Liposuction is the perfect solution for those final few stubborn bulges that refuse to respond to your diet and exercise efforts. But there’s nothing more frustrating than trying to get to that point for those who continue to gain unwanted pounds despite an honest effort. While eating right and exercising can result in weight loss for many, for others it’s simply not enough. As it turns out, the solution isn’t as simple as we’d like to think it is. Here are four more reasons your scale may be stuck:
1. Sleep
Too little sleep affects hunger by altering hormone levels. Studies have shown that your appetite for sugary, salty and starchy foods increases with the reduction of sleep and that the obesity rate for people who sleep less than four hours a night is as high as 73%!
2. Sadness
The relationship between depression and obesity can be considered reciprocal: the obese person is often prone to depression, and a depressed person is at risk of gaining weight. One reason for this relationship is the increased appetite for “comfort foods,” sleep disruption, or losing interest in physical activities. Anyone suffering with depression should seek help from a trusted health care provider.
3. Sedatives & Stimulants
A varied range of pharmaceutical drugs can also lead to weight gain. Corticosteroids can cause bloating while increasing hunger levels. Neuroleptics create a feeling of lethargy and disinterest in physical activity. Certain antidepressants increase the appetite for sugary and other high-calorie foods.
4. Sittosis
Just plain sitting too much can inadvertently cause obesity. Research by Dr. Marc Hamilton, a professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Missouri in Columbia, shows that people who sit a lot are at a much greater risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity than those who make a conscious effort to get up and move around. "The enzymes in blood vessels of muscles responsible for 'fat burning' are shut off within hours of not standing," Hamilton told the News Bureau at the University of Missouri. "Standing and moving lightly will re-engage the enzymes, but since people are awake 16 hours a day, it stands to reason that when people sit much of that time they are losing the opportunity for optimal metabolism throughout the day."
Originally Published Oct 31, 2012
