagious among friends. One study suggested that if you have heavier friends, you are more likely to gain weight, whilst another indicated that obese friends increase your chances of obesity by 50%. However, being slim is also contagious so why not arrange healthy, fun group activities such as walks, bike rides or dance classes together?
Additionally, diet foods, such as smoothies and cereal bars, could in fact be causing you to gain weight. Many ‘healthy’ cereal bars can contain as much fat, sugar and kilojoules as an average chocolate bar, and according to research by the Texas Health Science Centre at San Antonio, when you drink diet drinks every day this leads to a 70% higher chance of weight gain than if you didn’t drink any. Also, whilst exercise is important for your health, studies have shown that if you rely on it solely for weight loss, it can be ineffective.
There are other unlikely lifestyle factors that cause your weight gain. According to researchers at the University of Washington, if you’re getting less than seven hours of sleep a night you’re more likely to have higher body weight, whereas the longer you sleep, the less impact the obesity gene has on your weight. Perhaps you’re losing sleep over your ‘to do’ list, which is another weight loss hurdle. Having a hectic daily to-do list can lead to feelings of anxiety and stress, which leads to weight gain because stress hormones increase your appetite and affect your distribution of fat, giving you an unhealthy ‘apple’ shape. Also, being busy can make you fuel up on junk food.
Your job may be another hurdle due to stress, but also there’s a lot of food temptation lurking in the office. How many times have you been tempted by staff meeting refreshments, a colleague’s birthday cake, business lunches or edible gifts from grateful patients or clients? There’s a lot of peer pressure to indulge, and 62% of people break their diets mid-afternoon (3.23pm) due to stress or boredom. Finally, if you don’t know about a food sensitivity you have, this can trigger symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating and skin problems, as well as, you guessed it, weight gain. Food sensitivities make your body create insulin and cortisol, which lead to fat storage in the abdomen, and ironically, foods you are sensitive to are actually addictive. Perhaps it’s time to get tested for sensitivities you might have.
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