Weight loss is a major issue for many people. Age, hereditary factors and the food we eat all contribute to gaining weight. But there are other ways that lead to weight gain that have nothing to do with food.

If you aspire to lose weight and keep it off you need to know the principle factor that is leading you to gain those pounds. Once you know the cause, you can address the problem effectively.

If food is causing you to gain weight, you should take a close look at how much you are eating and what it is you are eating. It’s a given that if you eat more calories than you burn off, you will gain weight. People eat far more than they do for emotional reasons or out of pressure to simply eat everything that is offered.

The quality of the food you eat is as important as how much. Today’s food is highly processed. The level of sugar, fats and high carbohydrates leads to weight gain and the attendant health problems of diabetes and heart disease. If what you’re putting on your table is hamburgers, pizza, takeout and refined cereals along with cola you’re sure to add pounds no matter how much of it you eat. The chemical preservatives, colorings and other chemicals in many foods just compound a weight problem.

Much the same as what you are eating is what you are not eating. Primarily, a lack of a high fiber diet is a major problem. The absence of fruits and vegetables do not make for optimum health.

Many people skip breakfast, but it is one of the most important meals of the day. Skipping breakfast is one way to insure weight gain as the body switches over to preservation mode, storing more fat than what should be burned off. Supplementation is necessary since most produce on the store shelves lack the essential nutrients your body needs to maintain health. Since food cannot provide adequate levels of nutrition, supplementation is absolutely necessary.

Too many people eat on the run. They’re in a constant hurry and highly stressed. Food is meant to be chewed, not gulped down in one bite. The stomach needs time to break down food so the nutrients can be absorbed into the body. It can’t do this if you’re chewing food improperly. In the old days, having dinner was one of the main family events of the day, a chance for individual members to talk and renew family ties. Eating was done in a stress-free environment.

As if eating on the run is bad enough, many people eat the major meal right before going to bed. Sleeping on a full stomach is sure to help build acid reflux, diarrhea, flatulence and other stomach and intestinal disorders. You should stop eating at least three hours before bedtime. Snacking is one habit that contributes to weight gain. Chips, soda and chocolate do little more than add to the fat you don’t need. If you must snack, having a fruit or snacking on nuts like almonds and walnuts are far healthier alternatives. Rather than have a late night cup of coffee, drink chamomile or peppermint to prepare yourself for sleep.

All these factors are contributors to weight gain. The most effective way to insure weight loss is to focus on that one main area that are responsible for that spare tire. You will then begin to shed pounds and keep them off permanently.