It happens that after weeks of effort, the balance still displays a discouraging figure. However, you eat balanced, you train regularly, you avoid excess … and your weight is climbing. “”A frustrating situation that pushes many people to wonder why their bodies do not reflect their efforts “ Recognizes the dietician Julie Boët.
Why can we gain weight despite sport and a balanced diet?
The reality is more nuanced than it seems. A weight variation is not always synonymous with fat.
“”It can result from a water retention after a salty meal, an intense training which causes temporary muscle inflammation or even a hormonal upheaval “ add our expert.
Added to this is the muscular construction, denser than the fat, which increases the scale of the scale without modifying the silhouette. (More simply, the muscle weighs heavier than fat).
In addition, even with a healthy plate and regular training, the body does not always enter into calorie deficit. In some cases, energy intakes remain greater than expenses.
“”But also be careful, on the contrary“Prevents Julie Boët.”Too severe a deficit can trigger a survival reaction of the body: slowdown in metabolism, increase in hunger and faster storage at the slightest excess“Lists our expert.
In addition, other factors come into play: a lack of hydration, vitamin D, magnesium or iron deficiencies, but also the effect of repeated restrictive diets that disrupt the signals of hunger and satiety.
The role of hormones, stress and sleep in weight gain
Sleep also directly influences weight. Too short nights disruption the ghrelin and leptin, hormones that pilot appetite, increasing the desire for sugars and fats. Chronic stress stimulates the production of cortisol, promoting abdominal storage.
Hormones also play a major role, recalls the dietician. “Hormonal variations, whether linked to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause or endocrine disorders such as thyroid or insulin, directly influence weight “.
Indeed, certain drug treatments such as antidepressants, corticosteroids or certain contraceptive pills can also cause independent weight gain in lifestyle. Finally, intestinal microbiota, genetics or exposure to endocrine disruptors can further complicate the situation.
Dietitian advice to better assess her progress
Finally, Julie Boët recalls that the balance of the scale is not always the most reliable indicator. “I often advise my patients to rather focus on their general well-being such as digestion, energy, sleep but also to take measures or photos which are often a better reflection of their evolution”.
She also invites you to put these weight variations into perspective: “To be discouraged would be unfair to everything you put in place “. Rather than stopping at a number, the expert therefore encourages to adopt a more global and benevolent vision, listening to the signals of the body and following its evolution through concrete and positive markers.