Do you constantly struggle to lose weight? Do you lose a few pounds only to regain them in the blink of an eye? You’re not alone. Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States. Forty percent of adult Americans are obese.
Obesity rates among children and adolescents ages 5-19, increased tenfold from 1975 to 2022. In fact, overweight and obesity are now more common than undernutrition in many parts of the world. Why is this?
What are the causes of weight gain?
It is recognized that genetics play a role. Genetic differences can affect metabolic rate and energy expenditure. Genes can affect where the body stores fat, such as around the abdomen, which increases health risks.
Certain medications, such as psychotropics, steroids, insulin, blood pressure medications, and anticonvulsants are known to cause weight gain. They can slow the body’s metabolic rate, leading to fewer calories being burned at rest. They can stimulate appetite, making it difficult to control food intake.
Depression can decrease energy levels and motivation, making physical activity less appealing. It can cause increased food cravings for high-calorie, high-sugar, or high-fat comfort foods, leading to weight gain.
But for most of us, the answer is simple. We are consuming more calories and burning fewer calories.
Portion sizes have increased
Consider how portion sizes have increased over the years. The typical bagel has more than doubled in size, containing 350 calories each. Sodas are now sold in 20-ounce bottles, compared to the standard 6.5-ounce bottles of years ago. A 20-ounce bottle of soda contains 16 teaspoons of sugar and 250 calories. A medium size bag of popcorn at the movie theater today contains 11 cups of popcorn and 630 calories.
Portion sizes have increased so much that the standard plate size is now 12 inches in diameter, compared to the previous nine-inch standard size. If you look at the size of your grandmother’s wedding China, you can see the difference.
We are eating more processed foods
Not only are we eating larger portions, but we are consuming a lot of high calorie, highly refined processed foods.
Highly processed foods include most breakfast cereals, sugary drinks, instant soups, frozen pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, condiments and sauces, candy, cookies, ice cream, flavored yogurt, pastries, chocolate, noodles, sauces, frozen entrees, and fast foods.
Because these foods contain very little fiber, they don’t fill us up, so we consume more before we are satisfied. We also get hungry again faster when we eat these foods.
We are moving less
Additionally, we have become a very sedentary nation.
The average worker no longer works in the fields and factories, but instead is making a living by sitting at a desk in front of a computer screen all day. Our children no longer go outside to play after school, but sit in front of the television or play video games.
And consider the effect of labor-saving devices. We use electric vacuum cleaners or robot vacuums rather than brooms to clean our floors. We have washing machines to clean our clothes. We utilize drive-through services, so we don’t even have to get out of our cars. Most homes have dish washing machines today. We take elevators rather than walking up stairs. We use remote controls instead of getting up to change the channel or volume.
The cumulative effect of all these labor-saving devices adds up to a savings of 800 calories per day for the average person.
I don’t believe many of us would be willing to give up these conveniences.
But think for a moment about how much exercise we would have to do to make up for these 800 calories. The average person burns 100 calories per mile when running. That translates into running eight miles per day to compensate for the calories saved by these “luxuries.”
So, is it any wonder that we are a nation plagued with obesity?
What is the solution?
The solution lies in our awareness of these factors, and our willingness to make changes in our diets and activity levels.
If we eat more natural, unprocessed food, we will feel more satisfied and will consume fewer calories.
Pay attention to how much water you are drinking. Water Is necessary for the body to burn fat, so any amount of dehydration will slow your body’s metabolism.
Avoid eating within three hours of bedtime. This is the time of day when our metabolism is slowing down, and any calories consumed late in the day are likely to end up in our fat cells.
Take steps to minimize the stress in your life. Stress causes the release of cortisol into the blood, which slows down the fat-burning process, promotes abdominal fat storage, and stimulates the appetite.
Make sure to get enough sleep each night. Busy lifestyles often mean we don’t get to sleep early enough. Sleep deprivation causes increased appetite, increased cortisol levels, and weight gain.
Avoid long periods of inactivity. Make it a point to get up and move at least once every hour. Inactivity signals the brain to decrease fat burning and increase fat making.
It is important to include resistance training in our exercise routines. After the age of 20, adults can lose anywhere from 3-8% of their muscle mass per decade if they aren’t doing resistance training. This rate accelerates after the age of 50. Muscles burn about 90% of our total daily calories, so having more muscle mass translates into burning more calories!
Consistent cardiovascular exercise is a must to maintain a healthy metabolism. Make it a goal to exercise at a moderate intensity five times per week, 30 minutes each time, for a total of 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise each week.
Adopting a healthy diet and engaging in regular physical activity are essential for preventing weight gain. These healthy habits not only support weight management but also improve overall health, boost energy levels, and enhance mental well-being.
Small, consistent steps in daily routines can make a lasting impact on health for years to come.
Susie Bond is a registered and licensed dietitian/nutritionist in private practice. Visit susiebondnutrition.com or email susiebondnutrition@gmail.com.
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Nutrition for Today: Why is it so hard to lose weight?
