Menopausal weight gain seems to be a great concern for women as they age. It seems that gaining some weight during this period in life seems inevitable. Some women may even be puzzled as to why they seem to pile up weight even though they eat the same amount of food. There are many reasons for this.

Women go through menopausal weight gain because their body is going through changes during menopause. The reason for the weight gain may stem fro the hormones themselves. During menopause, normal estrogen levels in the body seem to go down. Estrogen is the female sex hormone that is responsible for a woman’s monthly ovulation.

Low estrogen levels during menopause causes the female body to stop ovulating. As the ovaries of the woman produce less estrogen, her body tries to look for other means to get its estrogen supply. One of the means that the body can be supplied with the estrogen hormone is through the fat cells. So the body tries to convert as much of the calories it is supplied with into fat to be able to produce the much needed estrogen. Unfortunately, the fat cells are not as effective in burning calories as much as muscles do. This causes women to pack up additional pounds.

Progesterone is another hormone that may be the cause of weight gain during menopause. Just like estrogen, women undergoing menopause also experience their body’s progesterone levels go down. This causes weight gain on women on a different way. Low levels of progesterone in the body are associated with water retention and bloating, giving one the appearance of getting bigger and heavier. But this effect usually only happens for a short time and will disappear in just a few months.

Another hormone that may be responsible for weight gain during menopause is the male sex hormone androgen. Menopause brings about an increase of androgen levels in women. This hormone becomes responsible for sending the gained weight into the abdominal area or the middle section of the body. This is the reason why weight gain during menopause is also referred to as the “middle age spread”.

Another hormone that may be responsible for weight gain during menopause is testosterone. This hormone helps the body to create lean muscle mass out of the calories that the body takes in. Muscle cells are better at burning calories than fat cells and helps in increasing the body’s metabolism. During menopause, the level of this hormone drops which then results in a gradual loss of muscle. This also means that metabolism in the body slows down, causing the body to burn calories slower.

Women become frustrated and concerned when they suddenly find themselves gaining weight during menopause. No matter how careful they are on maintaining their eating habits and even adding up a dose of exercise into their daily habit, they still can’t seem to maintain their weight. Women must understand that it is because of the changes in the body during menopause that makes maintaining their weight even more difficult. Losing weight even becomes a more challenging undertaking than ever before.

Women must remember that it is not entirely their fault that they are gaining weight during this stage in their life. Menopausal weight gain is a normal occurrence due to the fluctuations in the hormone levels in the body. These hormones will also have a big impact on one’s appetite and the body’s ability to metabolize calories and store fats.

The better that women understand what goes on with their bodies during menopause, the less frustrated they can become when faced with weight gain.

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Aside from the overall condition of the fetus inside the womb, one of the major things that stress women when they are conceiving is pregnancy weight gain. This is because they are so afraid to gain so much weight and be among those women who are suffering from a condition called obesity.

Women who have babies in their wombs cannot be blamed for worrying too much over pregnancy weight gain because the society largely contributes to this thinking. In fact, with all the commercialization and hype on weight loss, women—even if those who are pregnant—are tempted to cut down on their weight so the people in the society won’t ridicule them.

Today, some studies show that more and more pregnant women are trying to regulate their food intake. They do this because they don’t want to be fat without thinking that it could severely affect the condition of the baby inside the womb.

Experts say that pregnant women—regardless of their condition—should always stay healthy throughout the duration of pregnancy. Being healthy does not only entails having a positive outlook in life but also good eating habits to supply the nutrients needed both by the mother and the baby.

Why weight gain during pregnancy?

Doctors say that that number one reason why pregnant women should gain weight is to support the nutritional needs of the growing fetus inside her. Since food intake is the number one source of all nutrition in the body, pregnant women should keep on eating especially during the first few months of pregnancy to provide al the nutrients needed by the baby.

Aside from supplying all the nutritional needs of the fetus, weight gain also indicates that the mother is healthy enough to carry on with the pregnancy.

Experts agree that the weight of the woman before the pregnancy does not matter once the first trimester rushes in. It means that no matte how light or heavy you are, you still need to gain weight when you are pregnant.

Medical findings prove that women who are overweight during pregnancy still need to gain weight with at least 20 pounds. Women who are underweight are advised to gain more, ranging from 20-40. These figures are ideal for women who are having single babies.

For those who are expecting two or more, they need to gain much more weight in order to provide the needs of the growing babies.

Pregnancy weight gain is very important for this special period in time because it will benefit the baby a lot. Aside from providing him or her nutrients needed through the foods that you eat, it also ensures their overall health once they come out in this world. Studies show that pregnant women who did not gain weight during conceiving are mothers to small and sickly babies.

For pregnant women to gain weight the healthy way, they should stick to the recommended number of calorie-intake which is 400 to 500 daily.

They should also be mindful about what they eat and how often they eat. During the early stages of pregnancy, pregnant women are allowed to eat almost anything they want to. But, as the pregnancy progresses, some foods are prohibited for pregnant women because these contain ingredients which can be harmful to the baby such as caffeine in coffee and in other drinks, alcohol and beverages with alcohol content, as well as cigarette smoking because it may cause mental problems to the baby.

Aside from eating healthy foods, pregnancy weight gain can also be achieved by performing a list of exercise regularly to keep the muscles fit and firm.

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Thyroid weight gain is basically the effect of the thyroid gland not working properly. It is through this gland that the thyroid hormone is being produced. This hormone acts as the body’s counterpart to a car’s cruise control. It is the cruise control that allows the car to maintain a constant speed. And just like a car, it is the thyroid gland that keeps the rest of the body working at constant speed.

Normal levels of the thyroid hormone make it possible for the various functions of the body to maintain its normal activity. A decrease in the production of the thyroid hormone and the body’s level of activity also decreases. Cells in the body seem to work slower. In so doing, the cells need less energy. But when the amount of energy provided in the body remains at the same level, some of this excess energy is being stored by the body for future use. The body does this by turning the excess energy in calories into fat. This in turn becomes additional weight in the body.

When the thyroid gland produces less of the thyroid hormone, many other things happen to the body. With the cells using lesser energy due to decreased activity, less heat is produced. With less heat, the sweat glands no longer need to keep the skin moist as the body also becomes colder. In this situation, the brain also goes through decreased activity which makes it want to sleep all the time. The same goes with the heart as less activity also allows it to beat slower. With decreased hormone levels in the thyroid gland, everything just slows up.

The opposite is true when the thyroid gland begins to produce the right amount of hormones that the body needs. When the levels of the thyroid hormones increase, the cells in the body also undergo an increase in activity. As a result of this, the body requires more energy and so makes use of the fat and protein stores and convert them to energy. As fat and protein cell stores decrease when being used, the body undergoes weight changes.

But an overactive thyroid gland also is not good. Aside from the above effects, an overactive thyroid also enables the body to produce more heat as a by-product of the increased activity. The body then begins to sweat in an effort to cool things down. The brain then begins to work overtime which can result in irritability and often difficulty in sleeping. The heart also begins to beat faster as everything in the body tries to speed up in activity.

In the body, it is the pituitary gland that sets the level of activity in the thyroid gland. Located at the base of the brain right between the temples, the pituitary gland sets the level in which the thyroid gland functions and, in so doing, regulates how much of the thyroid hormone is released into the blood stream.

If there the pituitary gland detects decreased levels of the thyroid hormone in the bloodstream, it sends out more of the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH into the thyroid gland by way of the bloodstream to stimulate it to produce more thyroid hormone. Thyroid weight gain happens if the body has an under active thyroid.

A decrease in thyroid function leads to less energy consumption in the body. This makes the body to store up excess calories in the body as fat which results in weight gain.

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Thyroid weight gain is basically the effect of the thyroid gland not working properly. It is through this gland that the thyroid hormone is being produced. This hormone acts as the body’s counterpart to a car’s cruise control. It is the cruise control that allows the car to maintain a constant speed. And just like a car, it is the thyroid gland that keeps the rest of the body working at constant speed.

Normal levels of the thyroid hormone make it possible for the various functions of the body to maintain its normal activity. A decrease in the production of the thyroid hormone and the body’s level of activity also decreases. Cells in the body seem to work slower. In so doing, the cells need less energy. But when the amount of energy provided in the body remains at the same level, some of this excess energy is being stored by the body for future use. The body does this by turning the excess energy in calories into fat. This in turn becomes additional weight in the body.

When the thyroid gland produces less of the thyroid hormone, many other things happen to the body. With the cells using lesser energy due to decreased activity, less heat is produced. With less heat, the sweat glands no longer need to keep the skin moist as the body also becomes colder. In this situation, the brain also goes through decreased activity which makes it want to sleep all the time. The same goes with the heart as less activity also allows it to beat slower. With decreased hormone levels in the thyroid gland, everything just slows up.

The opposite is true when the thyroid gland begins to produce the right amount of hormones that the body needs. When the levels of the thyroid hormones increase, the cells in the body also undergo an increase in activity. As a result of this, the body requires more energy and so makes use of the fat and protein stores and convert them to energy. As fat and protein cell stores decrease when being used, the body undergoes weight changes.

But an overactive thyroid gland also is not good. Aside from the above effects, an overactive thyroid also enables the body to produce more heat as a by-product of the increased activity. The body then begins to sweat in an effort to cool things down. The brain then begins to work overtime which can result in irritability and often difficulty in sleeping. The heart also begins to beat faster as everything in the body tries to speed up in activity.

In the body, it is the pituitary gland that sets the level of activity in the thyroid gland. Located at the base of the brain right between the temples, the pituitary gland sets the level in which the thyroid gland functions and, in so doing, regulates how much of the thyroid hormone is released into the blood stream.

If there the pituitary gland detects decreased levels of the thyroid hormone in the bloodstream, it sends out more of the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH into the thyroid gland by way of the bloodstream to stimulate it to produce more thyroid hormone. Thyroid weight gain happens if the body has an under active thyroid.

A decrease in thyroid function leads to less energy consumption in the body. This makes the body to store up excess calories in the body as fat which results in weight gain.

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The family is all abuzz. Jun will be home this summer, his first summer as a college man. My parents were so excited that they have already forgotten the visit they made to Jun’s dorm a month ago. Well, that’s the way parents are. Anyways, when Jun opened our front door and stepped into the house, everyone was on him almost immediately.

But amidst all those chatter, the smiles, the welcome home remarks, there was one comment that rang through the whole house. It was my niece saying “boy, have you gotten fat.” Jun, fortunately, just brushed it off. However, to some people, college weight gain cannot be brushed off quite easily.

Studies have been undertaken which on the issue of gaining weight during college. Although, the truth of the matter has been confirmed quite a number of times, the actual reason behind the phenomena is not as conclusive as other people might like.

It is said that the first year of one’s stay in college can easily result to a 10 or even a 20-pound increase in body weight. A number of reasons have been cited as the causes of getting a bigger butt while you’re in college. Actually, some of the clues that explain this phenomenon are really quite obvious, when you look at them closely.

One of the possible reasons is that they might over do this concept of being free. Some students or most students see their first year in college as their chance to be free from their parents. Although, some might handle this quite well adapting to the school and his/her peers. They loose control and eat and drink whatever they want and whenever they want.

They don’t concern themselves with their diet. Compared to when their mom’s were in control of what they eat, these first year college folks drown themselves with sodas and fill their bellies with junk foods. The school cafeteria is also an easy place to stuff more fat since the food there is often times “complete.” With appetizers, main course, and most especially desserts, college folks are more likely to overeat there than in any other place in campus.

One interesting thing is that according to recent studies, college males are more likely to gain considerable weight after the first year of their stay in college than their female counterparts. So guys, beware. If you continue on your current lifestyle, you might end up four times or even six times your body weight before you leave college.

Another reason that kept getting the blame for this college fat phenomenon is the fact that most college folks live a more or less sedentary life. If eating the right food is the least of their concern, believe me, exercising is further off their grid. They have homework, study groups, library work, experiments, and not to mention parties to go to, events to crash, and so on.

Speaking of parties, the various gathering you go to in college serve mostly fat laden finger foods, sodas and the like. Imagine the fat you will gain the next day. In the attempt to socialize with their peers, college freshmen are eating more than enough fills of fats, salt, and other junk.

Stopping college weight gain is a conscious effort. College folks need to get their diet in order and need to get their butt off their bunks. This is an action that they themselves need to initiate. Complaining won’t do them any good. They need to fight this with sheer will power and utter determination.

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Women between the ages of 35 and 55 will soon experience menopause. It is not a disease but rather a phase in life where the female will no longer be able to conceive a child. One of the symptoms associated with this phase is weight gain. In fact, 90% of women will gain a few extra pounds which are not a direct result of overeating but rather a shift in your hormones.

Those who are already going through with menopause will probably notice a change in their physical body shape. Majority will gain between 10 to 15 pounds but this will not happen overnight. It will happen gradually like one or two pounds per year during premenopause and a little faster for those who are in early and surgical menopause.

The areas where you will see a physical change will be in the abdomen thus making you look fat when you look at yourself in the mirror. Again, this is not your fault but a fact of life because there are also already fluctuations in your hormones.

To explain this further, you have to understand that hormones do not only affect our behavior but also have a direct impact on our appetite, fat storage and metabolism.

Females have four hormones namely androgen, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. The first one namely androgen is the one that puts that excess weight around your abdomen. This happens because when you reach androgen, your body produces more of this hormone causing you to gain weight here rather than your hips, thigh or rear.

Estrogen is the hormone responsible for your monthly ovulation. When you reach menopausal age, the level of estrogen that is produced by the body decreases. Because of this, your ovaries need a source of estrogen so it taps your fat cells that have the ability to make this happen. This forces the body to convert calories into fat but since your fat cells are unable to burn calories like your muscles do when you work out, this also causes you pack a few extra pounds.

Another hormone that will also decrease during menopause is your progesterone levels. This causes water retention and bloating. The only good news is that this usually disappears after a few months.

Testosterone is the one that converts lean muscle mass out of the calories you take in from eating. During menopause, this level also drops thus resulting in the loss of this muscle. This will slow down your metabolism thus making it difficult to burn the food you ingested and it too causes weight gain.

Other factors that may cause weight gain during menopause could be attributed to insulin resistance and stress. Insulin resistance occurs when the body converts every calorie into fat. Stress can also make this happen as the body stores calories instead of burning as its way of saving on energy.

So how will you be able to reduce menopausal weight gain? A lot of experts believe that this will be difficult but not impossible. The most obvious is eating a balanced diet. You will have to give up food products that contain refined sugars and switch it to fruits and vegetables. You should also cut back on alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.

As much as possible try to stay active by exercising regularly. Examples of these could be aerobics, cycling, jogging, running and walking that will increase muscle mass and prevent osteoporosis.

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Most people go to the gym to lose weight. But did you know that you can do the exact opposite? Yes you can with a little help of a nutrition-based diet and some body building.

A nutrition-based diet is not composed of junk or greasy food. What you have to do is play it smart by eating products which contain healthy fats like omega 3 fatty acids which are commonly found in flax, tuna, salmon and walnuts.

You will also need to increase your protein intake from things like lean meat, nuts, poultry products, legumes and seeds. To top it off, you will also need carbohydrates that can be found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Another thing you will have to do is eat five to six meals per day instead of the eating three large ones.

Aside from food, there are protein foods and supplements drinks available which you can add during any time of the day. Since they come in different flavors, you can choose your favorite one from the store, add some water and then serve.

Some people even add a small amount of flax seed oil and psyllium powder so they also get some omega 3 fatty acids into their system.

Now that you have worked the eating part, now it is time to work on body building. Resistance training forces the muscles in your body to work harder and as a result increases your muscle size. Some examples are aerobics, cycling, running and weight lifting which can be done of course if you have the equipment at home or if you are a member of a gym.

Exercising is ideally done for 20 minutes but those who want to sweat it out and gain weight should try to work out between 1 to 2 hours every other day.

Since it takes some time for your muscles to recover after a workout, you should make sure to give it time to rest. It may take some time to gain the ideal weight you want if you are underweight so just be patient because the right nutrition diet and body building program will soon make you reach the goal weight.

Once you do reach the ideal weight, the challenge now is maintaining it. This is done by monitoring your calorie intake. There are books about this as well as information online which you can download to help you calculate how much of a certain food you can eat per day.

The mistake some people make that gets them off track is adding some unhealthy foods the diet such as chicken nuggets, French fries and fish sticks. You should eat smart and go for baked chicken, potatoes or fish. If you want, make the portion a little bit bigger.

Each meal should consist of protein and 2 to three servings of vegetables preferably the green kind that has a lot of vitamins and phytonutrients.

As for refreshments, don’t forget to drink lots of water to replenish what you lost during a workout. Milk and fruit juices are also good. You must avoid sodas since it only adds calories and has no nutritional value.

For the weight program, work with a trainer first who can help you achieve your objective by making the program and then all you have to do is follow it. You can probably add more weight later on in the barbells or dumbbells when you don’t find it that challenging as before.

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Many people—who are basically into bodybuilding and those who want to sustain their good health—would want to gain weight fast in order to achieve their goal as soon as possible. Although it seems that there is nothing wrong in wanting to gain weight fast, many people don’t realize that there could be dangers especially if they are not guided correctly.

If you are one of those people who are looking forward to gaining weight fast, it is very important to take note of your actual gain weight just before you start gaining some more weight. Knowing this fact is very important because it will help you get started on the right track. Once you know your actual weight, you can now determine which weight gain program can give you the results that you want.

Aside from knowing your actual weight, it is also very important to take note or your height and your body type in order to know how much weight gain is perfect for you.

Here’s how
Once you have determined your ideal weight gain by identifying your actual weight and height, you can now proceed in gaining weight fast, easy, and safely.

1. Eat. This is the major factor that would contribute a lot to gaining weight fast. Why, because food is where people get their energies to move around aside from being the primary source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed by the body. If you want to gain weight fast, it is very important to plan out your meals carefully to ensure that you will get satisfying results. The most important thing to remember if you want to gain weight fast is that you have to load up on calories. And these calories should not come from just about any food but from those natural sources that will give your body the amount it needs.

It is recommended that people who are gaining weight should double their calorie intake to ensure that they have enough supply to burn. The ideal calorie intake should be from 300 to 500 daily—depending on the appetite and eating habits of the person. If you don’t eat a lot, you can still meet this calorie requirement by adding up a portion generously to your meals for the day.

To gain weight, you must also increase your meals but make sure that they are composed of healthy foods such as lean meats, beans, seafoods, poultry products, fruits and vegetables. You should also drinks lots of fluids such as water and other juices to replenish what you have lost during workouts.

2. Exercise. Having a regular set of physical activities such as exercise and workouts can help you gain weight faster because you are building and strengthening your muscles. The set of exercises that you should focus are those that promote muscle strengthening such as lifting, squats, bench presses, and the like. This is very important because it does not only build your muscles but also helps you in toning them down due to increased food intake.

3. Take some supplements. If you want to gain weight fast, then you should complement increased food intake and exercise with weight gain supplements. These supplements play a very crucial role in achieving fast weight gain because these helps the body to absorb the nutrients from the foods faster and also help the body to endure physical pains during rigorous sets of workouts and exercises.

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In the world of gaining weight, people are always in debates what are the best supplements to gain weight fast, easy, and healthy. There are those who stick to the traditional routines such as workouts and proper diet while there are also those that rely on more conventional ways such as the use of weight gain supplements to ensure that they are getting what they need to gain some more weight.

Experts say that both ways —the traditional and the conventional ways—could work if a person really wants for gain weight. However, certain guidelines must be followed religiously to ensure that there will be no complications in the future.

Why use weight gain supplements?

Before, the only people that are into weight gain supplements are those who are so much into body building. In fact, majority of the best supplements to gain available in the market were made especially for those that make bodybuilding as a life and as a career. These supplements are being used by the bodybuilders especially if they have upcoming competitions.

But, as time went by, people—even those who are not into body building—have been trying various gain weight supplements because they believe that gaining weight is one of the easiest way to achieve a firm and sexy body. So, what they do is take up some of the best supplements for weight gain and enroll to a gym or fitness center that offer rigorous workouts.

Through regular workout and physical activities, people who have gained weight can lose some the way they want it to be.

If you are one of those who are looking forward to gaining weight to achieve the society’s ideal physique, then you should try using weight gain supplements. Weight gain supplements are those that being use by people to complement or boost their weight gain. These may come in forms of beverages, tablets, and the like.

In the market today, some of the best supplements to gain weight include weight gainers which are usually protein shakes that provide sufficient supply of calories in the body, spectrum flaxseed oil which is high in Omega 3 good for having enough supply of essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the body, multi-vitamin and mineral packs that helps converts the food to vitamins and minerals readily absorbed by the body’s tissues and hormones, creatine which enables the reuse of the body’s stored energy and shows results as soon as possible.

Glutamine that helps increase a person’s muscular volume by enhancing the immune system, liver tablets came from high grade beef liver which is an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, and testosterone boosting supplements that works well for people who are way beyond hormonal production.

Before buying

Experts say that that best supplements to gain weight are those types that can help a person reach the target calorie intake everyday. To avoid using products that can cause you side effects in the future, make sure that you:

- Read the label of the supplement thoroughly to ensure that you know that ingredients from what you are about to take.

- Consult your physician about it before you finally buy and use it to make sure that you know how much of these supplements should you take.

- Conduct a research what to look for in a weight gain supplement and where to find the best supplements to gain weight on the market today.

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Many people are getting into weight gain because they believe that this is one of the fastest ways to have a fit and sexy body once they exercise regularly. However, there are instances that people cannot wait so they resort to various means of gaining weight without realizing that it can be unhealthy for them. If you are one of those who can’t wait to gain weight, here are some healthy weight tips for you:

1. Add up on calories. Since calories are the building blocks of muscles and the primary course of a person’s energy, people who are looking forward to gain weight should increase their calorie intake. Studies show that people who want fast weight gain should add up 1,000 or more extra calories but this cannot be health for everyone especially to those who are used to eating a little or to those who have been into dieting.

For starters, adding up 500 extra calories would do you good and it can be increased when proper adjustments have already been done. (REMINDER: Always read the nutrition facts label of food to see its calorie content per serving. This information guide can be seen at the top section of the packaged food.

2. Load up on snacks all throughout the day. Eating snacks—especially those that are high in calories, carbohydrates, and protein—often during the day can help you gain weight the healthy way because this prepares your body for a larger amount of food during full course meals.

3. Always opt for foods that have higher calorie content. As mentioned, calories help people double up their body mass. If you are really into gaining weight the fast and healthy way, always choose the foods that have the highest calorie content more often.

4. Increase your food intake. Experts say that people who are looking forward to gain weight the safe and healthy way should try eating larger portions of foods during meal time. For those who are “little eaters,” it is best not to force yourself to eat large portions because you might vomit or be full in an instant. What you can do is to eat smaller meals but double up your eating schedule and eat foods that have the highest content of calories.

5. Don’t eat foods with saturated fats. Calories contain fats but it doesn’t mean that you should consume all the foods that have calorie content even if they have saturated fats. Studies show that saturated fats can make a person more prone to increased cholesterol condition and other illnesses and conditions relate to saturated fats.

(REMINDER: Always choose foods that don’t only have high calorie content but nutritious and healthy as well. Always opt for fruits, vegetables, meats, and other poultry products. Avoid consuming dairy and other whole-milk products, skin or chicken, sausage and bacon, butter, sour cream, and meats with high-fat as well as majority of the snack foods available in major supermarkets and groceries nationwide.

Always stay healthy

These healthy weight gain tips do not promise the same result to everyone since people have their innate genetic build up. What they should do is to visit their physicians first and ask for a thorough examination to ensure that they are fit enough to gain some weight.

If they are fit, the physician will also guide the person on the kinds of foods that he or she should eat to ensure one’s health.

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