10 Things That Affect Your Weight Besides Food and Exercise

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It may frustrate you that your friend Savannah can pack it in like a trucker, eschew any form of exercise, and be model-thin. Meanwhile, you’re eating small portions of healthy foods, hitting the gym for 45 minutes daily and still fighting the battle of the bulge. Could your lack of weight-loss success be due to a slow metabolism? Or because you’re big-boned? Or something else?

Table of Content:

10: Hormonal Changes
9: Water Retention
8: Medications
7: Hypothyroidism
6: Constipation
5: Cushing’s Syndrome
4: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
3: Lack of Sleep
2: Stress
1: Genes

10: Hormonal Changes

One of the top hormonal changes that can cause weight gain in women is menopause. About 35 percent of American women between 40 and 59 are obese [source: CDC]. When women go through menopause, their estrogen levels drop. Animal studies show that estrogen helps control weight — lab animals whose estrogen levels declined tended to eat more and exercise less. Further, some experts believe a lack of estrogen can throw off the…