A Surprising Cause of Weight Gain

If Calorie deficit were all there were to weight loss, it would be simple - just eat a little less, exercise a little more.   As many dieters find out the hard way, simply counting Calories does not lead to lasting weight loss.  One often overlooked reason is that, more than ever, chemicals in your food can influence how your body uses that food.

Obesogens are chemicals in food, drugs and/or the environment that affect the way your body metabolizes fat and glucose. Some examples of the many type of obesogens are pesticides, non-stick pans, antibiotics, antidepressants, diabetes medications, artificial sweeteners, MSG, GMO's, BPA in canned food, plastics, the lining of microwavable popcorn bags, and soy protein.

The mechanisms by which they make you fat are many - they can:

Increase appetite/cravings
Increase insulin secretion and fat storage
Cause your fat cells to multiply or store more fat
Inhibit muscle protein synthesis
Decrease thyroid function
And more

Think about this:  Factory farmed animals are given hormones and antibiotics to fatten them up quickly.  Those same hormones and antibiotics end up in you if you eat conventionally produced meat.

GMO crops are cultivated to withstand heavy pesticide spraying.  Many pesticides are estrogen mimics that cause hormone disruption.  They are also fat soluble and hide out in your adipose tissue.

Pay attention to what you eat, not how how much, in order to avoid weight gain.