6. Taking Birth Control
Birth control is perhaps one of the most well-known medications associated with weight gain (6). Most forms of birth control are hormonal, which can trigger an increase in appetite and water retention. Luckily, there are several forms of low-dose hormonal birth control and non-hormonal birth control that have no effect on weight. Talk to your doctor to find out which kind of birth control is best for you.
7. Skipping the Protein
While experts are still at odds with the optimal amount of dietary protein, there is one thing that they will agree on: most adults do not eat enough protein (7). Protein serves a number of purposes in the human body, chief among them is preserving lean muscle mass. When the body is lacking in nutrients, it will break down muscles for necessary amino acids. Lean muscle mass is also incredibly important to the metabolism: the more muscle a body has, the higher that person’s metabolism will be.
8. Being Depressed
Depression can manifest in a number of ways, commonly through inactivity and excess food consumption (8). This leads to an unfortunate cycle of more weight gain, which then worsens depression, which then leads to the activities (or lack of activity) that cause more weight gain. Depression can also trigger cortisol release into the bloodstream.