Female Weight Gain

One of the most difficult health issues facing women is female weight gain. A variety of physical and environmental reasons contribute to this problem. Weight gain can be caused by hormonal changes, stress, pregnancy, and improper diet. Understanding the things that cause women to gain weight can aid in preventing weight gain and promote losing unwanted pounds.

Physiological Reasons for Female Weight Gain

Throughout a woman's life, there are times she is more apt to gain weight than others. Pregnancy and menopause are both times of hormonal fluctuations that affect the metabolism and emotional states of women. These effects often lead to weight gain.

Gaining Weight During Pregnancy

Women are supposed to gain weight during pregnancy in order to have a healthy baby. Many women are ravenously hungry during this time and begin eating for two, rather than eating for one adult person and one small person. Extreme hunger coupled with cravings for foods that are not always healthy can cause a woman to gain too much weight.

Eating a balanced diet during pregnancy is important for healthy weight gain and preventing a woman from gaining too much weight. Putting on too many pounds can cause complications during the pregnancy such as:

• Backaches and leg pain
• Varicose veins
• High blood pressure
• Gestational diabetes
• Increased risk of cesarean section

Consulting a dietician is a good idea when you are trying to maintain a healthy weight gain during pregnancy.

Menopause

Much of the weight gain women experience is during the years before menopause, this time is called perimenopause. During this time, women gain an average of one pound per year. There are several factors that contribute to weight gain during this time:

• Hormonal changes
• Genetic predisposition
• Exercising less due to other health issues
• Eating more
• Using fewer calories due to muscle loss

Carrying a few extra pounds can have a serious impact on health. Women should eat a healthy and balanced diet, and follow an exercise plan. Taking these steps will reduce the chances of gaining weight during menopause.

Environmental Factors Contributing to Weight Gain

Female weight gain is also influenced by lifestyle, stress, and food processing. Women that are overwhelmed by family and job responsibilities tend to have poor diets and cannot find time to get adequate rest and exercise.

Stress can cause many women to eat for comfort; this is a habit that can make twenty pounds appear seemingly overnight. Reducing stress and finding time to take care of oneself are critical to overall good health. A few tips for beginning a stress reduction program might include:

• See a counselor or join a women's support group
• Schedule time for exercise
• Create meal plans
• Get more rest
• Write down daily priorities

Processed foods such as microwave meals and fast food should be kept to a minimum or eliminated altogether whenever possible. Eating on the run and eating nutritionally inadequate food can cause women to gain weight, retain fluid, have digestive disturbances, and increases the chance for health issues to develop.

Women's Health Problems Associated With Weight

Aside from being uncomfortable and feeling unattractive, there are health conditions aggravated by being overweight. A few of these conditions includes:

• Type 2 Diabetes—Over 85 percent of people who have this condition are overweight. It is not known why people who are overweight are more likely to develop this illness. It is believed that cellular changes within the body of an overweight person cause them to become insulin resistant. Losing weight reduces the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes.

• Heart disease and stroke—Being overweight can cause high blood pressure, high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol, and elevated triglycerides. All of these things are factors in stroke and heart disease.

• Osteoarthritis—Too much weight can increase the duress placed on joints and cartilage in the body, causing them to wear. Excess body fat can also elevate certain chemicals in the blood that cause inflammation.

Being overweight can aggravate and even cause these and other health issues. Annual checkups with a doctor and adopting healthy habits can often eliminate health conditions or even prevent them from occurring.

Controlling Weight and Improving Health

Healthy habits such as following a balanced diet plan and getting moderate exercise several times per week will help a woman keep her weight under control. If these steps are already a part of health conscious living and weight gain is still an issue, consult a doctor to find out if there is an underlying health issue contributing to an increase in weight.