This is part II of the series of "Hidden Causes of Weight Gain" that have nothing to do with what you are eating. Sometimes we have unexplained weight gain and despite seeking medical advice, there is no “medical” reason for what’s happening. Read on to see if some of these circumstances resonate with you!  

‍

‍HIDDEN CAUSES OF WEIGHT GAIN - PART II

Nursing Old Hurts

Are you nursing old hurts, emotional wounds, or holding onto the past or negative ideas and beliefs that aren't serving you? Are you 'weighed down' by the past and all the emotional burdens and hurts you are still holding onto? The energetic 'weight' of these burdens accumulates in your auric field. It's like wearing layers of energetic clothing that you are unwilling to discard.

You might also retain water with swelling in your legs, ankles, hands, or around your heart (congestive heart failure). Your lymph system, which nourishes your cells and carries toxins away for elimination, has become stagnant, holding onto toxins instead of releasing that which you no longer need.  All of that gunk builds up within our systems, causing weight gain and illness.  The quicker you can address the old hurts and wounds that are weighing you down, the lighter you will feel physically as well.

Over Nurturing

Those who are empathic or overly nurturing, often take on the emotional debris and energies of those around them. If you aren't clearing yourself regularly, you may gain weight in proportion to the emotional and energetic extra weight that you are taking on yourself. If you are a nurse, counselor or emotional healer of any kind, an energy worker or a psychic, your natural nurturing tendencies may be the reason you can't lose weight. It is good practice to regularly clear the energetic debris of others from your own auric field.  You can do this by saging yourself and the space you work in, taking epsom baths at the end of the day, spraying energy clearing spray after each encounter you have, playing a singing bowl in your space, etc.  

Spiritual Starvation

Has life lost its joy and sweetness for you? Are you just going through the motions? Does it feel like your life is just happening to you without much participation from you? Are you denying yourself pleasure and beauty and not doing things that make your heart sing? In that case, you may be rendering your body unable to utilize sugars properly and consequently causing weight gain. This is just one consequence of failing to find your joy.

When you fail to follow your heart, obesity could be how your body compensates. You must feed your soul as well as your body. Are you starved for fulfillment and purpose? Have you abandoned your dreams or longings? Have you been denied those pleasures or activities that make your heart sing?  If so, start to bring some the joy and pleasure back into your life.  Sometimes when we get so far down the road of life, a life lived inauthentically, that we struggle to find what makes us happy or inspires us anymore.  If this is the case for you, I want you to think back to your childhood - what made you happy, what did you enjoy doing as a child, which creative endeavours did you pursue?  Start integrating some of those things in your life each day, and you’ll begin to see the landscape of your life, and body, change.

Self Indulgence

Self indulgence is an emotional substitute for a lack of joy, excitement, fulfillment, enrichment, or purpose. You long, crave, or yearn for something intangible and mood-altering foods become the closest your body can relate to this feeling. Junk food, chocolate or sugar cause a quick high, so they can become an emotional substitute for spiritual fulfillment. Junk foods and sugar cause a hyper-adrenal response in the body creating a quick rush. Unfortunately, adrenaline is addictive. And it quickly overtaxes your metabolism.  Not to mention how addictive sugar can be!  It’s a quick fix, a quick dopamine boost, that feels good in the moment, but leaves us wanting more and more.  

‍

MEDICAL REASONS FOR WEIGHT GAIN

There are also medical reasons for weight gain, that if the above doesn’t resonate with you, could be the culprit.  If you were to talk to your doctor about unexplained weight gain, he or she might give you the following reasons: eating a high calorie diet, lack of sleep, high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, fluid retention (possibly from heart disease or high blood pressure), inactivity (ie. too much time watching TV or on social media and not enough movement), etc.  If any of these reasons sound like the potential reason for the weight gain, making modifications to your lifestyle will put you on the track to weight loss.  For the most success long term, consider making adjustments to both your spiritual/energetic lifestyle as well as your physical lifestyle, where needed.  

‍