Why do we gain weight?

Why do we gain weight? The common answers include: because you eat too much, because you eat too much fat, because you eat too much sugar, or junk food, or too late, or because you listen too much to your mother, or because of lack of exercise. In all that there are elements of truth, more or less, but it is much more complex than that. There are many reasons why you can gain weight.

Diet is an obvious one. However, it's not necessarily what we've been taught. Since we've been convinced that eating fats make us fat, and then eating low-fat and non-fat foods, our weight has increased. In a 20 year period between the mid-1950s and 1970s we reduced fat by 33 percent, and we increased our weight by 40 percent in that same time period. Low-fat means high sugar. Sugar has contributed more to weight gain than fat ever could. Eating fat doesn't make us fat. Eating sugar does.

Not all fat is good, however. Fried foods, hydrogenated fats and vegetable oils are the bad fats - those can create more issues in the body than you can imagine. The good fats are butter, olive oil, coconut oil, animal fats (from animals that were pasture-fed, not commercial), avocados, and fish. Frequently, nutritionists will have patients eat extra (good) fats when they are trying to lose weight. Seems counter to what we have been taught for the past few decades, but it's amazing how well it works. Eating fat satisfies hunger and makes you less likely to crave sweets, it provides the raw materials for lots of functions in the body, and tastes better so there's less sugar added. That's only the beginning.

Some people complain they work out hours per week, yet still gain weight. The wrong exercise can be worthless in losing weight, but the right exercise is indispensable.

Stress is one of the biggest culprits in gaining weight. The release of cortisol in response to stress tells the body to store more fat. So does insulin. When eating excess sugar, the excess insulin that results also tells the body to store more fat.

You can also gain weight if you have an imbalance in the endocrine system. The endocrine system consists of organs that secrete hormones and include the thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, liver, pituitary and female/male hormonal system - all of which can have a role in weight gain.

While it is easy to blame diet, exercise or medical conditions alone for weight gain, the truth is that there are generally a combination of causes, not just one factor. There are numerous reasons for gaining weight. The more of those reasons that get addressed, the better the chances are that you will lose weight.

Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with over three deca years of experience. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d'Alene clinic. Visit www.vitalhealthcda.com to learn more about her, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Carling can be reached at (208) 765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.