Why do women whove been thin most of their lives gain weight?
Women can gain weight for any of many reasons. They: • stop smoking • develop thyroid problems like “thyroiditis,” which slows their metabolism. • take commonly used medications that cause weight gain over periods of time. • stop exercising after a lifetime of sports participation without decreasing their caloric intake • get busier and can’t find time to shop wisely and cook healthy. It doesn’t matter what triggers the weight gain. What happens is that women with certain genes gain weight initially at the waist, while others gain it elsewhere. Where you gain those first few fat cells determines whether you get the signs of Syndrome W (See box).
