7 Common things that can make you gain weight
Weight gain can be caused by so many things you wouldn’t suspect! In this article, I discuss some very sneaky things – food, drink, habits, etc. — that you didn’t think could make you gain weight. (Who knew?)
When you take stock of yourself and figure out what could be causing you to gain weight — which can be as simple as a food allergy or an unexpected reaction to food — you can tweak your diet and tweak your life, setting yourself on the path to weight loss and improved health.
Once you identify products in your diet that may be unhealthy for you, you can use Educate & Tweak (E&T) to modify your diet and activities, transforming your body into a finely tuned system that actually helps you maintain a healthful body weight.
For Educate and Tweak you …
Educate yourself on the foods you eat regularly, zeroing in on any food additives or sweeteners you can or can’t identify … Ask friends and family if they have ever had a bad reaction to the product you are focused on.
Your goal is to figure out which foods in your diet are able to cause food allergies and learn about healthy alternatives.
Tweak your wellness … begin to cut out foods that make you gain weight or feel lousy, emphasizing foods, drinks, and habits that establish good health and promote a stable, reliable immune system.
With a little effort, you can usually find alternatives to items you put on the naughty list.
When it comes to weight loss, many people find that taking a natural approach — like Educate and Tweak — is all the weight loss treatment they need.
Although it’s always a good idea to consult a professional about your diet, there are easy ways to discover – on your own – if you are having an unhealthy reaction to a particular food, drink, or habit …
This is a tricky issue, because sometimes we have bad reactions to things that are okay for others!
The Protocol —
When you identify something in your diet that may be the source of a food allergy, you can put yourself through a two-week dry out period, taking a vacation from any food that you suspect may be causing weight gain or other health issues for you.
(It often does not take a full, two-week period to see results.)
I have used this “two-week food vacation period” myself to pinpoint dietary culprits, and I’ve found that if you can identify the problems in your diet, there are often easy ways to remedy the situation.
What happened to me: I went on a two-week food vacation from traditional diet soda, and I learned so much from that vacay that I made a list of things you didn’t think could cause weight gain.
And I urge you to ask yourself whether anything in the following list may be the source of your own weight control challenges.
I am now going to share my list with you, pointing out some awfully sneaky things that can make you gain weight …
So, you didn’t think it could cause weight gain …
1. Can diet soda make you to gain weight? —
Now, I’m talking about traditional diet soda … the stuff in the large, colorful paper cups you commonly get from the fast-food counter. Yeah, that’s the stuff.
It’s so easy to think that diet soda is better for you than soda-with-sugar – that only sugared soda can make you gain weight — but if you are sensitive to an ingredient in diet soda, drinking it can encourage weight gain. Here’s what I mean …
It was last winter … I realized that I was drinking diet soda daily, and my morning fizz seemed to perk me up to start the day. But I began to wonder if I might be having a reaction to the some of the ingredients.
Because I was gaining weight – may have been bloating — even though I was eating normally and doing the same stretching, strengthening, and light cardio routine as I always did.
I was already a little suspicious of diet soda, since I knew that some sodas contained extra sodium, which can cause bloating.
Although I first chalked it up to the winter blues or hormones (blaming it all on the hormones again,) I slowly came to think that diet soda could be involved in my weight gain.
And another thing that concerned me … when I tried to switch to a different morning beverage, it seemed like something was fighting my efforts.
This could have been a reaction to the caffeine or my preference for the morning fizz, but I also knew that there were ingredients in traditional diet soda that I wasn’t comfortable with … maybe I was having a reaction?
So, covering all the bases, I decided to go on a two-week vacation from traditional diet soda to see if it could be causing health problems for me.
During the first few days of my diet soda vacay, keeping it “off the menu”was a serious struggle.
And after four days of not drinking the diet soda, not only were the urges gone, but I suddenly became more flexible and began losing weight.
Now I’d call “four days ‘til improvement” a dieting triumph, don’t you think?
In this case I educated myself by testing my reaction to the product, and then I tweaked my habits so that I now rarely consume traditional diet soda.
Note: Please keep in mind that just because I had this reaction to a product, does not mean that you will have the same reaction. I am simply showing you how the test-yourself-process works.
Change your habits, change your life —
My diet soda experience shows just how much making a simple change in your dietary habits can bring about real change in your physical body.
And you might be interested to know that my preferred way to stop drinking soda is to replace it with a fruit-flavored herbal tea.
I recommend blueberry or passionflower tea for this, but there are many other options available.
In fact, I have been known to take a large glass of room-temperature filtered water and just dump some tea bags in it, topping that off with a dash of liquid stevia.
I first developed this method when I was trying to quit drinking delicious — but carb laden — orange juice.
Also, I have since tried Olipop soda, which contains prebiotics and some helpful herbals that don’t seem to interfere with its mild soda taste.
And I must confess that … one time I actually drank three Olipop sodas in the space of one day (OMG!) with no ill effects, and I feel safe in saying that Olipop may in fact provide a good option for those seeking an alternative to diet soda.
I’ve heard people say that if you are experiencing an allergy to diet soda, you can just use soda-with-sugar and add plain water to water it down, spreading out the sugar effects.
But since that never worked for me, I tried mixing sugar soda with La Croix sparkling water (with natural sweeteners) and it tasted great! (This may an option when ordering a soda at a restaurant.)
2. Can artificial sweeteners make you gain weight? —
Over time, I have learned and re-learned the lesson that I am allergic to some artificial sweeteners.
Once, after working a night shift in an assisted living facility … I remember being in the light-blue, expansive, commercial kitchen, making myself a cup o’ coffee for the drive home.
And I heard a high small voice — a child’s voice – and it said, “Mommy, why are all the night shift people fat?”
I looked around and realized that child had a point, and indeed most of the night shift people were rather chunky …
I was standing there at the shiny metal counter with a yellow, artificial sweetener packet in my hand — poised to pour the powder into my cup – when the high small voice again chirped, “artificial sweeteners make you weak in the knees!”
Examining the situation, I realized that the voice belonged to the child of one of the lunch ladies who had stopped by the facility as she was taking her little daughter to school.
I looked at the small girl sideways and saw that she had a happy-impish look on her face and long brown hair in neat ponytails …
She also wore a yellow t-shirt with a large goofy smiley face on the front that said “Happy, happy, smile, smile.”
And I asked her as sweetly as possible (after working all night,) “What you said about artificial sweeteners, where did you hear that?”
And she pleasantly chirped, “I read it on the internet at school!”
I was very interested in this information because I regularly used several products containing artificial sweeteners: diet soda and diet pudding, for example …
And on top of that, I knew I was often experiencing muscle discomfort (twinges) in my knees; but I thought this was caused by being on my feet so much at work (or maybe hormones!)
Eager to check out the girl’s comments, I went home and got on the internet immediately, searching for information about the possible side effects of artificial sweeteners.
And I found two articles saying that some people are very sensitive to artificial sweeteners, and those having a reaction may experience muscular problems and bloating when consuming them.
It was also interesting that … along with the knee pain, I was also experiencing puffiness and bloating, which made me even more concerned about my consumption of artificial sweeteners.
Due to these health concerns, I decided to take a vacation from artificial sweeteners, and that’s when I began to use organic and “no added sugar” Stevia exclusively. (I use liquid Stevia because it’s often the most natural.)
Within a week of stopping the artificial sweeteners, I became a lot less bloated and the “achy knee” problem actually went away.
I should also mention … another common food that can cause pain in your muscles — especially the feet and knees – is organ meats, such as pepperoni and salami.
Note: Organ meats can cause gout (muscular aches and pains.)
So, if you eat a lot of Italian subs, and you are also experiencing muscle pain — you might try switching to the “chicken and ranch” for a week and see if that makes you feel better.
In this case, I educated myself by researching the possible side effects of artificial sweeteners, and I tweaked my diet by strongly restricting items that contained them, including pudding and cookies, as well as diet soda, in my case.
The problem with those sneaky food allergies is that … although you adjust your diet when you have the symptoms, you often forget about this over time, allowing the offending food back into your diet rotation, until the whole cycle repeats itself.
3. Can being a member of the “Clean Plate Club” make you gain weight? –
Many people labor under the delusion that being in the clean plate club is a badge of honor: if this describes you, hear me out.
I’ve earned the right to talk about this because I have experienced it myself. In fact, I have fought — and still fight — being a member of the clean plate club.
Clean Plate Club Syndrome (CPCS) is often the result of being a picky eater in childhood, when — during mealtimes — you were surrounded by people trying desperately to fix your squeamish eating behaviors.
In other words, this sneaky, subconscious habit was probably instilled in you as a child. Maybe you were a picky eater, and you were encouraged to “clean your plate,” or maybe it was just a family tradition.
Now, I’m all for not wasting food, but it’s a plain fact that you can’t always place perfect portions on your plate every time.
When you eat, you need to listen to your inner stomach … it’s trying to tell you something!
What happened to me was … during a recent meal, I suddenly realized that I was feeling anxious for no apparent reason.
And I then realized that by force of habit, I was somehow strongly determined to eat everything that was “put in front of me,” but my stomach was complaining because it was getting full … and this difference of opinion was causing me anxiety.
Point of fact, it seemed like my stomach was waving its arms and yelling at me like a New York cab driver, “Hey buddy, I’m talkin’ to ya! Stop eating!”
It suddenly came to me that I had often ignored my stomach’s wise restrictions in the past, and ignoring those internal signals always gave me a sincere, “hard to pin down” anxiety on some level.
Are you a member of this club? Watch how you eat. If everything you lackadaisically throw on your plate always gets eaten, that should set off warning bells.
So, check yourself for eating-related anxiety and for goodness’s sake, get yourself some Tupperware – I prefer silicone bowls with lids — then you don’t have any reason to eat everything on your plate, because it can be kept for tomorrow!
4. Can being constipated make you gain weight? –
In the first place and OMG, make sure you are not constipated: Yeah, nobody wants to mention the “C word,” or “sluggish digestion,” because they think it’s embarrassing, and it’s also the invisible elephant in the room for many doctor’s appointments.
Having an “elephant in the room” is a way of saying there’s a big problem present, and nobody’s talking about it!
In fact, I suffered from chronic constipation for a long time until I decided to maintain my own bowel health. (I know it’s kind of ugh, but it’s important.)
When I think of sluggish digestion, it always reminds me of something I read in Venus C. Andrecht’s book, The herb lady’s notebook.
In one of her stories, she was walking with a child, and the child says something like, “Why does that man over there have a big stomach?” And her answer was, “Because he’s full of old poopy!”
And for some reason, that off-hand remark had a profound effect on me. This was partly due to its simplicity, and partly because I had never thought about it that way before.
But sometimes a simple statement can change your way of seeing things, and just reading the phrase “old poopy” inspired a realization in me …
I suddenly had an awakening and I knew that I had battled chronic constipation for much of my life.
You know that old yarn about how it’s okay to go three or four days without doing number 2? (having a BM?)
Don’t believe it … it’s a bunch of hogwash, and being perpetually constipated is a good way to gain weight, believe it or not.
And since constipation is easily fixed by taking a bit of fiber or some Senna (natural laxative) tablets each night, it is also preventable.
Easy answers to sluggish digestion –
If you think about it and decide that you are prone to sluggish digestion, here are some things you can do to fix and control this problem.
In the first place, try to eat broccoli and fiber-filled foods more often.
And if you don’t have time to crunch down those veggies, you can always get enough fiber by using Inulin fiber powder or Chewable oat fiber tablets.
Yes, it takes some planning, but I’ve noticed that people who strategically arrange things so that they get at least one-to-two good-sized BMs per day often lose weight and inches, sometimes gaining flexibility to boot!
Fun fact: I talked an elderly relative into taking a laxative at bedtime, and she began to lose weight just like that — snaps fingers — simply by becoming UN-constipated.
Another consideration: one day I realized that red meat often caused me to have an extended period of sluggish digestion; so, I re-thought my approach to eating red meat.
These days, if I eat a red meat meal, I make sure to spread it out and divide it up into multiple meals … and sometimes I mix a plentiful amount of fiber-filled vegetables into each meal to help with digestion.
When I do decide to eat red meat – which isn’t that often — I make sure to include a laxative (usually Senna tablets) to keep my digestion working properly.
Note: Having constipation can also cause you to have an upset stomach.
5. Can being “full of old air“make you appear to gain weight? —
As well as being “full of old poopy,” you can also be “full of old air” (think hot air balloon.)
I have spent some time on the extreme East Coast near the Outer Banks, and the locals there had a way to describe retaining extra gas: they would say, “I feel blown up” (like a balloon.)
Once, when I was doing my most serious Keto diet, I experienced this “blown up” (swelled out) sensation and realized that I had not eaten enough fiber.
When this happened to me, and my gut was expanding from excess gas, I knew what to do. But I have noticed that “what to do about gas” often confuses people.
Yes, things like beans can produce gas while you are digesting them, and this often causes people to give up fiber-filled foods, but that’s a bad idea.
We’ve been told from childhood to eat our veggies, and that’s another way of saying “eat your fiber.”
You see, I spent a good chunk out of my life as a vegetarian on a high fiber diet, and I can tell you from experience that the more fiber you eat, the less gas you pass.
So, this time when I realized that I had excess gas, I decided to spend a full day taking extra fiber, which I did by taking extra Inulin fiber powder.
To do this, I poured an extra spoonful of Inulin fiber into hot tea, and I did this several times that day.
When I was flooding myself with fiber, I suddenly began passing gas, and this went on for 24 hours, (not making this up.)
And although I passed a lot of gas for the first few hours, the gas became less and less as the day wore on. (I knew this would happen.)
But guess what? 24 hours later, I found myself much decreased in size: I didn’t check the scale, but I looked like I had lost 10 pounds.
Working on this concept that simple, trapped internal gasses gone crazy can make people swell-out-like-a-marshmallow and appear to have gained weight, I created my “gas passing day” (GPD) method for weight loss (maybe actually air loss.)
For a “gas passing day,” you can use your day off from work — or a weekend day — and ingest extra fiber, thus passing a larger than normal amount of gas.
And this amped-up passing of air may go on for up to 24 hours (I know this from personal experience.) So, plan accordingly and allow yourself a chance to let it fly!
6. Can water retention make you gain weight? —
Let’s face it, water retention can make you gain weight.
And for a quick solution, you can take an effective herbal water pill like the one from Puritan Vitamins.
But some people are just prone to water retention, which can be a sign of several health conditions, such as diabetes and hormone fluctuation. But what we call “water retention” … is mostly a sign of swelling in the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system is a series of fluid filled channels and sacs that transport the body’s wastewater along its network and out of the body (acting like sewers.)
When these channels become blocked or sluggish, your body can retain water and swell in those areas where the lymphatic system has become clogged.
For instance, blocked lymphs are often the cause of swelling in the upper arms, creating loose, jiggly upper arms.
And even though weight training is suggested to treat arm swelling, sometimes the problem is persistent, and you have to think outside the box to achieve those desired shapely arms.
DIY treatments for persistent upper arm swelling include things like using a dry brush to make upward strokes on the arms (wrist to elbow, then elbow to shoulder,) applying pull-on compression sleeves (pushes the fluid out of the arms) …
And you can also do self-massage of the arms to dislodge stuck lymphatic fluid.
In fact, to learn more about how to perform lymph-clearing self-massage for your whole body – your whole lymphatic system — you can get this book called The Book of Lymph, by Lisa Levitt Gainsley. I have this book, and I use these self-massage routines all the time.
This Book of Lymph introduces you to the lymphatic system, and it also contains extensive directions on how to do self-massage routines that loosen and drain your lymphs. (Yes, the book contains directions for massage you can do on yourself!)
In fact, when I got this book and saw the recommended routines, I realized that my own massage therapist had used some of these techniques on me.
She did not identify them as massage for the lymphs … but I knew that when she did these moves, I always seemed to become calmer and more energized. (They made me look perkier, too!)
As a side note:: using a facial dry brush — a dry brush for your face — is a great way to relieve sinus pressure and puffiness around your ears, eyes and sinuses.
For myself, I use the lymph-clearing self-care routines from this book to clear my sinuses, relax, and encourage sleep. These exercises also increase circulation and just make me feel good all over.
7. Can having swayback make you look like you’ve gained weight? —
If you look in the mirror sideways, and it appears that you have gained weight … your butt is sticking out quite a bit and your gut seems to be swollen and curves out in the front of you in the shape of a large letter “C” … you may have swayback.
If it looks like you could have swayback, first check and make sure you are not “backed up,” because constipation is often present in conditions involving swayback and even stiff lower back.
The next move is to try and get checked out by a chiropractor for swayback or stiff lower back, because a chiropractor can often take an X-ray of the area that will shed light on your spine’s challenges and overall health.
I have had an X-ray by a chiropractor, and the results told me a lot about the current health of my spine and brought to light challenges that could emerge for me as I got older.
Another treatment option would be to see a massage therapist, because getting a massage for the lower back increases the blood circulation to the area and reduces stiffness in general.
In my experience, getting a massage-with-oils provides extra relief for stiff muscles — and surrounding tissues — helping the whole area loosen up and breathe.
In fact, you should always ask a massage therapist to use oils when giving you a massage: I think you’ll find that this makes the massage more effective … and more effective means more affordable in the long run!
(And if all else fails, find a friend with gentle, strong hands, a massage instruction book or video, and some inexpensive massage oil.)
Since the treatment for a stiff lower back often requires multiple sessions, it would be smart to try some easy home care options first …
One self-care method you can use at home: actively work to relax your lower back, while at the same time increasing movement and circulation in the area.
(It’s also important to note that people who spend a lot of time sitting in a desk chair often develop stiff lower back.)
In the first place, taking a salt bath is a great way to relieve stiffness in the lower back, and if you are a shower person, you can use a salt scrub – like dead sea salt scrubs — leave it on for a few minutes, then wash it off.
You could also use a Tens unit to relax your back. The TENS unit is a battery powered device that uses vibrating sticky pads to relax your muscles. I’ve used a one for a long time and I find them very effective.
But if you plan to purchase a TENS unit, remember to get one that has a long controller (controls the vibration level,) because it’s common to walk around with the controller tucked in your waist band and …
Sometimes the smaller, more square-shaped units fall off your waistband when you walk! (just sayin’.)
There are also plenty of exercises for swayback available on the internet, but it’s best to do these exercises gently to avoid experiencing lower back pain.
Remember — for swayback exercises — you are trying to loosen up your tailbone and increase circulation in the area, which helps the lower back become more flexible.
This also encourages good posture, reducing the “stomach sticking out/weight gain” look.
I know about this because sometimes I have to relieve stiffness on my own lower back, and I suggest these exercises: the forward fold, the donkey kick, cat and cow, and hip rotation …
I start every exercise session with the “forward fold” …
The perform the first exercise, the forward fold, you simply reach down and touch your toes. It’s like an extended toe touch, and it’s a great stretch for the lower back. Hold for 30 to 50 counts.
With forward fold, you should try to straighten out your knees, even if you do that for 5 counts on/five counts off, because this is good for energizing your legs.
And my favorite move to loosen up the lower back is the “donkey kick” …
To perform this second exercise, the donkey kick, stand with feet shoulder width apart. Grab a chair back and lean forward, kicking your right leg straight back like a donkey would do. Do 10 or 15 reps. Repeat the set with your left leg.
The next exercise is called “cat and cow” …
To perform this third exercise, cat and cow, start on all fours. Lowering your head, curve your butt under and stretch your back up as far as you can, arching your back like a cat … then release it to a slightly down-curved belly, which is the cow position.
And last but not least is “hip rotation” …
To perform this fourth exercise, hip rotation, you simply stand with feet shoulder width apart and move your hips around in a circle.
For hip rotations, I do four points, moving my hips first forward then to the right, to the back, and then to the left with a steady beat, repeating the full rotation 10 times.
Then reverse the sequence in the opposite direction: front, left, back, and right.
Eventually, you can make it a more fluid motion and dance like nobody’s watchin’!
You can also use music like Meghan Trainor’s “All about that bass” (great video) to help you keep a steady rhythm when doing the hip rotation.
Thanks for reading this article about how everyday foods, drinks, habits and body structure can either cause-or-mimic weight gain.
For more discussion of diets and weight loss, be sure to check out my series of articles about how I lost 30 pounds in 3 months by a combination of the keto diet, cravings control, and other weight loss strategies.
And coming in the near future is an article about how I used low impact exercise and effective slimming devices to become my most shapely self … the easy way!
See you next time on Simply Natural Medicine!
This article was written by Vanna Silverwood, medical writer and outspoken advocate for natural medicine. See more at simplynaturalmedicine.com. Encouraging stability, helping you clarify your health goals … we are always “Natural by Nature.”
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Click here to access my preferred TENS Unit Muscle massager on Amazon!
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Click here to see Lisa Levitt Gainsley’s The Book of Lymph
Here’s a good illustration of the lymphatic system by Encyclopedia Britannica. It is eye opening to note the pear-shaped pattern of lymph nodes around the belly. https://www.britannica.com/science/lymphatic-system
Sources
Andrecht, V. C. (1991). The Herb Lady’s Notebook. Artichoke Publishing.
Artificial Sweeteners Side effects? Women’s Care. https://www.womenscareobgyn.com/health-library/artificial-sweeteners-side-effects
Corliss, Julie (2023). Sugar substitutes, New cardiovascular concerns? Harvard Health Online. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/sugar-substitutes-new-cardiovascular-concerns
Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “lymphatic system”. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/search?query=lymphatic+system
Gainsley, L.L. (2021). The Book of Lymph: Self-Care Practices to Enhance Immunity, Health, and Beauty. Harper Collins B and Blackstone Publishing.
How to tell if you have water retention (2025). Medically reviewed by L. Luba, co-authors 22. https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-You-Have-Water-Retention
Roth, Eric (2023). Lymphatic dysfunction. Healthline. www.healthline.com/health/lymphatic-obstruction