If you started taking in more calories than usual or cutting back on exercise, you wouldn’t be surprised if the numbers on the scale crept higher.
But what if you’re doing everything the same as you always do, and your weight still goes up? It’s time
to delve a little deeper into what else might be going on.
1 Lack of Sleep
There are two issues at work with sleep and weight gain. First, if you’re up late, the odds are greater that you’re doing some late-nigh
t snacking, which means you are taking in more calories and not burning them off. The other reason involves what’s going on in your body when you’re sleep-deprived.
Changes in hormone levels increase hunger and appetite and also make you feel not as full after eating.
2 Stress
When life’s demands get too intense, our bodies go into survival mode.
Cortisol, the “stress hormone,” is secreted, which causes an increase in appetite. And of course, we will always reach for high-calorie comfort foods in times of stress as well. This combination is a perfect breeding ground for weight gain.
3 Antidepressants
An unfortunate side effect of some antidepressants is weight gain. Talk to your doctor about making changes to your treatment plan if you think your antidepressant is causing weight gain.
You must never stop or change your medication on your own. Realize that some people experience weight gain after beginning drug treatment simply because they’re feeling better, which can lead to a better appetite and weight gain.
Also, depression itself can cause changes in weight.
4 Steroids
Anti-inflammatory steroid medications like prednisone are notorious for causing weight gain. Fluid retention and increased appetite are the main reasons.
Some people may also see a temporary change in where their body holds fat while taking steroids —
to places like the face, the belly, or the back of the neck.
If you’ve taken steroids for more than a week, don’t stop them abruptly. That can lead to serious problems. Always check with your doctor first.
5 Drugs That May Cause Weight Gain
Several other prescription drugs are linked to weight gain. The list includes antipsychotic drugs (used to treat disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), along with medications to treat migraines, seizures, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Always be aware of what you are taking and what side affects there are concerning weight gain.
Work with your doctor to find a medication that treats your symptoms and lessens side effects.
6 Don’t Jump to Blame the Pill
Contrary to popular belief, combination birth control pills (estrogen and progestin) aren’t proven to cause lasting weight gain. It
is thought that some women taking the combination pill may experience some weight gain related to fluid retention, but this is usually short-term.
If you’re still concerned about possible weight gain, talk to your doctor.
7 Hypothyroidism
If your thyroid (the butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck) is not making enough thyroid hormone, you’re probably feeling tired, weak, and cold, and gaining weight.
Without enough thyroid hormone, your metabolism slows, making weight gain more likely. Even a thyroid functioning at the lower end of the normal range might cause weight gain.
Treating hypothyroidism with medication may reverse some of the weight gains.
8 Don’t Blame Menopause
Most women do gain some weight around the time of menopause, but hormones probably aren’t the only cause. Aging also slows your metabolism, so you will burn fewer calories.
And changes in lifestyle (such as exercising less) also play a role. But where you gain weight may be related to menopause, with fat accumulating around your waist more than your hips and thighs.
9 Cushing’s syndrome
Weight gain is a common symptom of Cushing’s syndrome, a condition in which you are exposed to too much of the stress hormone cortisol, which in turn causes weight gain and other abnormalities.
You can get Cushing’s syndrome if you take steroids for asthma, arthritis, or lupus. It can also happen when your adrenal glands make too much cortisol, or it could be related to a tumor. The weight gain may be most prominent around the face, neck, upper back, or waist.
10 Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a common hormonal problem in women of childbearing age. Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts in their ovaries. This condition leads to hormone imbalances that affect a woman’s menstrual cycle and can lead to extra body hair and acne.
Women with this condition are resistant to insulin (the hormone that controls blood sugar), so it may cause weight gain. The weight tends to collect around the belly, putting these women at greater risk for heart disease.
11 Quitting Smoking
Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. 
When you quit, you may gain some weight, but perhaps less than you think.
On average, people who stop smoking gain less than 10 pounds. You should stop feeling hungrier after several weeks, which will make it easier to help lose any weight you might have gained.
What is actually required to lose weight?
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A healthy and positive attitude to training and nutrition. Amongst other things, this means no starvation diets!
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Appropriate nutrition. Again, this means “not too much, not too little”. Undereating is perhaps just as bad as overeating.
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Appropriate exercise program. This is an important point because a lot of people are scared off by the thought of unpleasant, excessive training programs. Or, they’ll choose a form of exercise that is not suitable to the physique they are trying to achieve.
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Patience and consistency, matched with realism. If you’re significantly overweight, chances are that this was a gradual process that snuck up on you over an extended period of time. While we’d hope to make steady progress and lose weight faster than we gained it, it’s about keeping it off long term as well. So crash diets are not the answer! You have to be realistic as well, and accept that “you got to live” and you’re not going to be able to stick to your plan with 100% accuracy, 100% of the time.
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You have to believe if you want to achieve. Belief systems are a big part of this.
Conclusion:
That’s the basic explanation but the difference between success and failure will always be in doing “what is actually required” rather than an inappropriate approach that is either more extreme than is necessary, or completely inadequate.