Excess weight - causes and effective ways to become slim forever

Weight gain can indicate both natural and pathological processes in the body. Sometimes the patient associates weight gain with common overeating, although the root cause lies in hormonal imbalance, eating disorders or adrenal dysfunction. It is very important to detect the problem in time and consult a specialized doctor about it. What you need to know about weight gain and how fat tissue affects our lives?

Causes and mechanism of obesity

The mechanism for the development of obesity is based on an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Excess calories are stored by the body in the form of adipose tissue. The problem of excess weight has different causes:

• hereditary predisposition (noted in 66% of cases);
• overeating – excessively large portions or high calorie dishes, late large dinners;
• unbalanced diet - passion for refined carbohydrates, carbonated drinks, sweet fruit juices.
• sedentary lifestyle – sedentary work, refusal to play sports;
• diseases of the nervous system in which the saturation center is affected;
• diseases of the endocrine system - hypothyroidism, pancreatic tumor, hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome);
• some physiological conditions - breastfeeding, menopause, pregnancy;
• long-term use of certain medications - antipsychotics, corticosteroid hormones, antidepressants;
• chronic stress, insomnia (lack of sleep activates the feeling of hunger).

The causes of obesity in children can be excess weight and improper treatment in the mother, as well as intestinal dysbiosis.

Pathological eating habits play an important role in the mechanism of obesity development. One of them is compulsive overeating (“problem eating”). Such people eat a lot and quickly, without feeling full. Sudden weight gain is accompanied by psychological disorders.

Night eating syndrome is a condition in which a person does not feel hungry in the morning and refuses to eat. In the evening, such people overeat, cannot fall asleep for a long time and eat food at night. More than 50% of the daily diet occurs in the evening and night. These forms of obesity are considered the most severe and the most difficult to treat.

Obesity levels

The severity of obesity is determined by body mass index (body weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared). A BMI of 18 to 25 is considered normal.

There are several degrees of obesity:

• initial (pre-obesity) - excess of normal body weight by 25 - 29%, the main symptoms are not yet expressed, sometimes subject to correction with diet;
• first degree - weight gain by 30 - 35%, is felt by people more as a defect in appearance than as a disease; the first symptoms of excess weight appear - swelling, shortness of breath, increased sweating
• second degree – 35–40% excess body weight, fat deposits are clearly expressed, well-being and physical activity worsen;
• third degree – excess of normal body weight by 40% or more. Complications develop - shortness of breath even at rest, edema, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus. A person cannot take care of himself.

Starting from the first degree of the disease, it is necessary to seek help from specialists.

Water scarcity

As doctors note, plain water can also affect weight gain. More precisely, its lack. “To lose weight, you need to balance your drinking regimen. Water regulates a number of functions in the body, suppresses appetite, and removes toxins. Regular consumption of drinking water reduces the amount of harmful calories that can come from other drinks or food,” says the endocrinologist.

In addition, the specialist notes, excess weight is often associated with fluid retention in the body and consumption of salty foods. “According to some data, 10 grams of table salt can hold about 1 liter of liquid, which is equivalent to 1 kg of weight. Therefore, it is advisable to reduce the amount of salt consumed, give up sausages, chips, etc.,” advises Gubkina.

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What are the dangers of obesity?

Obesity triggers a whole series of pathological conditions in the body. The list of the most common complications includes:

• type 2 diabetes mellitus – impaired glucose absorption due to decreased cell sensitivity to insulin;
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels - atherosclerosis, coronary disease, myocardial infarction, strokes, hypertension, cardiosclerosis, thrombosis and thromboembolism;
• fatty liver degeneration leading to cirrhosis;
• cholelithiasis;
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system - arthritis and arthrosis, spinal osteochondrosis, damage to muscles and tendons;
• skin diseases - increased blood sugar levels and excessive sweating cause diaper rash in the folds of the skin;
• gynecological diseases – polycystic ovary syndrome; without treatment of obesity, women develop infertility;
• in men – decreased testosterone levels, sexual dysfunction;
• oncological diseases of the breast, colon and other organs;
• night snoring, obstructive apnea syndrome (breathing stops during sleep) - occurs if fatty deposits in the neck impair the airway.

One of the main dangers of advanced obesity is Pickwick syndrome. It is accompanied by respiratory failure, oxygen starvation of the body, and increased drowsiness. In such patients, the risk of premature death increases sharply.

In addition to physical illnesses, obesity entails socio-economic and psychological problems. Such people are limited in their choice of clothes and shoes. They cannot afford some hobbies and sports.

Overweight people often have difficulty communicating. In childhood and adolescence, they are subject to ridicule and even bullying from their peers. This negatively affects self-esteem; in the future it is difficult for them to make new acquaintances and relationships, or start a family. Lack of self-confidence negatively affects your career. Often, all these problems lead to the development of depression, even to suicide attempts.

Ways to combat excess weight

Excess weight is a problem that is widespread throughout the world and is affecting an increasing number of the population. In this regard, many methods of treating obesity have been developed:

• diets and therapeutic fasting;
• medicines and nutritional supplements;
• sports programs;
• hardware procedures;
• surgical removal of fat deposits (liposuction);
• behavioral psychotherapeutic interventions;
• non-traditional methods - acupuncture, magnetic bracelets, etc.

At first glance, all these methods seem effective and safe. However, each of them has some disadvantages.

Diets

Losing weight with the help of diets involves reducing the amount of food and eliminating high-calorie dishes or certain foods. Often, in an effort to quickly lose weight, people resort to strict restrictive diets (Kremlin, Montignac, Dukan, Paul Bragg fasting), as well as mono-diets (kefir, rice, etc.). However, the harm from such nutrition significantly outweighs the benefits.

The negative aspects of different diets for excess weight include:

• slowdown of metabolic processes - the body sharply reduces calorie consumption and begins to literally “store” nutrients for future use. As a result, a person gains weight, even eating only buckwheat or salad leaves;
• a constant feeling of hunger, causing irritability, nervousness and leading to breakdown;
• rapid return to previous weight after finishing a short-term diet;
• reducing the volume of not only fat, but also muscle tissue - especially important for protein-free diets;
• hormonal imbalances - dysfunction of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, cessation of menstruation and infertility in women;
• development of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - gastritis, peptic ulcer, pancreatitis, etc.;
• kidney damage - develops when using diets rich in protein; as a result, the kidneys cannot withstand the high load, and serious chronic diseases develop;
• severe anemia, decreased amount of protein in the blood;
• mental disorders - neuroses, depression, psychotic disorders.

Most of these diets are a serious stress for the body. In addition, they are short-term in nature, after their completion the weight not only returns, but becomes even greater. Proper nutrition for overweight should be balanced, with a limit on the amount of food eaten. The diet should be varied and contain all the substances necessary for the body. It is advisable to eat food 4–6 times a day.

Medicines and nutritional supplements

Recently, more and more medications have appeared to treat obesity and dietary supplements that “burn fat.” According to the mechanism of action, all funds can be divided into 5 conditional groups:

• psychostimulants that reduce hunger - contain caffeine, plant extracts (guarana, garcinia cambogia), etc.;
• herbal laxatives (senna leaf);
• diuretics, which remove fluid from the body;
• enhancers of intestinal motility (IMC) - swell in the stomach, creating a feeling of fullness and at the same time speed up intestinal function;
• fat burners – papaya extracts, bromelain.

Psychostimulant drugs for the treatment of obesity cause rapid addiction, depression, agitation, and then exhaustion of the nervous system. In addition, they negatively affect heart function, blood pressure, kidney and liver function.

Taking laxative teas for weight loss causes intestinal atony and inflammatory processes. Loss of water and potassium leads to disruption of the heart. Diuretics have a similar effect.

Peristalsis stimulants provoke irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, inflammatory and ulcerative processes. Over time, the digestive system stops working independently, and “lazy bowel” syndrome develops.

Widely advertised fat burners are just enzymes that speed up the breakdown of food. It is hardly possible to lose significant weight with their help.

Endocrinologists prescribe only 2 groups of drugs for the treatment of obesity. Some contain the active ingredient sibutramine, others contain orlistat. They should only be prescribed by a qualified doctor after examination and exclusion of contraindications. They are sold in pharmacies strictly according to prescription. Both medications for treating obesity in women and men are expensive. The rest of the products are considered food additives. Not all of them are licensed and officially approved for use.

All of the drugs listed have contraindications and side effects. Herbal remedies or exotic “Chinese obesity pills” can be especially dangerous. The effect of their components has not always been studied. Such drugs can cause a severe allergic reaction or poisoning.

Sports training

Dosed sports activities are definitely necessary. They improve muscle condition, make ligaments and joints more flexible and elastic. Physical activity has a beneficial effect on all organs and systems, enriches tissues with oxygen and activates metabolic processes.

It is important to remember that exhausting hours of exercise will not lead to rapid weight loss. After a workout, your appetite always increases and often the lost calories are immediately replaced by eating chocolate. Excessive physical activity leads to the breakdown of protein, amino acids and carbohydrates. The products of this breakdown accumulate in the muscles, causing severe pain for several days after exercise.

Almost 50% of overweight people hesitate to start going to the gym. They are hampered by embarrassment and self-doubt. Most of them are sure that in the hall they will become the object of everyone's attention and even ridicule. They are afraid of getting into an awkward situation and looking ridiculous.

Some people decide to lose weight at home and buy expensive exercise equipment for this. However, banal laziness prevents me from starting to study. Even if you manage to defeat it, independent training without a system does not give any results. As a result, exercise equipment gathers dust in the corner, excess weight does not go away, and wasted time and money cause disappointment and depression.

In order for sports to significantly reduce weight, you need to work with a trainer according to an individual program. Training should be carried out at least 3 times a week for many months in a row. Not all people have that much free time. In addition, individual programs are not cheap.

Intense training is not suitable for the treatment of stage 3 obesity if the patient has ischemic or hypertension disease and other complications.

How to lose weight?

Another myth. We think that glucose is needed for the brain to function properly; PR managers of chocolate bar manufacturers, of course, have done a good job on this belief. That's why we regularly eat chocolate and other sweets in order to supposedly increase our performance. But the brain's needs require a negligible amount of glucose compared to what we consume. Our body always stores a reserve of glucose in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen; there is so much of it that the brain is enough to function uninterruptedly for at least 24 hours. And if the body lacks glucose, it will “reach into its bins”, take out stored fat from there and convert it into glucose for its needs. It will also convert food protein into glucose if necessary.

This option is also possible. During the day we don’t eat anything: “nervous work,” “don’t feel like it,” “not enough time.” But when we come home in the evening after work, we are ready to eat an elephant. And “the soul rushed to heaven.” And what can our poor body do with this mountain of carbohydrates, fats and proteins during the night in a body immobilized by sleep? He simply has no choice: he will carefully pack it all into fat and put it on his sides in case he suddenly doesn’t have enough energy. And then we are amazed: I eat once a day and get fat!…

And further. For some reason, we celebrate our holidays with mountains of sweets - we reflexively have a feeling of joy at the sight of sweets. When we are sad, we try to please ourselves with a cake. This is another stereotype of eating behavior that dates back to childhood. When the baby falls and breaks his knees, the mother pats the baby on the head and, in order to quickly console her child, gives him candy. And we remember well the feeling of joy and consolation that comes to us with mother’s tenderness and sweet bonus. In addition, it also has a chemical substrate: serotonin is produced better in the presence of glucose. And already as adults, we unconsciously try to console ourselves in the same “effective” ways. And the older we get, the more stressful situations arise in our lives and the more sweets appear on our tables.

Hardware and surgical fat removal (liposuction)

Liposuction is an operation aimed at removing excess weight from the abdomen, hips or buttocks. There are several types of procedures - laser, ultrasound, vacuum. The main goal of this method is not to reduce weight, but to correct the contours of the figure. Liposuction removes excess fat tissue and is not a treatment for the causes of obesity. The extra pounds may return after 1 to 2 years.

This intervention does not leave its mark on the body. Removing more than 4 - 5 kg of fat at a time leads to a large loss of blood, since this tissue is rich in capillaries. In case of advanced obesity, removal is carried out in several stages. This means that several traumatic operations under general anesthesia will be required. Possible side effects:

• impaired skin sensitivity in areas where fat is removed;
• bruises and pigment spots on the skin;
• intolerance to drugs for anesthesia up to anaphylactic shock;
• damage to large vessels and the development of fat embolism;
• postoperative anemia.

Contraindications to liposuction include hypertension, chronic kidney and liver diseases, cerebrovascular accidents, and sagging skin.

Behavioral psychological interventions

Many psychological programs promise “weight loss in 7 days without pills or workouts.” Although such programs do not cause serious harm to health, they also have some disadvantages. Not all people have developed willpower and awareness. Subconscious resistance to work can lead to outbursts of irritability and even aggression.

“Coding” for excess weight deserves special attention. It is carried out using direct or indirect suggestion, often under hypnosis. The procedure is not always effective. In addition, in people with an unstable psyche, it can provoke serious disorders, including delusions and hallucinations.

Psychological correction is more suitable for the treatment of initial obesity. It is advisable to carry it out only in combination with other methods.

Unconventional methods

Alternative medicine offers to treat obesity by influencing biologically active points responsible for the feeling of hunger and metabolic processes in the body. For the treatment of obesity of 1st - 2nd degree the following is used:

• acupuncture - insertion of needles made of silver or special alloys;
• cryoreflexotherapy – exposure to cold;
• acupressure – manual acupressure;
• thermopuncture – exposure to high temperatures.

The results of this treatment were insignificant and short-lived.

Many online stores sell healing bracelets. According to manufacturers, they act with a magnetic field on biologically active points of the body. The effectiveness of these products has not been proven. In most cases, such bracelets are just a beautiful decoration, and their effect is based on self-hypnosis.

Excessive exercise

Abdominal volume can also increase when a person exhausts himself with training and does not consume the required amount of calories. In this case, the body has to store fat. It often happens that we convince ourselves that everything we ate before can go away thanks to training. Indeed, you can pump up your abdominal muscles and increase them at the waist, but not at all on your stomach. This phenomenon is a feature of men.

Thus, to reduce belly fat, a woman needs to carefully monitor her diet and exercise routine. And it is worth noting that the most effective are basic strength exercises. Now you know why women's belly grows .

The story “How I lost 50 kg in a week” - is it worth believing?

On the Internet you can find many enthusiastic reviews about the treatment of obesity using various methods. People who want to lose weight in the most effective ways resort to proper nutrition, long hours of training and more exotic options.

However, such laudatory stories about how to lose weight by 50 kg in a week often keep silent about some points:

• the methods described are not suitable for all people;
• You will have to follow a diet and exercise for life - it is quite difficult, it requires endurance and patience;
• There is no guarantee that a particular diet will suit you.

Finally, these reviews about the treatment of obesity may be custom-made and not true.

The most effective treatment for obesity should be suitable for everyone, safe and not cause discomfort. Modern medical developments provide the opportunity to lose weight forever without harm to health.

Bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery is the most effective and safe method of treating abdominal obesity and its complications. It includes operations to change the shape and volume of the stomach and intestines. Almost all patients who have undergone bariatric surgery have lost weight gently and safely and maintained the results for many years.

Effective treatment of obesity allows you to:

• lose up to 80% of excess weight in 1 – 2 years without any discomfort;
• normalize blood pressure;
• reduce blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes;
• improve the condition of fatty hepatosis, dyslipidemia;
• get rid of night snoring and apnea syndrome;
• reduce medication use;
• increase mobility and performance;
• improve the quality of life in general;
• gain self-confidence and start enjoying life.

The indication for surgery is obesity with a BMI over 30, concomitant diseases and the ineffectiveness of conservative methods.

Types of bariatric surgery

Specialists of the Lyubertsy branch of the 100med clinic perform:

• Longitudinal gastrectomy

Another name for the operation is DRAIN or sleeve gastroplasty. It is aimed at reducing the amount of food eaten. Part of the stomach is excised, and a tube with a diameter of 15 mm and a volume of about 50 ml is formed from the wall. As a result, the patient is satisfied with a small amount of food. The indication for intervention is obesity with a body mass index of more than 30. Already on the 5th day, up to 4–5 kg of weight is lost. Intensive weight loss occurs within 6 months. During this time, up to 60% of excess weight is lost. Over the next six months, the patient loses another 10–20%. In total, you can get rid of 80% of excess weight in a year.

• Gastric bypass

The operation allows you to get rid of 70–80% of excess weight and is indicated for BMI over 50.

A modification of bypass surgery is the SADI operation. It occurs in 2 stages. First, a thin “sleeve” is formed from the stomach, preserving the pylorus. Then the “sleeve” is sutured closer to the border of the small and large intestines.

Experienced specialists will select the type of operation that is right for you.

Benefits of Bariatric Treatment

The main advantage of bariatric surgery is its versatility. The methods are suitable for almost all people who have problems with excess weight. Experts and patients also note:

• guaranteed weight loss for obesity of any degree;
• sustainability of the results - excess weight and metabolic disorders go away forever;
• low trauma - with banding, gastropplication and the balloon method, the walls of the stomach and intestines are not cut;
• reduction of symptoms of concomitant diseases.

After surgical treatment, you do not need to force yourself to refuse food and constantly control yourself. A decrease in the size of the stomach leads to the fact that a person eats a small amount of food. Bariatric surgery is suitable for those patients for whom sports activities or drug treatment for obesity are contraindicated. You don't have to put in any effort to lose those extra pounds. Losing weight from high weight to normal weight occurs smoothly and does not cause harm to health.

You can choose the method that is best for you and find out the price at an appointment with a doctor at our clinic.

Should you be afraid of surgery?

Some people do not decide to undergo surgical treatment of excess weight due to fears and doubts. Experts unanimously say that this fear is groundless:

• the safety of the method has been proven by numerous clinical trials around the world;
• the percentage of treatment complications is extremely low and does not exceed that when removing appendicitis;
• relapses of weight gain are also extremely low;
• some operations are performed laparoscopically, that is, through small punctures in the abdominal wall;
• Recovery after the intervention occurs within 2 days; on the 3rd day the patient is discharged from the hospital.

If you have any doubts or questions, you can always ask our surgeons. The doctors at our clinic will tell you in detail about the treatment method and dispel your anxiety. In addition, after the operation you will be able to consult on any issue related to your health.

HealthHow to gain weight without harm to your health: 5 important steps

Text: Olga Polevikova

In our society, the cult of a slim body is strong : inconsistency with it is considered a problem and many people do not give up trying to lose weight. In particular, this applies to women, who are forced by the media to have “beach body” standards all year round. Difficulties with weight gain are less often understood and much less discussed in society. Thinness is often considered a “gift of fate,” and complaints that a person cannot gain weight are perceived as coquetry.

Firstly, a thin figure is not a reason for shaming, just like being overweight. Secondly, this is not always a conscious choice: for some people, weight loss may be associated with diseases, while others simply want to have a more sculpted and stronger body, but this cannot be achieved. We decided to understand the reasons for underweight and find out how to gain weight intelligently without harm to your health.

Understand the reasons

From a medical point of view, excessive thinness is a condition in which the weight is not enough for the normal functioning of the body. Body mass index (BMI) is widely used to determine healthy weight. To roughly understand your BMI, it is recommended to divide your weight by the square of your height in meters. It is believed that if you are too thin, your BMI is less than 18.5. However, self-diagnosis using this scheme is very unreliable. In addition, it is important to remember that BMI itself is a very conditional indicator of health, which does not take into account constitutional characteristics and the ratio of muscle and fat mass.

To measure the latter, ultrasound, a special caliper device, underwater weighing and a number of other methods are used. It is generally accepted that for women the normal body fat content is from 20% to 32%. Rates may vary depending on age, activity level and other factors. However, all of these rough numbers may indicate a potential problem. Weight deficiency can be both a sign and a cause of a number of serious diseases.

We have already said that excessive thinness can be caused by metabolic disorders. In addition, being underweight is among the signs of cancer, type 1 diabetes and severe gluten intolerance. So, before changing your diet and habits, be sure to consult your doctor. Sometimes the cause of excessive thinness is an eating disorder or an unbalanced diet. In such cases, the body does not receive enough nutrients, which increases the risk of developing osteoporosis and severely impacts the immune system. For women, extreme thinness is fraught with hormonal imbalances, menstrual irregularities and problems with the reproductive system. Doctors often prescribe weight gain to patients, and it is worth asking your doctor for detailed recommendations on how to gain weight correctly.

Think over a new diet

Weight gain is a gain of fat and muscle tissue. To gain more fat tissue, you need to create a calorie surplus, that is, consume more than you burn. It's not as simple as it seems at first glance. Eating everything is not an option. High-calorie foods like sugary sodas, fast food and baked goods will not only add a couple of kilograms to you, but also possibly cause health problems. A high concentration of simple carbohydrates in such foods can lead to fatigue and apathy, dental problems and even osteoporosis. Saturated fats found in fast foods raise cholesterol levels and may increase the risk of heart disease.

To gain “healthy fat,” you need to eat wisely over a long period of time. A surplus of 300–500 kcal per day is enough. Organize yourself a regular diet: three main meals and a couple of snacks. Load up on fish, complex carbohydrates, starchy vegetables, and use olive and coconut oils when cooking. A good option is nuts and dried fruits: they are high in calories and rich in vitamins. When gaining muscle mass, pay attention to sports nutrition. Reasonable consumption of protein shakes and gainers will help you add proteins and carbohydrates without harm to your health.

Do strength training

In order for excess calories to be converted not only into fat, but also into muscle mass, you will have to go in for sports. Cardio activities like running, spinning and dancing should be avoided - they burn too many calories and don't help build muscle. For weight gain, strength training is suitable - training based on working with weights. It is believed that working at the limit of your capabilities is most effective: when it seems to you that you can no longer lift the weight, but you do two or three more repetitions. The fact is that muscle fibers are surrounded by connective tissue, in which microdamages occur during training. Its cells begin to actively build in order to “patch” the micro-tear, thereby increasing muscle volume.

Despite this generally accepted technique, we advise you to work with weights very carefully. You need to start working in the gym under the supervision of an experienced trainer who will monitor the technique of performing exercises and the level of load. A professional will help you achieve the desired result faster and avoid injuries. In any case, you need to treat yourself with care, and the coach’s advice - critically. Before starting training, and also if controversial issues arise during training, it is better to consult a doctor whom you trust.

Be patient

Healthy weight gain is a long process and requires patience. To track your results, doctors recommend weighing yourself at approximately the same time every day. The main thing is to treat this ritual without fanaticism, because a certain weight is not a goal, but an intermediate result of working on your health. You can keep a food diary to determine your optimal diet. Online services like Healbe and Dacadoo and wearable gadgets are suitable for this purpose. However, a healthy diet can sometimes be disrupted: there is nothing wrong with an extra croissant or cheesecake - especially if you are trying to gain weight.

Remember that muscles grow during periods of rest, so proper rest is very important. Get enough sleep and avoid stress. If you want to not only gain weight, but also maintain it, you will have to change your lifestyle. And if you can eventually refuse the help of a trainer, and meticulous calorie counting is not at all necessary, then a balanced diet and physical activity should stay with you for a long time.

Get inspired

Give yourself different incentives for every day. Record your successes, share them with friends - online or in person, buy beautiful sportswear - in general, do what pleases and motivates you personally. Thousands of people have already walked the path to a strong figure and good health, so why not take their advice? There are many profiles of Russian fitness bloggers on Instagram, in which they talk in detail about proper nutrition, daily routine and training.

Don't be afraid to stop being skinny. Look at weight gain as more than just a medical condition. This is a great reason to learn healthy habits and start leading a healthy lifestyle. In addition, a strong body and plus-size figures are finally beginning to be perceived as an option for the norm. Celebrities from Beyoncé to Kim Kardashian, plus-size models, body-positive dancers, yoga and fitness trainers - all these successful women never tire of reminding us how useful it is to not care about other people's standards and define your personal goals. Follow their example: it’s not easy, but it’s very important to learn to respect your body and accept it at any stage of life.

Photos: keattikorn – stock.adobe.com, snyfer – stock.adobe.com, anitasstudio – stock.adobe.com, tbaeff – stock.adobe.com, TopShop