Most people experience weight gain at some point in their life, but what leads people to gain weight in the first place can vary substantially, as can the way they choose to deal with it. Some people cannot bear to put on weight and set about losing it as soon as possible, whilst others are less concerned with gaining a few pounds and either continue to put on weight or maintain their slightly heavier weight. Ideally, individuals would recognise the factors which cause them to gain weight so they could prevent weight gain in the first place, and whilst weight gain is usually a case of people consuming more calories than they burn, there are often other issues at work, which are not always possible to control.

Teenagers who are a healthy weight can find themselves gaining weight once they reach their twenties, as their metabolism begins to slow down. Even if they eat exactly the same diet as before, their bodies require less energy, and so any excess calories will be stored as fat. A changing metabolism is also known to affect people when they enter middle-age, particularly women who have entered the menopause. Not only does their metabolism decrease, their body fat composition changes so that they usually gain weight around their abdomen, rather than on their hips and thighs.

Women are also lucky enough to gain weight during pregnancy, which they can find difficult to shift afterwards, particularly as looking after their baby can be time consuming, and thus they generally spend less time looking after their own health and fitness. However, it seems that men are not immune to weight gain during this time, often putting on a few sympathetic pregnancy pounds.

Indeed, contented couples often find that over the years they slip into a comfortable routine which generally doesn't include much exercise but does involve eating a bit too much, and usually the wrong kind of food. They know each other's flaws and are prepared to tolerate each other's weight gain, particularly if they have had children who they would clearly prefer to their spend time with, rather than going to the gym every day.

There are individuals and couples who do like to exercise and to stay slim and toned, but find that other obstacles crop up in their lives. Sometimes injury can prevent regular exercise, and if individuals fail to adjust their calorie intake accordingly, find that they gain weight. Others find that their mental state can cause them to gain weight, as depression can lead some people to seek comfort in food and make them less inclined to get out of bed each morning to go for a run. Plus, there are also prescription medicines which can cause people to gain weight.

Weight gain can therefore be influenced by a variety of factors, not just simply that people are getting lazier and eating more. Getting the calorie balance right is obviously crucial for people to manage their weight, but even when people do eat too much there are usually underlying reasons for doing so. The main point is for individuals to deal with the issues behind their weight gain before their weight becomes a much more serious problem.

Learn more about this author, Michelle Wilkinson.
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