Possible contributors, not one answer
Unintentional weight gain has many possible contributors. It is worth knowing the list.
MedlinePlus, from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, names these possible causes of weight gain you are not trying for:
- Getting older, as daily energy needs drift down.
- Some medicines: corticosteroids, some medicines for depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, some diabetes medicines, and some birth control.
- Hormone or medical changes: an underactive thyroid, Cushing syndrome, PCOS, menopause and pregnancy.
- Fluid build-up, from your period, heart or kidney problems, preeclampsia or some medicines.
- Quitting smoking: most people gain 4 to 10 pounds in the first six months.
When to see a doctor first
MedlinePlus says to contact a provider if the gain comes with constipation, hair loss, feeling cold more than before, swollen feet and shortness of breath, uncontrollable hunger with a racing heart, shaking and sweating, vision changes, or a lot of gain without a known cause.
Rapid weight gain can be a sign of dangerous fluid retention. Contact your health care provider about rapid or unexplained gain, especially with swollen feet or shortness of breath.
If a medicine might be part of it
Contact the person who prescribed it to discuss the weight change. Do not stop or change the medicine on your own. MedlinePlus is clear: do not stop any medicine that may be causing weight gain without talking with your provider.
Life changes count too
Consider whether your sleep, meals, activity or drinking changed around the time the gain began. They are possible contributors, not character flaws. The guides below go through stress and drinking one at a time.
What you can do this week
Once a doctor has ruled out a medical cause, knowing your numbers helps. The free 4-question quiz estimates your BMR, the calories your body uses at rest, so you have a starting point instead of a guess. Pair it with a daily walk you can repeat.
