Sudden Weight Gain Causes

If you have been physically inactive for one or more reasons, chances are high that you will gain weight. The other possibility is that you are not following your regular diet. However, if there is sudden gain of weight and body mass without any change in physical activity or your eating habits, you will have to examine the causes.

Very often, we are so engrossed in our daily activities that we neglect our bodies totally. We are totally detached from what the body is trying to tell us. If you want to find out the causes behind gaining a lot of weight in a very short span of time, you will have to slow down and listen to your body first. This will enable you to rule out any illness.

There are many causes for this condition, and a few of them are explained here.

• Medication prescribed for arthritis, asthma, etc., which contain steroids in any form can lead to a sudden spurt in weight in very short time.
• There are some medications that may affect your desire to exercise and lead to gaining body mass.

• Diabetes tablets, antidepressants, or mood stabilizers are other medications that may contribute.
• If you have noticed that after starting some prescription medication you have gained weight suddenly, talk to your physician about it. He will be able to help you with the problem.

• Edema is also known as 'fluid retention', and it happens when fluids build up in the body.
• Fluid retention can lead to rapid and unexplained weight gain.
• There are many reasons that can cause fluid retention.

• Edema can be caused by serious health conditions like kidney diseases or heart failure.
• Non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medicines can also lead to water retention in the body.
• In the case of women, water retention may be a part of the premenstrual syndrome that they suffer from.

• Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid glands do not produce sufficient amounts of thyroid hormone.
• These hormones are necessary, as they help in regulating the metabolism of the body.
• When these hormones are short in supply, the calorie burning mechanism of the body is disturbed causing sudden increase of those pounds.

• If you are trying to do away with any of your addictions, chances are high that this may be the reason behind rapid increase in weight.
• This may be happening, because whenever you have the urge for your addictions, you may end up snacking instead.

• In all probability, these snacks are high in calories.
• Instead, whenever you feel like snacking, stick to low-calorie food items.
• You can try eating a cucumber or a carrot or something similar.
• At the same time, exercises will help you to fight the food cravings that you are currently experiencing.

• Dietary changes are a common cause.
• Often, people want to lose weight, and go on various kinds of diets.
• For example, consider a high protein diet. In this diet, the person cuts down on carbohydrates and consumes high amounts of protein.
• However, this may not suit a particular person and may lead to this condition instead.

• Pregnancy is one of the common causes for an increase in those pounds.
• If you have stopped birth control measures, it might be a vital cause for this condition.

• Some fatty acids are required in the body to produce certain hormones that are responsible for maintaining the metabolic rate of the body.
• Deficiency of these acids can lead to cravings, and the person might end up eating high fat food.

• There are people who counter stress or depression by eating excessively.
• Chances are high that the person might not understand that he is stressed and hence, he is eating too much to divert his mind.

• Refined carbohydrates can cause high variations in the blood sugar levels leading to sugar cravings.
• This leads to a person resorting to more eating, and it becomes a vicious cycle.

If any of the above-mentioned sudden weight gain causes are not applicable in your case, then you may want to visit your health care professional at the earliest. Remember, regular exercise and healthy nutritious eating is the key to good health and fitness.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.