What does science have to say about my overweight/underweight condition.

My university days came with extreme stress because I was trying to study and run a business at the same time, it was not a type of business I could employ a helping hand, it was a small one that had me going around hostels to advertise, that way, I was able to support myself through school. Waking up every day to go through such intense stress left no room for me to add weight at all, I was just slim, and I did not even see any problem with it.

A few years later, my stress level has declined greatly now and even if I still go through some level of stress from time to time, it is nothing compared to what I had to deal with while I was in school. I started to put on weight gradually and now, I am bothered about what will happen when I get very comfortable, and I no longer need to run around to make ends meet.

Weight gain and weight loss is an important topic to discuss, because changes in physical appearance could be associated with some health conditions that must be addressed urgently.

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Where I come from, people often regard weight gain as a sign of healthy living, and that is an extremely wrong opinion, a good number of slim young ladies are also going out of their way to add some extra flesh in a bid to look attractive to young and successful men. Some medications consumed have a terrible effect on the consumer. In my final year, an extremely skinny young and intelligent lady lost her life just a few days to our graduation.

A lot of friends had mocked her because she was thin and as a result, she began to consume some medications to make her add some weight, unknowing to her, these drugs were doing some dangerous jobs to her liver, it was too late by the time the doctors found out and impossible for them to save her life.

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Since obesity is one of the biggest health issue, is being underweight a perfect condition?

The mentality that being slim means you are not living well that majority of the people in my environment have is a terribly wrong idea. You can be slim and be healthier than someone who appears robust.

Being underweight, however, comes with certain issues that needs to be considered seriously. An underweight condition is associated with having a BMI (Body Mass Index) that is below 18.5, this body mass is scientifically believed to be lower than the required body mass needed to sustain good health.

According to certain research carried out, underweight men had about 140% risk of early death, while women who are underweight had a 100% risk of early death.
Underweight can also have an adverse effect on human's immune function, leading to the possibility of having an infection and fertility issues. Being underweight can be caused by certain factors: Eating disorders, celiac disease, Diabetes, Infections, Cancer and Thyroid problems.

For people who are underweight, the first thing to do is to visit the doctor in order to eliminate every suspicion of having infection or health disorder especially if the weight loss happened really fast, after that follow these simple steps to gradually get your weight back:

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• Consume a greater amount of calories than your body would naturally burn.

• Consume lots of protein.

• Consume more water before every meal.

• Consume more milk, it is a way to get high quality protein.

• Consume more vegetables.

• Live a healthy lifestyle, an unhealthy habit of smoking could result in an extreme weight loss. 1

Excessive weight gain isn't always as a result of bad lifestyle.

With convenience, people who are overweight and obese are often pointed at for not been concerned about their health, the truth is, majority of overweight people have it in their genes. However, some other reasons behind weight gain are;

• Emotional food consumption: There are people who eat even when they are not hungry, they eat for reasons related to their emotions and this is a bad food disorder that could result in major weight gain.

• Low satiety: People who have this condition do not feel satisfied after eating and as a result, they often overconsume.

• Absence of sufficient sleep: Sleeping for a period lesser than 7 hours at night increases the likelihood for you to add some extra weight.

• High level of stress.

• Medications.

• Type 2 Diabetes.

• Cancer.

If you experience a rapid weight gain while your food habit is normal, then it is time to go see a doctor and have him walk you through the possible solution to the weight gain issues as well as determine the underlying condition. 2

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• High level of junk consumption. 3

One of the ways to combat excessive weight gain still boils down to controlling your eating habits, understand your body metabolism and how food much time food gets digest in your body, focus on the consumption of more healthy meals than junks.

The importance of regular exercise cannot also be ignored by overweight individuals, constantly carrying out exercises will help to decrease the amount of calories stored up in the body.3

Being underweight or overweight is not the end of the world.

I understand that our physical appearance has a lot of implication on our self-esteem, but we need to also understand that, it is a condition that can be worked on and improved. All you have to do is visit your doctor in order to ensure it is not a medical condition and even if it is, there are treatments that would ensure that you are good health wise.

Then, focus on the doctor's instructions about what to eat and how to maintain a better lifestyle.
For me, I know that I have a lot of fat in my body and the moment I stop stressing, and I have the comfort I need, I may become overweight, since I have this knowledge already, I already have plans in place on how to deal with the issue. Definitely going to hit the gym every day to burn those extra fat and of course ensure that I eat only healthy meals, I do not have the appetite to consume much food, but I will simply ensure that the little I consume are healthy meals.

Let me end with the story of a Nigerian actress who was overweight, comedians used her to crack jokes, and she even told a story of how her supposed mother-in-law told her to her face that she would never allow her to marry her son because of her weight. I don't know when she started working on getting a weight reduction, but now, she looks so attractive and beautiful, according to her, she put in a lot of effort and sacrifices, and we are all excited for her.

If this actress could work on herself and get the body type she desired, then we can all do it. Our weight is a very important aspect of our lives, and it must not be taken for granted.

References.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-gain-weight#TOC_TITLE_HDR_12)

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19992956/unexplained-weight-gain/

https://www.gbhealthwatch.com/Science-Behind-Weight-Management.php)

Hi, I am Tobi a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people. Want to hear me speak on relationships and general life issues, you can find my podcast channel Here and listen to any episode for free, do not forget to subscribe and share with friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from members of the community, do well to keep them coming.