Some Common (And Not so Common) Culprits of Weight Gain

"Exercise, eat well and drink lots of water." Sounds simple, right? Sometimes, yes. But, for most of us, culprits of weight gain can be right under our noses, though figuring it out isn't always the easiest task.

So, you diet and exercise. It helps (a little). But, nothing you do seems to get the weight off. Here, you'll find some common (and not so common) problems many people face with weight.

First, we'll discuss the most common culprits. Things like sugar, bread, soda and grease from fried foods play a huge role in the amount of weight we gain. One wouldn't need a masters in nutrition to figure that one out, right? But, sometimes we over-look certain things because they're normal ways of life. For example, not many families make sure there are water and wheat bread at a picnic or family reunion. Or maybe that office party is sure to have nothing but fruits and vegetable trays. Even though you're eating fruits and veggies, what are you dripping those apples into? Probably a caramel dip or a sugary fruit dip. And that's probably not Fat Free ranch dressing you're dipping those carrots in. I think I've made my point. Some of the things we eat are simply over-looked. Keeping this thought heavy on your mind will likely make you realize just what's going into your body. A great way to keep track of this is with a journal. Make three separate columns on a piece of paper and mark these columns "Day," "Mood," and "Food." Each time you eat, whether it is a meal or snack, document what you're doing. This way, you can look back on the week and know that you crave cookies when you're afternoon tension is released (or whatever your case may be). If this is the case, you can make sure to have a small bag of baby carrots handy during the afternoons. Odds are you'll start to see the things you've been eating that you never took into consideration when the dreaded scale time comes. Plus, you won't be standing there frustrated wondering why you aren't losing the pounds like you hoped. Another perk to documenting your food intake is you'll likely be too busy or preoccupied to write it down, and to not cheat [yourself], you'll skip those afternoon bon bons.

Let's face it. Exercise is hard work! It takes time, energy and patience like nothing else. If you've just started, you exercise today and rest tomorrow because your muscles are sore. Be very careful if you've just started exercising. You don't want to put yourself out of commission for weeks because of torn muscles and strained joints. Exercise in moderation and work yourself into a more advanced routine. If you're a fan of aerobic work-out tapes, I suggest doing a thirty minute work-out, such as Tae Bo, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then, on Tuesday and Thursday, walk for thirty minutes. You're still getting the recommended thirty minutes per day, but you're not over-working your muscles. Gradually, you can combine walking and aerobic tapes. For example, walk for thirty minutes on Monday, followed by a thirty minute aerobic work-out. But, on Tuesday, only walk for an hour. Wednesday, go back to walking for thirty minutes combined with thirty minutes of Tae Bo (or work-out of your choice). Continue this pattern the rest of the week until you're walking for thirty minutes and doing thirty minutes of aerobics each day of the week! A brisk walk can burn up to 150 calories every half hour! Heavier people will burn more calories when walking.

One of the most important things to do when dieting is documenting your progress. Having a visual on-hand, showing the things you've done and the results, gives you the drive you need to keep going. Your personal progress report may look something like this:

November 30th - Weigh in. 150lbs.
December, 1st - Walked for 30 minutes. Aerobics for 30 minutes.
December 2nd - Walked for one hour.
December 3rd - Walked for 30 minutes. Aerobics for 30 minutes.
December 4th - Walked for one hour.
December 5th - Walked for 30 minutes. Aerobics for 30 minutes.
December 6th - Walked for one hour. Aerobics for 30 minutes.
December 7th - Aerobics for 30 minutes.
December 8th - Weigh in. 142lbs.

Notice, in this example, we have documented one week's worth of exercise. Your food chart will be separate from this. This is simply your exercise/weight progress, so that you can see, week-by-week, your progress. Notice how it's documented on December 6th that you did aerobics for 30 minutes, but you walked for an hour. This is okay, because sometimes, we simply have more time and/or energy than other times. On December 7th, you only had time for aerobics for 30 minutes. We'll just say it was raining outside so you couldn't walk that day. Whatever the case may be, document it. Even if you didn't exercise, write it down. When you see how you're progressing after the first few weeks, you have the choice to continue what you're doing or step up your game to lose a little more weight. It all depends on your weight loss goals.

You've watched what you've been eating, exercised without fail and you could start a small forest fire with documentation. But, alas, your results aren't quite what you were expecting. Here is where the "not so common" culprits show up for the party. So, before you jeopardize your progress thus far with self-doubt, read on.

Maybe you've read about it somewhere already. But, the shocking truth to some of us is what's living around us. They're parasites. Yes, you read correctly. Tiny little parasites in your body could very well be helping you pack on (and keep) extra pounds. Parasites found in water, food, soil and even air can hinder digestion, trap fat and kill your energy supply. Studies show there are more than 130 different species of parasites that can be in your food. In the past, parasites had only been a concern in third world countries. But, this is now being studied in the United States. With imported food, out-dated water treatment and the vast use of antibiotics, our exposure has dramatically increased. In fact, as many as 73% of infected people struggle with symptoms, yet they have no idea a microscopic intruder is to blame.

Parasites block the absorption of nutrients. They inflame the membrane that lines the digestive track hindering the absorption of vitamins, minerals, fats and other nutrients that balance hormones, stabilize blood sugar and boost metabolism. Parasites can also emit indole catabolites and other toxins that the liver and kidneys have to work hard to excrete. This causes us to feel fatigued, irritable and even cause weight gain.

There is a solution to bid farewell to these parasites. They're called Para-Key and VermaPlus. This 14-day supplement plan relies on a tincture containing black walnut hulls, pumpkins seeds and cloves, with capsules containing grapefruit seed extract, cranberry concentrate and garlic. The result, as this plan cleanses and heals the digestive track, plus kills the parasites, you rapidly begin to shed those pounds. Your body is flushed clean and the pounds continue to fall off as the body absorbs metabolism revving nutrients.

Another culprit that could be causing the stall of progress may be an amino acid deficiency. Since amino acids are essential for the formation of everything from digestive enzymes to neurotransmitters, deficiencies can cause even more weight gain. One amino acid, leucine, is very important for weight regulation. Leucine triggers a 16 percent reduction in calorie intake, an 81 percent drop in between-meal snacking and a 50 percent increase in energy in just 48 hours. This helps us shed up to two inches of subcutaneous fat. That's the puffy fat that's so difficult for us to lose. Most reported this in just 6 days! If you consume just 3,200mg of leucine every day, you can double your weight loss. You'll find leucine in foods such as these:

Red meat - 3,696mg per 6-oz
Nuts - 1,822mg per cup
Beans - 1,100mg per cup
Non-fat milk - 801mg per cup
Brown rice - 417mg per cup

Tip: Sipping coffee or tea 30 minutes before a meal can reduce appetite by 35% and boost fat burn by 5%. To double this effect, sip green, red, or white tea. In addition to calming appetite and revving metabolism, those contain polyphenols that stall digestion of carbohydrates.

Experiment with different things. If one diet was working well, but progress has slowed down, don't be afraid to try something new. Your body can grow accustomed to a certain routine. Whatever you're doing, be sure to document your progress. Before long, you'll be able to look back at the very first line of your progress report and see a shadow of your former self.