8 Reason Why Women Gain Weight Fast

8 Reasons Why Women Gain Weight Fast

Lisa Mason,
Aug 12, 2011

Are you eating healthy, paying attention to proportions and exercising regularly but you still notice that you're gaining weight fast? Many women face this problem and it can be very frustrating and upsetting when you know you're doing everything right but you're gaining weight anyway. It can be so discouraging that many women feel like giving up but instead, you need to find out what is causing the weight gain. When you're doing everything right, there could be a medical explanation for the extra weight. This is when you need to see your health care provider and discuss the issue.
According to Medicine Net.com, here are 8 reasons why women gain weight fast that could be related to a medical condition:

1. Cushing's Syndrome- When your adrenal glands located above your kidneys produce too much cortisol, this can make you gain weight fast in your abdomen, face and upper back.
2. Syndrome X- This is a term used to describe several medical conditions that causes your body to be resistant to the hormone insulin (and other hormones), which helps to control your metabolism.
3. Hypothyroidism- This is an underactive thyroid in which your thyroid gland doesn't secrete enough hormones to control your metabolism. This causes your body to store more fat than it burns.
4. Insomnia- Not getting enough sleep can reduce the hormone leptin that regulates your metabolism and your appetite resulting in weight gain.
5. Depression- Being depressed for long periods can cause a number of health issues that include overeating, which can result in gaining weight fast.
6. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome- PCOS is a hormonal imbalance in which the eggs don't mature and release from the ovaries. Instead, they can accumulate in the ovaries as cysts and rapid weight gain is a sign of this condition.
7. Chronic Stress- Stress can elevate the levels of the hormone called cortisol in your body and this can cause women to gain weight fast. It usually causes your body to store fat around your waist.
8. Medications- Some medications can cause women to gain weight fast. If you suspect medication to be the culprit, discuss this with your doctor so changes can be made if needed.

Women have a harder time losing the weight they gain than men do because their bodies tend to store more fat. Science Daily reports "On average, women have 6 to 11 percent more body fat than men". It's believed this is linked to the hormone oestrogen, which stores fat for childbearing. However, more studies need to be done on why women store more fat than men do before a definite reason can be given.
Being overweight is a problem that many women struggle with daily and it's not always caused by overeating and being inactive. A number of other medical conditions can also contribute to the reasons why women gain weight fast.