Losing weight is usually difficult for many reasons. There are various reasons for an individual to gain weight. So finding out the actual reason will help you to find a proper plan to lose weight.

1. Calorie intake

Weight of the body is a balancing act. If you eat more calories than you burn, you eventually gain weight. A lack of energy balance often results in overweight and obesity.

To maintain a healthy weight, your calorie IN and OUT don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over a period of time that helps you maintain a healthy weight.

2. Unhealthy eating habits

Having a diet that is high in calories, lack of fruits and vegetables, more of fast foods, skipping breakfast, food laden with high-calorie beverages and oversized portions of foods contribute to weight gain.

3. Genetic

Overweight and obesity tend to run in families. Chances of being overweight are greater if there is a history of the same in family. Your genes may also affect the amount of fat you store in your body and part of the body on which you carry the extra fat.

4. Lack of physical activity

We tend to put physical activity as last priority in the present lifestyle, for e.g. sitting at the  desk for a longer time . Even though some of them work out for an hour in gym, due to sedentary lifestyle chances of gaining weight is higher.

5. Metabolism

In the simplest terms, metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories (“fuel”). Very few people have a fast metabolism. A faster metabolism will enable you to lose more weight than a person with the same activity level, diet and weight. There are some factors that you can control and change, and some factors that you can’t, like:

• Age – Metabolic rate decreases 5% each decade, after the age of 40, partly because of decreased muscle mass.
• Gender – Men generally burn calories more quickly than women because they have more muscle tissue.
• Heredity – You can inherit your metabolic rate from previous generations.
• Thyroid disorder – Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland)

6. Medical conditions

Obesity can sometimes be traced to a medical cause such as PCOD, hormonal imbalance, Fatty liver, Cushing’s syndrome, arthritis, etc. which results in weight gain.

7. Medication

Some medications can lead to weight gain if you don’t compensate through diet or activity. These medications include some antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, antipsychotic medications, corticosteroids and beta blockers.

8. Lacking essential fats

Not all fats are bad.  Foods such as fish, ghee, virgin coconut oil,  olive oil contain essential fats that our bodies require .People do not realize that some amount fat is also required for proper metabolism. Lack of beneficial fats can end up in having cravings for fatty foods which results in weight gain.

9. Lack of Sleep

You might be gaining weight because of lack of sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and biochemically you store fat more efficiently. Research shows that lack of sleep increases the risk of obesity. Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don’t get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel more hungry than when you’re well-rested.

10. Hormonal variations

Some hormone problems may cause overweight and obesity, such as underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), Cushing’s syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and menopause. Ayurvedic Treatment for Weight loss helps to shed Fat naturally and balance the hormones. Even in pregnancy women gain weight and undergo various hormonal changes.

11. Emotional Factors

Some people eat more than usual when they’re bored, angry or stressed. Over time, overeating will lead to weight gain and may cause overweight or obesity.

There are several more reasons which directly or indirectly cause weight gain and related complications.