Some would say the simple answer to "Why am I
overweight?" is that your
caloric intake isn't in balance with your body's
calorie-burn. But, as just about anyone who deals with weight issues will tell you, it isn't always
that simple. There are a few things I think you should ask yourself in order to ultimately answer the question "Why am I overweight?":
- Have you been overweight for a majority of your life?
Does overeating or choosing high-calorie foods too often seem to be something you've done your entire life? Eating habits can be traced back to familial, ethnic and cultural influences. The habits that have been created over a lifetime are difficult to change; you may find you fall back into them each time you attempt dieting. Your family can also affect your weight more directly -- some genetic factors may play a part in your tendency to gain extra pounds. Focusing on the health benefits of weight loss can help you create and adhere to better eating habits; getting regular exercise can help combat a hereditary pre-disposition to gain weight.
Here's Help: How Your Friends and Family can Help You Lose Weight
- Is your weight-gain a more recent issue?
If you have only recently begun gaining weight, it is important that you look at changes in your life that may be leading -- or at least contributing -- to your weight gain. Stressful life situations (such as moving or dealing with illness) are known to induce overeating that can lead to weight gain. Other causes of sudden weight-gain include certain underlying medical issues or taking some types of medications. Speak to your doctor about any unexplained weight change (gains or losses) to eliminate or identify any underlying health-related causes. A medical cause may be treatable or a medication-switch possible.
Here's Help: Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Weight Loss
- Do you tend to overeat when you are anxious or overly emotional? Does food improve your mood?
If you regularly eat too much when you feel sad, nervous, angry (basically, if you eat in response to any feeling other than true hunger) then you are probably affected by emotional eating. Food becomes a types of substitute-medication for many emotional eaters: When they are sad, it is uplifting; when they are nervous, it is soothing; when they are angry, it is calming. Some emotional eaters even eat when they are happy simply because it makes them happier. Keeping a food diary in which you note your feelings before and after eating can help you understand your emotional eating habits.
Here's Help: How to Deal with Emotional Eating
- Do you feel like your weight is on your mind most of the time?
Surprisingly, thinking about your weight, eating habits or exercise routine too often can actually backfire on you. Anyone who has attempted an overly-strict diet will have experienced that "breaking point" where either dieting burnout or sheer hunger leads to a binge. Obsessing about your weight or having a constant pre-occupation with your eating habits can have the same effect ... eventually you will want to break free and return to old habits. In fact, a recent study showed focusing on weight loss too much can actually be detrimental to your health, leading to guilt, weight-cycling, decreased self-esteem and eating disorders.
Here's Help: Lose Weight without Going on a Diet
- Do you take the time to plan meals or do you "wing it"?
It is virtually impossible to eat a consistently healthful, calorie-controlled diet with no pre-planning of meals and snacks. Leaving your eating options to chance sets you up for poor last-minute decisions ("Burgers are BOGO today!"), out-of-control portions and not regularly meeting nutritional needs. Having your meals arranged (and even partially prepared) will help you stay on track, while "winging it" is a path to dietary chaos. Keeping a food diary turns proper planning into a one-two punch -- not only will you have some guidelines by planning, recording what you eat and drink in writing or online (try About.com's Calorie Count) is the only sure-fire way to know if you're meeting the goals you plan.
Here's Help: Make Healthier Eating Choices
- Do you live a sedentary lifestyle?
Expecting to lose weight (and maintain weight loss) by focusing solely on your diet is like trying to put a puzzle with missing pieces together. A combination of cutting calories from your diet and burning additional calories with increased physical activity is the only weight-loss method that practically guarantees results. You may think it is best to lose some weight and then start exercising, but actually, the heavier you are, the more calories you burn doing any given activity, making exercise "worth" more now than later! So, as long as your doctor says it's okay, the time to begin exercising is right now.
Here's Help: Start Exercising and Increase Activity
