Medical Conditions Causing Weight Gain

There are some people blessed with fast metabolisms that they can eat whatever they want and still lose weight. Even when they get to their 30s, they get to eat what they want and without much effort, are still able to maintain their weight.

There are also those who have to control their eating and make sure they get regular exercise to get the weight that they want. If they choose to eat junk and lessen their exercise, without a doubt, they gain weight quickly.

But there are also people who suddenly gain weight without intending to. Even those with fast and slow metabolisms are not exempt from this unintentional weight gain, and it comes at any age, gender, race, size, or shape.

It can be disappointing to gain weight when you do all you can to eat healthily and exercise regularly. You even say “no” to many of your favorite foods so that you can maintain your 25-inch waistline. You even say “no” to many late night-outs so you can avoid unnecessary calories found in many alcoholic drinks and their paired snacks.

There are many medical conditions that cause unintentional weight gain including diabetes, pregnancy, hypothyroidism, hormones-related disorders, and depression, among other conditions.

For this article, we will focus on the most common conditions that cause sudden weight gain:

  1. Pregnancy

It is common to gain weight during pregnancy, but how you gain is an issue causing a debate among medical professionals. For one, healthy weight gain during pregnancy is seen at 25 to 40 pounds. Anything beyond 40 pounds should be a cause for concern since it might mean unaddressed medical conditions.

According to WebMD, extra weight gained during pregnancy are distributed as follows:

Baby: 8 pounds

Placenta: 2-3 pounds

Amniotic fluid: 2-3 pounds

Breast tissue: 2-3 pounds

Blood supply: 4 pounds

Extra fat for delivery and breastfeeding: 5-9 pounds

Enlarged uterus: 2-5 pounds

How much you gain depends on the growth of your baby, and your body’s response to pregnancy.

When pregnant, no matter how controlled you eat, you will gain weight in preparation for taking care of your baby.

  1. Menopause

Menopause is medically defined as the “12 months after your last menstrual period (that) marks the end of menstrual cycles.” To put it simply menopause marks the end of your menstruation. You now cannot bear children, and you cannot have the same flow of hormones that you used to have before getting to menopausal age.

The reason why menopause causes weight gain is that your body now must compensate for the disruption of the normal flow of adrenalin, cortisol, estrogen, insulin, and progesterone in your body. Therefore, every month when you were regular with the cycle, your body can get rid of toxins produced by your body, thanks to your monthly period. However, now that you are menopausal, your body has to find a way to eliminate these toxins.

Your body is now working harder to help your body circulate better; therefore, you must exert extra effort to digest food, keep your weight in check, and keep your system running. And with now more roadblocks to losing weight, you will now find it harder to get rid of the piling pounds.

Pregnancy and menopause are two common conditions that are causing you to gain weight unintentionally. There is no way for you to override time and the process, so enjoy the journey while you can, overhaul your diet and exercise routine, get rid of unhealthy cravings if you have to, sleep well, and make sure you now focus on quality rather than quantity regarding what you put in your body.

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    • Camara Jamie
    • September 16, 2017

    Hi CC,I read through your article and its very interesting… I really loved it but please you said in the article that weight gain can be normal without any control in the menopausal age …thus my understanding tho…does it means that if you’re not menstruating..thus amenorrhea, you will gain weight always please. Thanks.

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