Understanding Reasons for Living in a Larger Body
Living with a larger body has nothing to do with determination or motivation, but it does have to do with how your body uses energy( metabolism regulation).
Carrying extra weight is a biological condition. It is a result of a person’ s energy regulation system not working as it should. Most of the time, these regulation problems are passed through our genes from one generation to the next. People with family members who are heavy, gain weight much more easily than those whose family members are thin. This means they are“ predisposed”( more at risk) to carry extra weight. Carrying and keeping extra weight can also be from psychological reasons( from ways the brain works).
Some biological reasons why people may live with a larger body:
● Family trend or genetics – for everyone, this is the main reason.
● Poor or disturbed sleep
● Brain signals that do not work well which limit your ability to feel full after eating
● Certain medical conditions or medicines like steroids or mental health medicines may cause weight gain
● Strong food cravings
● Feeling“ addicted” to certain foods: soda pop, candy, salty foods
● Feeling starved at certain times of the day because you did not eat enough earlier( after school / work, at night after dinner)
Some psychological reasons why people may live with a larger body:
● Eating makes you feel better when feeling stress, lonely, depression( sad), anxious( nervous) or pain
● Eating is tied to something else you do( like watching TV, sitting at the computer, phone use)
● Eating out of habit( eating even when you’ re not hungry)
● Being very sensitive to food triggers( you want to eat when you see food on TV, social media, drive by or walk by food)
● Do not realize how much food( or calories) you are actually eating
● Think you are more active than you are( how many calories you burn up by exercise)
● Do not know how many calories are in certain foods and drinks
● Eating when bored- eating can be a fun activity
Some environmental reasons that may lead to living with a larger body:
● We live in toxic environments that make it hard to make healthy choices.
● High-calorie food( sugary and fatty) can be found almost everywhere we go
● Restaurants give us large portions( super-size) and we end up eating more than we need
● Family or cultural background
● Food manufacturers spend millions of dollars to get us to buy and eat foods we do not need( chips, soda pop, candy).
● In our society, food can mean love and / or acceptance.
● Many jobs have you sit in front of a computer.
● The way we eat has changed: we often eat alone, eat in front of a screen or in the car, or easily order food delivery.
● High-calorie food is often inexpensive( cheap) and filling. People living with a low-income can find it hard to buy healthier foods.
6