Extra large people! Why do people get fat?

Contents of the article:

• Main causes of obesity
• Why do some people eat and not get fat?
• Why don't French women get fat?
• How to avoid weight gain?
• Why do people get fat when they quit smoking?
• Video about 10 habits that can make you gain weight

Excess weight is one of the common problems of modern people. There are more and more overweight people; every third person on the planet suffers from obesity. There are many reasons for this, a person gets fat due to poor nutrition or illness. Therefore, first it is important to understand why this happens, and then build a weight loss strategy.

Eating in front of the TV

Many of us are guilty of this - we come home tired, lie down on the sofa and start watching our favorite show on TV. And everything would be fine, but soon we find ourselves in our hands with a large bag of chips, which we quietly empty. This is one of the main subtle factors leading to obesity.

This phenomenon is observed all over the world; it can be said to be universal for a wide variety of countries and cultures. In the United States, $7.5 billion worth of potato chips of various varieties are sold every year, and almost all of this volume is eaten in the evening in front of the TV.

In Russia these are seeds, cookies, sandwiches, the same chips and much more. A related syndrome to this habit is “boredom eating.” That is, when you eat something to kill time or get rid of a bad mood.

Chronic lack of sleep

It turns out that lack of sleep also affects our figure. Lack of sleep provokes weight gain, even if we eat right and don’t indulge in sweets. And although the exact reason why this happens has not been established, there is an assumption that this is due to the body saving energy. Being in a state of constant fatigue and stress, our smart body strives to store as many substances as possible for future use, which can later take part in energy metabolism. At the same time, there is no energy left for playing sports or any other activity.

As you can see, there are many reasons for excess weight. And if you are sure that it is not a matter of lifestyle and poor nutrition, then consult a doctor as soon as possible and get examined. If the illnesses go away, the extra pounds will go away.

Lack of sleep

It would seem that this factor should lead to weight loss - after all, when a person is awake, he burns more calories. The body works and consumes more energy.

However, sleep disturbances can lead to bad eating habits. If you, without enough sleep, start to fall asleep at work, then the first thing you do is pour yourself a full mug of coffee, which usually comes with something sweet.

If you suffer from insomnia at home, then most likely, go to the refrigerator at least once. In addition, lack of sleep leads to fatigue and, as a result, laziness, due to which you may refuse to go to the gym, pool or jogging.

Also, lack of sleep can provoke disturbances in the functioning of the body, which will push you to gain excess weight.

How to get rid of insomnia

Why do people get fat when they quit smoking?

Everyone knows that when you start smoking, you gradually lose weight. But once you give up a bad habit, you immediately gain back what you lost with interest. Why?

There are several reasons:

• A cigarette smoked before a meal kills your appetite. Therefore, when you don’t smoke, you feel hungrier;
• The smoking process itself requires about 20 kcal per cigarette. If you eat a pack a day, you burn 400 kcal, which is about 1 kg of weight per month “minus”;
• When you give up cigarettes, your body requires replacement. Usually these are seeds or candies.

Thus, when you quit smoking, you begin to eat more, consume 400 fewer calories per month, become nervous more often and, as a result, gain weight.

However, don’t be afraid to quit, not everyone gets fat and not necessarily. Everything is individual, especially since you can increase physical activity and create a small calorie deficit.

Despite everything, doctors are sure that there is no disease in which it is impossible to control your weight. Yes, in some cases it is difficult to do this, since the program in the body is disrupted. But you can lose weight; for this, the main thing for a person is to find out why he is getting fat and what he wants to achieve.

Calories from sweets

Causes of weight gain include excessive consumption of sweets.
It may be better to simply give up this part of lunch or dinner. Not for good, of course. You can occasionally indulge in a cake or a piece of cake, but eating them every time is a direct path to weight records.

The fact that dessert plates have been steadily increasing in diameter in recent decades is not conducive to slimness. And you, without knowing it, eat more than you want.

I came across this article on the Internet. I haven’t seen it here, so I’m posting it in a new post. Maybe it will be useful to someone. The article is not scientific, but personally, I generally share the opinions presented in it (opinions are not imposed on anyone).

WHY ARE WE GETTING FAT?

As you know, the lion's share of the efforts of beauty salons, aesthetic medicine clinics and fitness centers is aimed at helping their clients achieve ideal figures and bodies. However, often all their efforts go in vain. And the lady, temporarily slimmer and sparkling with beauty, after a few months again turns into the same shapeless fat woman that she was. Alas, psychologists have long known that the causes of excess weight must be sought, first of all, in our heads .

Thousands of books have been written on this topic and hundreds of scientific dissertations have been defended. But, nevertheless, every woman who dreams of losing weight makes the same mistakes again and again, not wanting to understand herself and understand what is the reason for her failures . Experts say that it’s all about serious psychological problems, which can sometimes be very difficult to cope with (especially those that “come from childhood”).

It turns out that excess weight... we need . Absolutely everyone who is dissatisfied with their figure will fiercely argue with this argument. After all, all they do is try to lose weight! However, our body is much smarter than we think. And if he accumulates these extra pounds, it means he needs it for some reason.

There are many reasons for their appearance. And if we exclude everything related to medicine (hormonal-endocrine disorders, the impossibility of normal physical activity, etc.), it turns out that the rest lies in the field of psychology.

In other words, if a person’s excess weight is not due to health difficulties, then he has some kind of psychological problems . And whether they can be overcome depends on their complexity and neglect. Sometimes it is enough to independently analyze what makes a person eat more than necessary. And in the end, having understood the reason, you can very quickly get rid of extra pounds. However, there are cases when the reason for overeating lies somewhere in the depths of the subconscious.

And only a good psychologist can “pull” it out. Moreover, in especially severe cases, just understanding the cause of excess weight is not enough. To lose weight, you need to undergo a course of psychocorrection, which will allow you to get rid of some deep-seated fears and complexes in the subconscious, and only then begin to fight excess weight.

Causes of excess weight

A person acquires some of them in early childhood, while another part appears in adolescence, at the time of personality formation. These are the reasons that are most difficult to combat.

Some complexes that affect excess weight are acquired already at a conscious age. Most often, they become a response of the psyche to some kind of stress, loss, or simply to serious changes in life.

It is clear that it is extremely rare that the reason for extra pounds lies in one thing. As a rule, this is a whole complex of internal problems and complexes.

Fear of intimacy

As paradoxical as it may sound, according to psychologists, it is the fear of close (including sexual) contacts with a man that is one of the most common causes of excess weight in women.

Moreover, the mechanisms that “trigger” this complex can be very different. For example, once experienced sexual violence or a panicky fear of becoming pregnant (especially in early youth).

Being overweight as a sign of loss of attractiveness can also be beneficial for an insecure woman who subconsciously strives to avoid the need to get to know someone and build close relationships. As a result, the woman’s subconscious makes the decision: “I will become fat and ugly, so as not to attract male attention at all.”

And although on a conscious level such a woman can go on diets all her life and dream of a supermodel figure, her real appetite will be controlled by subconscious fears. The same thing happens when a woman has experienced a painful affair and is subconsciously afraid of experiencing mental pain again from a relationship with a man.

In this case, in her excess weight, which she carefully “nurtures,” she will look for an excuse for why a new romance is now impossible for her. That is, she directly links the beginning of a new relationship with achieving an ideal figure: “As soon as I lose weight, I’ll immediately take care of my personal life!” At 99 percent, she will never have an ideal figure or a harmonious relationship with a man.

Family problems

There can be a huge number of variations here. For example, a woman’s subconscious can use excess weight as a way to keep her husband near her: “Who needs me like that now? I gave all the best to you, now you simply have to be there.”

Another option is protection from the husband’s painful jealousy: “I’m fat and I don’t attract any interest from the opposite sex, so you can be calm.”

Excess weight can even be revenge on a tyrant husband or an alcoholic: “It serves you right, let you have a fat wife. Let everyone understand that you don’t deserve better.”

Often a woman begins to rapidly gain weight after learning about her husband’s infidelity. Thus, instead of analyzing the reasons for what happened and drawing some conclusions, she simply tries to blame everything on the loss of her attractiveness in his eyes.

Another “family” reason for excess weight may be associated with sexual dissatisfaction and the coldness of the wife. With her extra pounds and plump figure, she is simply trying to “protect” herself from excessive sexual attention from her husband.

Fear and the need for protection

Psychologists say that very often overweight people feel internally extremely unprotected. The reasons for this can be very different and can be both temporary and permanent. Loss of loved ones, divorce, dismissal from work, piercing loneliness, constant fear for a child - all this leads to overeating. And fat at the same time performs a protective, buffer function, fencing a person off from the hostile surrounding world.

Excessive sensitivity

Very often, excess weight occurs in people whose nerves are constantly “exposed.” Their hypersensitivity sometimes even leads to nervous disorders. Therefore, in order to somehow dull too strong emotions, anger, anxiety and some experiences, they begin to “grow” with fat.

Self-hatred

It is generally accepted that dissatisfaction with oneself and a belief in one’s own inferiority are almost always the result of problems with one’s figure. Meanwhile, psychologists are sure that more often this is not a consequence, but a cause of excess weight.

The fact is that if a person is constantly dissatisfied with himself, often criticizes and scolds himself, his body is forced to defend himself. And it does this precisely with the help of excess weight. That is, if you hate yourself, then something reflecting this attitude must appear.

After all, as you know, the external always reflects the internal. Psychologists say that when a person begins to love himself, his body immediately takes on the ideal weight and shape.

Love deficit

The child compensates for the indifference of the parents with food. But a lack of love in adulthood is no less dangerous. After all, it is with the help of food and filling the stomach that the easiest way is to fill the emotional emptiness.

Related to this is the fact that when parting with a loved one and ceasing to experience love on his part, most begin to rapidly gain weight. And vice versa, feeling loved and desired, a woman can lose all those extra pounds without any effort.

Nostalgia

As you know, our taste buds also have memory. And therefore, the taste of many products is valuable not in itself, but as a memory of something good that happened in our life. Most often, this is nostalgia for childhood, for the comfort, love and warmth that surrounded a person then.

As a result, these emotions are transferred to food, and it becomes a kind of “time machine”. With its help, a person tries to relive some pleasant moments from his past. And the less comfortable he is in the present, the more often he will use food in this capacity. Which in the end is almost guaranteed to lead to overeating and excess weight.

Stress

Very often you can hear that stress, on the contrary, makes you lose weight. However, it all depends on its intensity. Extremely severe stress can actually completely kill your appetite. But moderate but constantly repeated stress, on the contrary, leads to obesity. Alas, no one is safe from them in today’s crazy world.

Guilt

And this is one of those reasons that turn the life of an overweight person into an eternal vicious circle. After all, a feeling of guilt covers someone who wants to lose weight whenever their diet is broken. But instead of stopping there, under the influence of a feeling of guilt and trying to get rid of the panic that gripped him, the person begins to eat even more. Vicious circle!

The desire to be "good"

Parents, grandparents and kindergarten teachers constantly instill in us that “good girls and boys eat with appetite and leave nothing on the plate.” And if a girl wants to do her best to meet their expectations, she will regularly eat everything that is fed to her.

In addition, in many families, the child is rewarded for eating soup, porridge or some other healthy but unloved food. As a result, a persistent program is formed in the brain - the more I eat, the sooner I will be praised and even possibly given some kind of “bonus”. And unfortunately, the attitudes laid down in childhood remain in most cases with us for life. Moreover, they are often “passed on by inheritance.” And even a woman who has unsuccessfully struggled with excess weight all her life raises her daughter in the same way.

Children's loneliness

Children in the modern world are very, very lonely. Parents, as a rule, work from morning to evening in the firm belief that the money they earn can make their child happy. Alas, the lack of full contact with parents leads to the fact that the child becomes nervous and withdrawn.

And from a very early age he begins to experience a craving for sweets, having learned that it perfectly calms. Parents, experiencing a constant feeling of guilt in front of their child due to lack of time to communicate with him, support this love of sweets in every possible way.

They buy him countless chocolates, lollipops and other delicacies, which over time forms in the child a real emotional dependence on sweets, which he then unsuccessfully tries to get rid of all his life. After all, as a rule, the use of food as a kind of antidepressant turns out to be so effective that it is almost impossible to give up this habit established in childhood.

Food as a protest

Another habit acquired in childhood is the use of food as a means of protest. Often a child’s weight begins to increase in response to strict control from parents, as an internal protest and a way to declare: “I am an independent person, I can allow myself to be completely different from what you want me to be.”

And the more parents focus the child’s attention on his weight, the stronger this protest will be.

Way to attract attention

Often, excess weight becomes a way for a child to attract the attention of peers. And usually this happens already at school. He can thus try to both be in the center of attention (by standing out, if not for his advantages, then at least for his shortcomings), and thus expressing his protest and going into the “opposition.”

By the way, such a scenario of behavior in a team will most likely remain with a person for life. This means that in the future he will try to “manipulate” people with the help of his weight.

So, in any case, the accumulation of extra pounds is the body’s protective reaction to any mental discomfort . Therefore, without understanding what exactly is causing it, it is impossible to overcome excess weight. Before you go on another diet, you need to listen to yourself very carefully, because when you realize the problem, that is, when you transfer it from the area of ​​the unconscious to the area of ​​the conscious, it becomes solvable.

Going to the store on an empty stomach

An ancient wisdom says: don't go grocery shopping when you're hungry. The eyes want more than is really necessary. You've probably noticed that when you're hungry, all the food on the shelves seems tastier and more desirable. So before you go shopping, grab a snack from what you have at home or buy something to eat on the way to the supermarket. You can even conduct an experiment - make purchases first on an empty stomach, and after some time on a full stomach. After that, compare the results and be surprised.

The effect of insulin on body fat

There is another secret to fat burning that few people talk about, although it is the most important. It's all about the hormone insulin. On the one hand, it reduces blood glucose levels, preventing the development of diabetes.

On the other hand, it is insulin that gives the command to our body to accumulate fat. There are people with high insulin sensitivity and others with low sensitivity. The former may be overweight, but the latter may not.

Is it possible to change the insulin sensitivity threshold? The threshold itself cannot be changed, but you can influence the rate at which insulin increases in the blood. That is, make sure that it increases more slowly and does not have time to reach its maximum value.

This can be done if you know two rules. First: insulin increases most on protein foods. It is released into protein twice as much as into sugar.

Proteins increase insulin secretion through gastrointestinal hormones. To slow down this process, proteins must be eaten together with fats.

That is, eat the eggs along with the yolk, and not throw them away, as some nutritionists advise. And do not consume dairy products low-fat, but with a fat content of 2% or more.

The second nutritional secret that will reduce insulin production is a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates with fiber. Sweet or starchy foods should be eaten with vegetables and bran.

For example, cook pancakes from flour that contains 40% white flour and 60% whole grain oatmeal. Or choose desserts without white flour, sugar and fat.

Here is a dessert recipe from ballerina Anastasia Volochkova.

We will need:

• 100 g soft low-fat cottage cheese;
• egg;
• 2-3 tablespoons of small oatmeal;
• 2 tablespoons of fruit puree from a baby food jar;
• 3-4 strawberries

Mix all ingredients except strawberries, place in a tall mug and microwave for 1-2 minutes. We decorate the dessert, which contains a minimum of calories and a maximum of nutrients, with strawberries.

Craving for immediate satisfaction of hunger

Don't rush to satisfy your hunger at fast food establishments.
There are many conveniences in the modern world, and often they come in the form of cheap and seemingly tasty fast food. Like any living creature, a person instinctively strives for instant satiation. In the wild, calories are not scattered everywhere, and you have to work hard to get them. Therefore, the best survival strategy is to eat everything that is available, since then there may be no food.

However, today a person is no longer bound by this deficiency. And our innate impatience in filling our stomach only increases our waist size. The next time you get hungry, make an effort and endure it. You won't die from malnutrition until you get home and can get enough of something obviously safer for your health.

Yaroslav Brin: tricks of food manufacturers and how to get rid of fat

How to avoid weight gain?

Today there are a huge number of diets. But any self-medication can be harmful. The diet should be prescribed by a doctor, based on the results of tests and examinations.

However, there are basic principles that should be the norm for a person who wants to stay in shape and maintain proper nutrition:

• Plan your diet so that it contains a small calorie deficit;
• With a calorie deficit, not only fats are burned, but also muscle mass. Don't let this happen. Provide yourself with strength and cardio exercises (fast walking, slow running) in combination;
• Drink a glass of warm water in the morning to speed up metabolic processes in the body;
• Plain water should be sufficiently supplied to the body throughout the day; it is necessary for the breakdown of fats;
• Eat small, frequent meals;
• Eat separately - do not combine proteins and fats, fats and carbohydrates, take a break between meals of different types of food;
• Get enough sleep;
• Don’t try to lose weight quickly, lose no more than 1% of your weight per week;
• Avoid stress.

And, of course, don’t expect quick results, don’t focus on them – it’s stressful. If enough time has passed and there is no effect, change your diet. Contact an endocrinologist, there may be problems with hormones. The main thing is don’t be nervous and don’t give up .

Calorie content of drinks

When was the last time you found out the calorie content of that cocktail that you usually order after a busy week of work? Alcoholic drinks are the elephant that few people notice when planning a particular diet. Many of them contain huge amounts of calories. A can of beer contains 185 kcal, and 50 grams of vodka contains 121 kcal. This is the same amount as one-third of a chocolate bar, that is, after drinking three or four glasses of vodka, you actually eat 100 grams of this sweet delicacy.

Cortisol attack

Cortisol is a hormone produced by our adrenal glands. Cortisol is a regulator of carbohydrate metabolism in the body and also takes part in the development of stress reactions. If you live under stress for a couple of weeks, months or years, cortisol will be produced constantly and significantly affect your metabolism. Once upon a time, the main cause of long-term stress in our furry ancestors was either a lack of food as such, or a problem with its production. Therefore, their body began to use cortisol in order to preserve the body's energy resources. That is, the constant production of this hormone turns you into a piggy bank. Including externally.

Another cause of elevated cortisol levels may be Cushing's disease. It occurs five times more often in women than in men. The cause of the disease is usually damage to the pituitary gland due to injury or tumor. Childbirth increases the risk of its occurrence. With Itsenko-Cushing's disease, the patient gains a lot of weight, but almost no fat is deposited on the arms and legs, they remain thin. But, since this is not the only symptom, and the others are much brighter, it is impossible to ignore such a problem.

Skipping breakfast

Skipping breakfast is one of the reasons for weight gain.
By skipping your morning meal, you really run the risk of noticeably increasing in size. This is because after sleep your body is hungry and needs calories. When you skip your morning meal, your stomach protests, demanding food.

And during lunch you have to satisfy his needs and eat much more densely. Don't conflict with him, it won't lead to anything good. Even a light breakfast will calm him down.

Why don't French women get fat?

What about French women, are they born and haven’t heard of genetics? French cuisine is high in calories, and most of the girls are slim.

French women, they say, do not count calories. The main thing they are accustomed to is leaving the table without feeling heavy . And don't forget about quality. French supermarkets have a huge selection of products, and cafes can be seen on every corner. But if in America the quality of food in catering establishments leaves much to be desired, here everything is fresh and made conscientiously.

In addition, the French are sure that food should be varied. Firstly, when there are several dishes, there is a break between them, and this allows you to get full faster. Secondly, this way we will provide ourselves with a variety of elements, which gives us a feeling of satiety.

And no snacks. They eat strictly 3 times a day and always in an appropriate environment. You need to prepare for a meal, sit down at the table, and not grab it on the run. Then the food is absorbed better.

And most importantly, all French people are sure that being fat is shameful and inconvenient.

Sauces and seasonings

We often don't think about the calorie content of sauces and condiments.
These days, many restaurants offer customers a large number of free condiments. Sauces, ketchups, mayonnaise are always in your refrigerator. And few people take them into account when planning their caloric intake. However, the same ketchup has 20 calories per 20 grams, while mayonnaise still has more than 100 calories for the same weight. All attempts to lose weight can turn into a complete fiasco if you are overly addicted to spices.

I was told about a physical trainer who, having given up ketchup and mayonnaise, achieved significant success in losing weight.

Why do some people eat and not get fat?

Surely everyone has a friend who, to the envy of everyone, has an excellent appetite and a slender figure. He says: “I eat as much as I want and look at me.” Why is life so unfair?

Neither scientists nor doctors can give a definite answer. There are several assumptions:

• The concept of “a lot” is entirely subjective. You can find out how much a person who is not getting fat really eats only by diligently writing down his menu. And most likely it will turn out that a plate of salad and broth from the soup are “too much” for him. He simply has no idea how much others eat;
• Again, you can eat a lot of vegetables or a lot of fatty meats and sweets. What we eat is also important ;
• How many calories does your skinny friend spend? He probably runs all day for work or plays sports. If the number of calories consumed is less than the calories burned, he will not gain weight. Although there are many plump people who are so energetic that they will give any athlete a head start.

There is no clear answer. Therefore, scientists have come to the conclusion that weight is a genetic program that can be adjusted through diet and lifestyle.

Lack of movement

One of the main reasons for weight gain of all humanity. Everything listed above is easier to resist if you lead an active lifestyle, go to the gym, and go jogging.

Running or walking: what to choose for health

Don't spend your life on the couch. Buy sneakers or a bicycle, sign up for a swimming pool or an aerobics class. Do more yard work if you live in your own home—there are many ways to get rid of extra calories. Be slim and healthy!

Causes. The role of hormones

A decrease in the level of production of thyroid hormones - hypothyroidism - leads to a slowdown in metabolism. Signs of hypothyroidism include: increased fatigue, weakness, decreased performance. In addition, excess weight appears.

Diseases, injuries and injuries to the pituitary gland can also cause the deposition of excess fat. This is the so-called pituitary obesity . Typically, this disease first appears during puberty.

Pickwick 's syndrome is a disease caused by dysfunction of the hypothalamus , leading to extreme obesity. And, as a rule, it is associated with impaired ventilation. In addition, in this case, it is difficult for a sick person to breathe deeply and often. And the patient’s blood is oversaturated with carbon dioxide.

There is also Itsenko-Cushing Syndrome , a disease in which the adrenal cortex malfunctions. The body begins to produce excess amounts of a hormone called cortisol . This is a hormone that stimulates carbohydrate metabolism in the body. It causes protein breakdown and increases blood sugar levels. Muscle tissue literally begins to melt before our eyes and is replaced by fat. Interestingly, fat tissue in this disease is usually deposited unevenly, with pronounced deposits appearing in areas such as the chin, hips and waist, while the limbs remain relatively slender.

You've probably heard about a hormone called insulin , which can also be responsible for the appearance of excess weight. But the culprit becomes only if a tumor appears in the body - insulinoma . Insulinoma is most often a benign formation, but malignant one can also occur. The tumor produces insulin in excess quantities, which can lead to obesity.