How to Deal with Weight Gain

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1Assessing Your Weight Gain

2Creating a Healthy Body Image

3Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

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Tips and Warnings

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References

If you've gained weight recently, try not to worry. In some cases, gaining a few pounds may even be normal or beneficial. No matter what your situation is, it's best to handle your weight gain with a positive mindset. Determine if your weight gain is healthy or if there are other underlying factors that might affect your health. Developing a positive body image can help you appreciate and love your body. An active lifestyle, meanwhile, can keep you healthy and happy.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Assessing Your Weight Gain

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   Determine if you are at a healthy weight. If you have only gained around 10 pounds (4.5 kg), you may still be within a healthy weight range for your height. That said, significant weight gain can lead to health problems like diabetes or high blood pressure. Use a body mass index chart to see if your weight is healthy for your height.

   • To use a BMI chart, find your height on the left-hand column, then follow that row over to find your weight. Move up to the top row to see what your BMI number is. A normal weight is 18.5–24.9.
   • A BMI of 25–29.9 is overweight. Avoid gaining any extra weight, and consider losing weight if you have other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure or smoking.
   • A BMI of 30 or greater is obese. Talk to your doctor about losing weight.
   • BMI does not factor in healthy muscle weight. Muscle is heavier than fat, but it has many healthy benefits. If you have gained muscle recently, you might check your body fat percentage instead.
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   Identify the cause of the weight gain. Stress, major life changes, and an inactive lifestyle can all contribute to weight gain. By looking for the cause of the weight gain, you might be able to find a solution that works for you. If the weight gain was sudden or unexpected, there may be an underlying cause.

   • If you just started a new medication, it may be a factor. Continue taking the medication, but talk to your doctor. They may be able to lower your dosage or switch your prescription.
   • Smokers can expect to gain up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg) after quitting. Talk to your doctor about taking a smoking medication to reduce your cravings.
   • If you have felt stressed, depressed, or anxious recently, you might be using food to cope. Talk to a mental health professional for help.
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   Visit a doctor or registered dietitian. A doctor can help determine the causes of your weight gain and identify any potential health consequences. A registered dietitian, meanwhile, can evaluate your eating habits and help you create a healthy nutritional plan. These two resources together can be an invaluable team if you want to stay healthy.
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   Evaluate your relationship with food. Reexamining your eating patterns can help you determine the cause of the weight gain while helping you set new habits, if desired. Write down what you eat and when to keep track of your eating habits.

   • Do you get hungry at night? Try eating a more satisfying dinner with more fiber and protein to keep you full longer.
   • Do you eat or snack when you are stressed? If so, you might replace food with deep breathing, a stress ball, or quick stretches.
   • Do you eat when you are upset or crying? You can always find another self-care practice. You might meditate, take a walk, or call a friend.
   • Do you snack often? Try eating a healthy option between meals, like carrots and hummus or yogurt.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating a Healthy Body Image

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   Treat yourself with respect and kindness. Weight gain can cause many different feelings, such as stress, concern, disappointment, and sadness. Try to keep in mind that your weight does not define your self-worth. Remember that you deserve love and respect.

   • Keep doing the things you've always loved to do. Gaining weight does not mean that you need to isolate yourself socially. If you find yourself withdrawing, make plans to see a movie or to hang out with friends.
   • Think about what you might tell a friend who is going through the same thing. What would you do to cheer them up? Do the same thing for yourself as you would for your friend.
   • Do not feel pressured to lose the weight immediately. There are many good reasons not to go on a diet, including medical treatment, pregnancy, or injury.
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   Make a list of your positive qualities. Include what you like about your appearance, personality, and strengths. Whenever you're feeling down, look at this list for motivation.

   • You might write something like, "I have really pretty eyes" or "my skin looks so clear!"
   • Think about other physical attributes and skills as well. You might write, "I can bench press 225 pounds (102 kg)" or "I'm a really talented goalie."
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   Find a new body role model. Try to find a model, celebrity, or another role model who looks happy, healthy, and beautiful to you. You can even look at friends and family for inspiration. Admire them for how beautiful or handsome they are! Remind yourself that you can be just as beautiful as they are.
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   Redirect negative thoughts into positive ones. Whenever you start thinking something negative about your body, stop. Take a deep breath. Now change that negative thought into a positive one. For example, if you think “I'm looking kind of flabby,” you might change the thought into “I look fantastic, and I'm ready to face the day.“

   • You can write body-positive affirmations on post-it notes and stick them to your mirror, car dashboard, or wallet. They might say things like “you're beautiful!” or “you're rocking it!”
   • Look at the benefits of the situation. For example, if you just quit smoking, you might appreciate the fact that you can breathe more easily instead of focusing on the weight you gained afterwards.
   • If you were underweight before, remind yourself about the benefits of extra weight. People at a healthy weight have stronger disease resistance and bone health as well as more stable hormones.
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   Wear clothing that makes you feel confident. Don't hide behind clothing. What you wear can give a powerful boost to your mood while helping you feel comfortable in your own body. Find well-fitting clothing that makes you feel good about yourself.

   • Take this time to develop a new style for yourself. Use the excuse to go out and buy new clothing that fits you.
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   Limit how often you weigh yourself. A scale is not your enemy, but it shouldn't become an obsession either. Try to only weigh yourself once in the morning when you first wake up. Don't wait, since your weight can fluctuate during the day.

   • Women should avoid weighing themselves during their period, as their weight can fluctuate more than usual.
   • If you find yourself obsessively weighing yourself several times a day, stop using the scale for a few weeks. Once the need to constantly know your weight passes, you can start using it again.
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   Visit a therapist if you feel depressed or anxious. A mental health professional can help you reframe your perspective into a more positive one. If necessary, they can help you identify and fix your negative eating habits. Some signs you may want to visit a therapist include:

   • You avoid mirrors and scales.
   • You dread going to the doctor because you might be weighed.
   • You feel guilty or anxious when you eat.
   • You isolate yourself or withdraw from social activities.
   • You have frequent episodes of binge eating.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

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   Choose to either maintain or lose weight. If you're at a healthy weight, you may decide to remain at your new weight. If you're unhappy with your weight or worried about your health, however, you might try going on a diet. In both cases, use a calorie tracker such as MyFitnessPal or SuperTracker to record what you eat.

   • If you just want to maintain your current weight, you need to burn as many calories as you eat. In general, aim to eat 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,400 for men.
   • If you want to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you eat. Aim to lose no more than 1–2 pounds (0.45–0.91 kg) a week. To do this, you need to cut out an extra 3,500 calories a week or 500 calories a day.
   • Do not lose weight if you are currently being treated for a medical condition or injury. If you have recently quit smoking or are pregnant, you should wait before going on a diet.
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   Eat a healthy, balanced diet. A healthy diet can reduce the risk of certain diseases while improving your mood and energy. Instead of eating processed or prepared foods, cook your own meals from fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats. Avoid foods high in sugar, saturated fats, and trans fats.

   • Create daily meal plans for yourself so that you always have something healthy to eat. For example, you might eat oatmeal and fruit in the morning, a veggie wrap for lunch, and lemon-basil chicken with salad for dinner. Healthy snacks include yogurt, an apple, or a small handful of nuts.
   • If you don't know how to cook, try taking a cooking class or start with some simple, basic recipes like scrambled eggs or stir-fry.
3. 
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   Start exercising daily. A half-hour of exercise every day will keep you fit and healthy. You don't need to go to the gym, but you should do some kind of physical activity. You might ride a bike, take a walk, or do yoga. About 2 or 3 times a week, do about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous cardio, like running or using an elliptical.

   • Exercise benefits you in numerous ways. In addition to helping you lose or maintain your weight, physical activity can improve your energy, quality of sleep, stress management, and immune system.
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   Reduce stress in your life. Stress can cause you to eat more and to crave unhealthier foods. To cut down on stress, make a list of everything that makes you feel stressed, overwhelmed, or frustrated. Eliminate or reduce whatever sources of stress you can.

   • If you're overworked, try delegating some of your responsibilities to your colleagues. Learn to say no to additional duties.
   • If someone in your life makes you feel frustrated or upset, try to reduce or eliminate contact with them. Schedule more activities with people who make you feel happy.
   • Give yourself time each day to relax, whether it is taking a bubble bath, reading a book, or meditating.
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   Avoid fad diets. If you do decide to lose weight, make sure you do it while eating a healthy, balanced diet. Avoid diets that encourage you to detox or starve yourself, as well as diets that restrict you to one type of food. These extreme diets are hard to sustain, and they can rob you of important nutrients.

   • For example, avoid any diets that require you to only consume broth or juice. These are unhealthy, and they cause you to starve yourself.
   • Extreme calorie restriction is unhealthy. Women need, at minimum, 1,200 calories a day while men need at least 1,500.
   • You may end up gaining more weight if you skip meals. Instead, aim to eat at least 3 big meals a day or 5 smaller meals throughout the day.
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Tips

• It is normal and healthy for women to gain between 25–35 pounds (11–16 kg) during pregnancy. Wait until the baby is born before trying to lose weight.
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Warnings

• If you have a medical condition with special dietary requirements, talk to your doctor about your weight gain. They may be able to help you manage your weight with medication or diet.
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