Eating a lot of calorie-dense foods and leading an inactive lifestyle — everyone knows that these things can cause unwanted pounds to show up.

But why do some people still gain weight despite of carefully watching what they eat every mealtime and making it a habit to exercise regularly? Well, it’s for the fact that there are many others that can be blamed for unnecessary gaining of weight, and a lot of them may leave you surprised.

Continue reading if you are puzzled by the continued expansion of your waistline despite your best efforts to slim down — below you will come across some of the hidden causes of weight gain.

Non-Organic Fruits and Vegetables

Just because your meals are primarily composed of fruits and vegetables doesn’t mean that you will certainly lose weight. Did you know that non-organic fruits and vegetables are laden with pesticides that are referred to as endocrine disruptors?

Put simply, endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can upset the normal balance of hormones within you. So many different unfavorable things can stem from hormonal imbalance, and one of those is unnecessary weight gain. When that happens, a vicious cycle begins because being obese or overweight can cause further hormonal imbalance.

Low- or Non-Fat Foods

Refrain from assuming that filling your fridge and pantry with foods that are low-fat or non-fat can keep you from gaining weight. According to experts, consuming these food products can in fact be counterintuitive — they can keep you from being satiated.

Actually, it’s a good idea for you to add a little fat to your meals because fat makes everything taste so much better. What’s more, fat is satisfying and that’s why it can keep you from overeating. Besides, fat gives you the energy you need to spend at least 20 minutes of your time to working out, plus it’s vital for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

Not Eating

If you think that staying away from food can make you slim down successfully, think again — not eating enough can in fact make it extremely challenging for you to shed off excess pounds. That’s because steering clear of food can cause your metabolism to slow down. We all know that a sluggish metabolism can make it harder to lose weight.

Further, constantly pretending that you don’t need to eat can backfire — sooner or later, you will give up and consume just about anything that you lay your eyes on, including most especially those that are packed with calories and fat.

Having Too Much Stress

A couple of reasons exist why being perpetually stressed can cause you to gain excess pounds. First, health authorities say that too much stress can disrupt proper balance of hormones within you. Just like what’s mentioned earlier, hormonal imbalance can lead to weight gain.

Second, being stressed all the time can cause your blood sugar to spike, thus turning you into a stress eater. Someone who is a stress eater is at risk of ending up obese or overweight as he or she tends to crave nothing but the most calorie- and fat-rich foods on the face of the planet.

Not Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Do you like partying all night long or are you suffering from insomnia due to stress or anxiety? Then don’t be surprised if it seems like those excess pounds keep coming in — experts say that failure to get 7 to 9 hours of restorative sleep can make you gain excess weight.

That’s because sleep can leave your body stressed and your hormone balance out of whack, both of which can leave you feeling hungry all the time. And also, you are at high risk of having lots and lots of late night snacks if you are having a hard time taking a trip to dreamland as soon as you hop into bed.

WARNING: There are also certain medical conditions that can make you gain weight. If you suspect that your unnecessary weight gain can be blamed on something that is yet to be diagnosed, consider paying your doctor a visit.