9 Common Habits that Cause Weight Gain

When it's time to lose weight and burn fat, not all of it comes down to diet and calories. Some people follow a healthy diet but don't lose weight, and they feel like nothing works for them.

Reviewed and approved by the doctor José Gerardo Rosciano Paganelli.

Written by Carolina Betancourth

Last update: 11 June, 2022

It’s important to keep in mind other factors that could cause weight gain besides your diet. There are other daily habits that influence this. If you don’t control them, it’s possible that they’re the reason why your diet fails and you continue to put on pounds.

Staying at a balanced weight is no easy task and it requires a lot of compromise regarding your diet and daily habits . If you still don’t know what it is that makes you gain weight besides your diet, keep on reading this article.

Habits that cause weight gain

Eating before going to bed

Wanting to eat at night before going to bed generally doesn’t come from hunger, but out of anxiety or habit. People with this habit usually prefer eating something sweet and full of calories. Needless to say, this is not good for their weight.

Rather than eating before going to bed, you could start a certain scheduled regimen for meals. If you’re hungry in between meals, you could eat a piece of fruit.

Sleeping poorly

Late nights or sleeping poorly could make you lose your sense of time and the things you’ve eaten. Different studies have shown that this could produce hormonal imbalances that cause you to feel unsatisfied after eating.

Eating while distracted

One big mistake while eating dinner, is to do so while watching TV, using your phone, being on the computer, or using any other sort of distraction.

According to one study done by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who eat while distracted typically ingest 50% more calories. It’s also been proven that people who eat while distracted feel less satisfied, and might feel the need to eat later on.

Stress and anxiety

These two problems are the worst enemies for weight loss and a good quality of life. The two are associated with “emotional hunger”, which makes us want to eat more and binge on sweets or junk food.

In order to fight this, it’s best to be far from stressful situations, worry, and anxiety. But if it is inevitable, we recommend drinking fresh water, tea, and/or eating a piece of fruit.

Eating quickly

This is one of the most common habits in all people. Very few keep in mind that food should be well chewed in order to feel more satiated and facilitate digestion. Taking 20 minutes to eat is recommended; eat without distractions and chewing each bite well.

Being sedentary

Having a sedentary life is one of the largest causes of obesity worldwide. Individuals tend to eat more, accumulate more fat and limit their physical activities. It’s very important to avoid a sedentary life, as this could cause you to gain weight much easier. Moreover, it could also cause serious illnesses in the future.

Skipping breakfast

This could be due to a lack of time in the morning or because you believe that it helps with weight loss, but not eating breakfast is a bad habit. Even though you might not believe it, it can also cause weight gain.  

It turns out that this first meal activates the metabolism during the morning hours, so that it begins to work during the day, and burn calories. A good breakfast combines complex carbohydrates with proteins and a bit of healthy fat.

Excessive salt

Not only for weight, but for general health, eating too much salt is not recommendable. This increases fluid retention and affects blood pressure. It’s very important to consume small amounts of salt and/or replace it with other spices to give your meals more flavor.

Not drinking enough liquids

When you don’t drink enough liquids, the kidneys work slower and more toxins accumulate in the body. Experts recommend drinking at least two liters of water a day in order to stay well hydrated, eliminate unnecessary waste from the body and prevent fluid retention.

You could also chose to drink natural juices or tea. Consuming soft drinks and carbonated beverages is another factor that could cause weight gain, because they carry high concentrations of sugars and other components. That’s why you should avoid those beverages.