Posted by shalina

The Simple Truth
The core reason people become overweight or obese is fairly simple:

If you take in more calories than are required by your body on a daily basis (known as “energy imbalance”), those surplus calories will be converted into fat.

If this energy imbalance continues for an extended period of time, it will lead to overweight or obesity.

Tendency for weight gain differs from one person to another due to pre-existing factors like genetics, health problems, general activity level, and mobility issues.

Your metabolism dictates how effectively the calories you take in are used.

Each person has their own individual daily caloric needs, called the Basal Metabolic Rate.

Calories In/Calories Out
When you take in more calories than your BMR requires, those excess calories turn into excess weight.

Think of your incoming and outgoing calories as a checking account that must be balanced. When you eat and drink, the food or beverage’s calories are either used or banked.

If you do not spend the calories efficiently, the “extra income” is stored in your body as fat. Your fat cells grow and multiply … and you gain weight.

Other Possible Causes
It’s important to remember that there are other, underlying causes that can contribute to one’s tendency to become overweight or obese.

There are some factors in weight gain that we simply have no control over. For example. some illnesses may lead to weight gain, such as Cushing’s disease. Certain medications like steroids and antidepressants may also cause weight gain.

There are also other underlying issues that often lead to weight gain, such as genetics, environmental factors, psychological issues, physical inactivity due to injury or illness, and eating disorders, such as BED (binge eating disorder).

The Bottom Line
The good news is, regardless of the cause(s) — including any uncontrollable contributing factors — monitoring calorie intake and increasing activity levels is an effective way for almost anyone to reach and maintain a healthier weight.