Introduction: About medications: when it comes to pills, it's a win-lose situation. You're taking medication for one medical condition, and it's causing negative side effects. One such side effect may be weight gain.
If you're taking drugs for the following:
* Aging -- As you get older, your metabolism slows down and your muscle mass decreases. These two factors mean your body no longer burns as many calories as it used to. The remedy: exercise more (especially the weight-bearing kind) and eat slightly fewer calories.
* Depression -- There are several reasons why depression can lead to weight gain. First, a side effect of many antidepressant drugs is weight gain.
* Lack of Sleep -- Not getting the recommended 7 and a half hours of sleep each night messes with your mood, energy level, and yes, your waistline.
* Slow Digestion -- The longer food stays around in your gut, the more weight you gain.