4 Potential Reasons For Your Sudden Weight Gain

Oh no! There’s nothing more frustrating than stepping on the scale and seeing the numbers go up yet again. For some people, the cause of your weight gain may be a no-brainer. Maybe you’ve recently been injured and haven’t been able to keep up with your exercise regime. Or maybe you’ve just been indulging more than usual.

However, for some people, the cause of their weight gain may come as a surprise. Seeing an unexpected increase on the scale can leave you scratching your head and wondering, “What went wrong?” Remember, while everybody’s body is different, the reason for your weight gain may be tied to some of these causes.

Thyroid Problems

The thyroid is a tiny little gland with a big impact on our bodies. Your thyroid is responsible for producing hormones that regulate your metabolism. If your thyroid becomes underactive, it could lead to a slowed-down metabolism, and ultimately fewer calories being burned.

In other words, when you put energy into your body, it’s not being burned off, but rather stored. It’s important to schedule an appointment with your doctor to determine whether an underactive thyroid may be at play, in which case they may prescribe special medication to regulate your condition.

You’re Gaining Muscle

Before you assume that all of your hard work at the gym isn’t paying off, the truth is that it may very well be! When you gain muscle, you may actually gain weight since it’s denser than fat.

Instead of relying on the scale alone to determine your fitness, you should also measure your total body fat. If your weight has gone up but your body fat percentage has gone down, then this is great news and nothing to be alarmed about.

Water Weight

Sometimes the cause for your weight gain may be due to good old-fashioned water retention. Our bodies can retain extra water for all sorts of reasons. Perhaps we are eating more sodium than usual, or maybe our hormones are fluctuating. The way you can determine whether it’s water weight or not is if you notice a significant gain overnight.

There’s no possible way that you could gain five pounds of fat overnight, for example. So be realistic when trusting the scale. Although hydration can be a good thing, it can also be deceiving when you weigh yourself.

You’re Snacking

So you’re convinced that you’re following all the right dietary measures, and as far as you’re concerned there should be no reason for your weight gain. However, it’s often those small and seemingly innocent snacks throughout the day that can add up over time.

Even though it may seem like “no big deal” to have a few small snacks throughout the day, when you add them up, they can add up to the equivalent of an entire meal. Stay accountable for what you eat, and write it all down. In many cases, you may be eating a lot more than you even realize.