What causes weight gain? Look at what has changed in your life, not just your plate

Think back over the last 2 years

Take a moment and write a short timeline. When did your clothes start to feel tighter? What else happened around then? People often spot a link straight away. A move to working from home. A car instead of a cycle to work. A new baby. Caring for a parent. A promotion with longer hours. Each of these changes how you eat, how you move and how you sleep. Seeing the link also takes away some of the guilt. You did not suddenly lose your willpower. Your circumstances changed, and your habits followed them.

Age

Getting older does not cause weight gain on its own, but it changes the rules a little. Muscle tends to decrease from midlife unless you keep using it, and less muscle means your body needs slightly less energy. Daily movement often drops too, especially in desk jobs. Keeping active and including protein at meals helps to hold on to muscle as the years go by.

Hormones

Hormonal changes are a real factor. Perimenopause and menopause often bring weight gain around the middle, and our article on weight loss and the menopause goes into this. An underactive thyroid can cause tiredness and weight gain, and polycystic ovary syndrome can affect weight in women. These are diagnosed by a GP, often with a blood test, so it is worth asking rather than guessing.

Medicines

Some prescribed medicines can raise appetite, cause fluid retention or make you feel less like moving. If your weight changed after starting a treatment, keep taking it and speak to your GP or pharmacist. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine by yourself. There may be a different option or a different way to take it.

Stress

When life feels out of control, food is often the quickest comfort available. Stress can also mean late meals, takeaways on busy nights and less time to cook or exercise. The NHS stress pages on Every Mind Matters suggest practical steps such as breaking problems into smaller parts, being active and talking to someone you trust.

Tiredness and sleep

The NHS lists not getting enough sleep, stress and hormonal changes among the common causes of tiredness. When you are tired, you crave quick energy and move less, which is a recipe for slow weight gain. Our page on sleep and weight loss has ideas for better nights.

Mental load

Mental load is the invisible work of running a household. Remembering the dentist, the packed lunches, the bills and the birthdays. It drains energy and leaves little room to think about your own meals. Many people end up eating whatever is quickest at the end of the day. Our article on emotional load and weight looks at how to share or lighten it.

What you can do this week

• Name your 2 biggest changes. Use your timeline to pick the ones that seem most connected to your weight.
• Book a GP appointment if you also feel unusually tired, cold or low, or if your weight rose quickly without an obvious reason.
• Fix a daily anchor. A regular breakfast, a set bedtime or a daily walk gives the rest of the day some structure.
• Ask for help at home. Sharing a few tasks can free the time you need to plan your meals.

Support in Witney

Rachel Clarkson runs Witney Nutrition Club with Sara and a team of coaches trained in nutrition, and members are followed every day. Whether you live in Eynsham, Ducklington or Witney itself, the club is close to your morning routine. A free assessment at the club is a calm way to look at your own changes and choose where to begin.

This article is general information and does not replace advice from your GP or another health professional.