Unexplained weight gain - Horizon Wellness Clinic

Unexplained weight gain can be frustrating and concerning. There are many potential causes, both medical and lifestyle-related. Common medical causes include:

• Hypothyroidism: When the thyroid gland is underactive, it slows metabolism making weight loss difficult. Symptoms include fatigue, cold sensitivity, and muscle weakness.
• Cushing's syndrome: Excess cortisol leads to central obesity, moon face, and buffalo hump. It may be caused by tumors or medication side effects.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): A hormonal imbalance that causes irregular periods, acne, excess hair growth, and often weight gain focused around the belly.
• Depression and anxiety: Stress hormones stimulate appetite and fat storage around the midsection. Emotional health affects weight significantly.

Lifestyle factors should not be overlooked:

• Diet: An increase in sugary, fatty, and processed foods packs on pounds rapidly. Pay attention to your current eating patterns.
• Activity level: Sedentary routines with low activity expend less energy. Metabolism naturally slows when exercising less.
• Sleep: Lack of sleep is linked to increased hunger hormones and sugar cravings the next day.
• Medications: Many prescriptions list weight gain as a common side effect.

Where do we go from here? First, check in with your primary care doctor for needed health screening tests to uncover potential underlying illness. Work together to pinpoint relevant symptoms and timeline of weight fluctuations. Next, take an honest assessment of daily habits. Keep a detailed food and exercise journal for 1-2 weeks without changing anything. This provides insight on specific areas to improve. Are more fruits/veggies needed? Is meal timing irregular? Does the week contain zero workouts? Finally, small sustainable adjustments make progress. Shift from restrictive dieting to lifestyle adaptation focused on wellness not just scale numbers. Celebrate non-scale victories like better sleep, adding vegetables, consistent exercise sessions, less stress, and other positive choices that enhance health. With consistent gentle tweaks, improved vitality can flourish.