We all know this truth about weight gain: when you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. Similarly, we might accept that the contrary is true. This is what we call the basic rule of weight loss: when you eat less calories than you burn, you lose weight.
But there are many other factors that contribute to weight gain. Here are five ways we gain weight. Some might surprise you.
Deficient healthy fat in our diet. Essential fatty acids, otherwise known as the omega-3 and omega-6 good fats, which we find in flaxseeds, fish, nuts and seeds, really are essential. The healthy fats preserve the body’s metabolic rate. The higher our metabolic rate, the more calories we expend doing standard daily activities.
Insulin resistance. An obscure disease that affects 25% of the population, insulin resistance causes the body to overproduce insulin in order for the insulin to be effective. Since insulin signals the body to utilize glucose rather than fat, too much insulin will cause the body to store fat, even when the fat might otherwise be metabolized for energy.
Indigestion. When you do not properly digest the food you eat, that food will quickly become fat. Poor digestion is a key culprit in weight gain, especially for those who have a healthy diet.
Unknown allergies to particular foods. Allergies trigger internal side effects that will directly and indirectly contribute to the appearance of weight gain. Swelling caused by fluid retention and inflammation in the digestive system does not impact fat production, but it will enlarge your waistline.
Hypothyroidism. The thyroid gland is is involved in managing our metabolism, the speed at which our body expends calories. If you have a sluggish thyroid, your metabolism could be adversely affected.
Women’s weight loss issues are complex and confusing. Through a little experimentation with diet and lifestyle, you should try to discover what your specific weight gain triggers are.

