Women may unexpectedly gain weight for any of a number of reasons, especially as a part of their bodies’ natural hormonal cycles. From weight gain associated with certain conditions such as hypothyroidism to weight gain during pregnancy that won’t come off, many individuals at some point experience challenges when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight.
For those women who do experience weight gain without being certain of its cause, the first step they should take is examining their lifestyle to see if there have been any major changes in recent months. In some instances, weight gain can easily be explained away with a logical assessment of a major life change. For example, one major change could be a move away from the big city, where walking every day was the norm, and into a suburban locale where you drive everywhere you go.
Many women may experience weight gain as a part of an underlying emotional issue, such as stress, anxiety, or even depression. In these instances, treating the underlying emotional issue can be a crucial element in an individual’s weight loss efforts. Any assessment that an individual undergoes after unexpected weight gain should include a checkup of physical factors such as hormones (including the all-important thyroid hormone) to ensure that this is not a factor in the weight gain.
Many women experience unexpected weight gain as a part of the aging process. Most individuals know that the metabolism begins to slow down at some point. When that happens, the body does not burn off calories as effectively as it used to. This can lead to weight gain when there is not a change in the amount of physical activity that an individual undertakes or the amount of food that they eat on a daily basis. Those who believe that a slowing metabolism is causing their weight gain can speak with their doctors about natural ways to boost their metabolism. One of the most common – and effective – is a healthier appetite and increased physical activity. Which, of course, is a crucial tool in losing weight anyway.
Among the many life changes that may be associated with weight gain, menopause is perhaps the most prominent. For some women, the onset of menopause is a great source of relief. For others, it is a time of trials and tribulations.
However, virtually all women will experience some changes in their bodies, and one of the most common changes is a decreased ability to lose weight or unexpected and unexplained weight gain. The loss of certain hormones within the body as well as the general imbalance of hormones can be a major factor in weight gain for some women.
Those who find it especially difficult to keep weight off as they go through the process of menopause may consider speaking with their doctors about the possibility of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), which can bring new balance to their body and help them vastly improve their quality of life even in light of some of the biggest changes that occur as a part of menopause.
