There are many factors that contribute to a person being overweight. It can be frustrating to manage weight when we don't know what the issue is. "Calories in and calories out" does play a role in weight management, but there is more to look at. It's mostly the quality of the calories that matters.

Most popular weight management diets just restrict calorie intake and don't consider the quality of the food going into our bodies. If a diet is low in calories and still full of refined sugar and carbohydrates, a person might lose some weight at first, but the sugar cravings, mood imbalances, and old eating habits will still be there. A weight management plan should be a lifestyle change and not temporary restrictions or eliminations that are not realistic to stick with.

Factors that contribute to a person being overweight:

Behavioral
- Eating when not hungry
- Skipping meals
- Lack of exercise
Emotional
- Overeating due to stress, anxiety, depression, or frustration
Metabolic
- Low thyroid
- Slow metabolism
- Medical drugs
- Low muscle mass
- Lack of exercise
- Age
- Gender
- Toxicity
  - Metals
  - Food colorings, preservative, and flavorings
  - Plastics and pesticides
  - Bacteria or parasitic overgrowth
Nutritional
- Eating too many foods that lack nutrients such as processed foods, high sugar foods, and refined carbohydrates
- Consuming more energy (calories) than expanded
- Having an imbalance of essential nutrients (usually it's an excess amount of carbohydrates and not enough protein and healthy fats)

Factors that contribute to a person being underweight:

Not consuming enough energy (calories)
Not getting enough nutrients
Digestive issues
Anorexia/Bulimia
Excessive exercise
Allergies
Stress
Crohn's and Celiac Disease (gut issues)
Mal-absorption of nutrients
High thyroid
Medication side effects

Tips to manage weight:

Detox/Cleanse: A detox is not the same as fasting and should not be a calorie restriction diet
- Feed your liver: The liver is an organ with many important functions such as making enzymes, making proteins, making bile (helps digest fats), detoxifying chemicals, detoxifying drugs and alcohol, filters about 95% of microbes and toxins from the bloodstream, and regulates blood sugar
  - Increase protein: eggs, meats, yogurt, nuts, seeds, legumes
  - Increase bitter foods: arugula, dandelion greens, chard, raw cacao powder
  - Increase greens: leafy greens, sea vegetables
  - Increase sour foods: sauerkraut, vinegars, lemon juice
  - Increase herbs and spices: parsley, cilantro, licorice root, cinnamon
Regulate blood sugar: Weight gain around the waist is usually a blood sugar issue
- Decrease gluten-containing grains and sugar intake (refined carbohydrates)
  - Eat gluten-free grains: amaranth, millet, quinoa, brown rice
  - Avoid tropical fruits (banana, pineapple, mango) because they are very high in sugar, stick to berries and seasonal fruits
- Increase non-starchy vegetables: greens, greens, and more greens
- Increase healthy fats: coconut oil, nuts, seeds, nut butters, olive oil
- Increase protein: protein at every meal is important, especially at breakfast (Ideally within an hour of waking up)
- Increase fiber: vegetables, legumes (good source of fiber and protein), flax seeds, chia seeds
Increase metabolism
- Cinnamon
- Cardamom
- Green Tea
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Sea Vegetables
- Cumin and Curry Powder
- Hot Peppers (Cayenne)
Exercise daily
- Exercising in the morning is best because training hard at night messes up cortisol balance and can cause you to hang on to weight
Get enough sleep!
- Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night
- Lack of sleep leads to cravings and overeating
Stay hydrated
- Water
- Herbal teas

Sources

Bauman College Workbook, Spring 2012