Sudden Weight Gain Causes

If you have been physically inactive for one or more reasons, chances are high that you will gain weight. The other possibility is that you are not following your regular diet. However, if there is sudden gain of weight and body mass without any change in physical activity or your eating habits, you will have to examine the causes.

What Causes Sudden Weight Gain?
Very often we are so engrossed in our daily activities that we neglect our bodies totally. We are totally detached from what the body is trying to tell you. If you want to find out the causes behind gaining a lot of weight in a very short span of time, you will have to slow down and listen to your body first. This will enable you to rule out any illness. There are many causes of unexplained weight gain. Let's see what these are.

Medication
Medication prescribed for arthritis, asthma, etc., which contain steroids in any form can lead to a sudden spurt in weight in very short time. There are some medication that may affect your desire to exercise and lead to weight gain. Diabetes medication, antidepressants or mood stabilizers are other medications that may contribute to weight gain all of a sudden. If you have noticed that after starting some prescription medication you have gained weight suddenly, talk to your physician about it. He will be able to help you with the problem.

Edema
Edema is also known as 'fluid retention' and it happens when fluids build up in the body. Fluid retention can lead to rapid and unexplained weight gain. There are many reasons that can cause fluid retention. Edema can be caused by serious health conditions like kidney diseases or heart failure. Common medicines like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines can also lead to water retention in the body. In the case of women, water retention may be a part of the premenstrual syndrome that they suffer from.

Under-active Thyroid Glands
Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid glands do not produce sufficient amounts of the thyroid hormone. These thyroid hormones are necessary as they help in regulating the metabolism of the body. When these hormones are short in supply, the calorie burning mechanism of the body is disturbed, causing sudden increase of those pounds.

Quitting Addiction
If you are trying to do away with any of your addictions, chances are high that this may be the reason behind rapid weight gain in your case. This may be happening because whenever you have the urge for your addictions, you may end up snacking instead. In all probability, these snacks are high in calories. Instead, whenever you feel like snacking, stick to low-calorie food items. You can try eating a cucumber or a carrot or something similar. At the same time, exercises will help you to fight the food cravings that you are currently experiencing.

Dietary Changes
Dietary changes are a common cause of rapid weight gain. Often, people want to lose weight and go on various kinds of diets. For example, a high protein diet. In this diet, the person cuts down on carbohydrates and consumes high amounts of protein. However, this may not suit a particular person and may lead to weight gain instead.

Pregnancy
Pregnancy is one of the common causes of rapid weight gain in women. If you have stopped birth control measures, this might be an option for you to consider as the cause of your sudden, unwarranted weight gain.

Deficiency of Essential Fatty Acids
Some fatty acids are required in the body to produce certain hormones that are responsible for maintaining the metabolic rate of the body. Deficiency of these acids can lead to cravings and the person might end up eating high fat food.

Emotional Eating
There are people who counter stress or depression by eating excessively. Chances are high that the person might not understand that he is stressed and is, hence, eating too much to divert his mind.

Imbalance of Blood Sugar Levels
Refined carbohydrates can cause high variations in the blood sugar levels, leading to sugar cravings. This leads to a person resorting to more eating and it becomes a vicious cycle.

If any of the above mentioned sudden weight gain causes are not applicable in your case, then you may want to visit your healthcare professional at the earliest. Remember, regular exercise and healthy, nutritious eating is the key to good health and fitness.