| The location of fat on your body is very important. | | | | Genetics |
| Those who carry fat mainly around their waists may | | | | A propensity to gain weight or remain trim runs in |
| be more likely to develop health issues than those who | | | | family lines. Some research studies show that genetics |
| carry their extra baggage in their hips and thighs. Even | | | | play a larger role in weight even than environment. |
| if your BMI falls within the normal range, this is true. | | | | Although some statistics show that if your biological |
| To measure your waist circumference, place a tape | | | | mother is heavy, than there is a seventy-five percent |
| measure around your naked abdomen just above | | | | chance you will be heavy, it does not mean you should |
| your hip bone. The tape should be snug, parallel to the | | | | feel doomed because of your genes. Most individuals |
| floor and shouldn't compress your skin. Relax and | | | | who are bilogically predisposed to be heavy or trim |
| exhale as you measure your waist. | | | | can certainly overcome it. |
| Women with a waist measurement of more than | | | | Environmental Factors |
| thirty-five inches or men with a waist measurement in | | | | Though genes are important, a person's environment |
| excess of forty inches might have a higher risk than | | | | plays an important role as wekk. An individuals's |
| people with smaller waist measurements. | | | | lifestyle, behaviors, diet and how active he or she is all |
| Causes of Our Expanding Waistlines | | | | are environmental factors. |
| There is often more than a single cause for expanding | | | | Physical Activity |
| waistlines. A few of the of the factors may include: | | | | People who are very active require additional calories |
| Age | | | | than those who are sedentary in order to maintain their |
| As you get older, your body's metabolism slows down | | | | weight. Interestingly, physical activity actually reduces |
| somewhat and does not require quite as many | | | | one's appetite while at the same time increasing the |
| calories to maintain its weight as it once did. This is the | | | | body's natural ability to metabolize fat into energy. |
| reason you might be forty years old with a similar | | | | Psychological Factors |
| lifestyle to when you were twenty but may notice a | | | | Many of us are psychologically conditioned to eat in |
| slight difference: at twenty you did not gain weight, but | | | | reaction to negative emotions such as boredom, anger, |
| now at forty, you do. | | | | sadness and stress, among others. This also means |
| Drugs and Medication | | | | binge-eating, where large quantities of food are |
| Some drugs like steroids and various antidepressants | | | | uncontrollably consumed. |
| may cause weight gain. | | | | Illness |
| Gender | | | | Rare illnesses can cause weight gain like hormone |
| Women tend to experience unwanted weight gain | | | | problems such as hypothyroidism, where a bad thyroid |
| more so than men. Men burn more calories when they | | | | slows down metabolism considerably. Depression and |
| are resting, this requiring more calories to maintain their | | | | other rare brain illnesses can also lead to the abuse of |
| ideal body weight. In addition, when women enter the | | | | food. More dieting information can be found at Zone |
| doors of menopause, their metabolic rate decreases | | | | EZ Diet in a Box. There you will find expert advise |
| substantially, which is part of the reason that females | | | | from Zone Diet creator Dr. Barry Sears. |
| gain so much weight after menopause. | | | | |