The benefits of staying ahead of unwanted weight gain can help you overflow with energy and vitality every day, even as you age. It’s easy to rationalize and minimize the risks of weight gain, particularly if you’ve only put on 10 pounds over several years. But if you look into the health risks of being overweight, it will motivate you not just to get unwanted weight off, but to prevent gaining unwanted weight in the first place.
Obesity affects over 33% of adults in the U.S., and can be associated with an increased risk for several chronic diseases that could shorten one’s lifespan. Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease can be associated with or exacerbated by obesity. Weight gain decreases the odds of healthy aging and poses significant risks. Even 10 pounds can be potentially hazardous to your health.
Avoid Weight Gain
It’s vital to educate ourselves on how to avoid unwanted weight gain in order to avoid what could be severe consequences. Here are some tools to help:
1. Skip the sedentary lifestyle
Rather than sitting all day long, focus on moving around, especially at work, where too much sitting can cause unwanted weight gain. Bike to work, park a good distance from the building in which you work, take the steps instead of the elevator, and build breaks into your work day with movement associated with each break.
2. Get out from chronic stress
When we find ourselves in a state of chronic stress, our cortisol levels increase. When cortisol levels increase, fat storage is turned on in the body, sleep is disrupted, and weight gain probable.
3. Drop inflammatory foods
Gluten products, dairy products, and soy often trigger inflammation in the body, making it difficult to burn fat and easy to gain unwanted weight. When inflammatory foods are ingested, fatigue and blood sugar imbalance can result.
4. Avoid toxins when possible
Chemical toxins cause hormone dysregulation and set the stage for weight gain in the body. Environmental toxins can actually accumulate within the body when we are exposed to new carpeting, fresh paint, heavy metal, plastic, and toxic cleaning supplies. Airborne chemicals are greater indoors than outdoors, and most of us spend the majority of our time indoors. Environmental toxins contribute to abnormal metabolic function which can lead to increased body fat. Hormone problems, thyroid issues, and fatigue result—and could contribute to unwanted weight gain.
5. Eat intentionally
Practice mindfulness when it comes to eating. Rather than shoving your meals into your mouth while working or watching TV, take the time to eat slowly, relish rich conversation with people you love, and deliberately enjoy your food.
6. Up your healthy food choices
Eat plenty of raw foods, eliminate processed foods, and eliminate GMO foods if possible. Increase healthy fats like coconut oil and grass-fed butter to help stabilize blood sugar, lower bad cholesterol, help you shed excess weight, and improve skin and hair. Skip the sugar and choose low-sugar fruits like berries instead. Sugar can cause weight gain. Enjoy green tea along with your meals to aid in metabolism boosting.
7. Embrace the value of vegetables
Nutrient-dense green, leafy vegetables are great sources of fiber and will make you feel fuller faster, curbing your appetite and preventing overeating. Eat a rainbow of colors of organic veggies, and you’ll be well on your way to preventing weight gain.
8. Increase healthy fats and decrease carbs
Eating plans, like the Keto Diet, are proving beneficial to prevent weight gain and also to help lose unwanted weight. A low-carb, high-fat plan like the Keto Diet is effective due to its ability to use the body’s fat stores for energy, enhancing overall health and vitality. A Keto Diet puts your body in ketosis, which helps the body to function in fat-burning mode because the primary source of energy comes from fat.
9. Stay in the fat-burning zone
There are multiple benefits from staying in ketosis: you have maximum brain function, use fat for fuel, control your appetite, lose weight, concentrate better, sleep more soundly, increase metabolic function, normalize blood sugar levels and insulin response, improve digestion, balance immune system, improve energy levels, and increase your overall well-being.
10. Examine your habits
To prevent weight gain, examine the small things you do consistently and make sure they are adding up to a good healthy weight and not eroding your health and fitness goals by increasing your weight. Small, unhealthy choices done consistently can pile up and cause a cumulative big impact on weight and health. Examine not only your weekday habits, but also your weekend ones.
11. Skip the temptation to reward your workout with a big meal
High-intensity workouts are fabulous, and many integrate them into their workout routine. Weight lifting, kettlebells, spin classes, and balance and core training are all beneficial—but if you reward your gym routine with a huge plate of food, you could sabotage your health goals and set yourself up for unwanted weight gain. With meals, keep your focus on quality nutrient-dense food rather than the quantity of food on your plate.
12. Skipping breakfast
Eating a good breakfast increases your metabolism and stimulates your body to burn calories throughout the day.
Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can work off bad food choices—High-sugar diets lead to weight gain and negatively affect your health.
Keep an eye on your quantities—Even if you have switched to healthy food choices, there are limits to the quantity you can eat without gaining unwanted pounds. Avocados have 350 calories, and a serving is 70 calories. Healthy foods still need limits or there will be unwanted consequences.
Avoid trying to reach fitness or weight loss goals alone, and connect with the Elite Training community for motivation and support. Get a free training session at Elite Training San Diego.