Why You Gained Weight After Moving to the US

If you gained weight after moving to the US, it helps to look at what changed in your day.

In most cases the food is not the main change. The routine is.

01You stopped walking

In India you probably walked a lot without planning to. To the auto, to the market, up the stairs. In the US most trips are by car.

Adults are advised to get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week ¹. With a desk job and a car, it is easy to fall far below that.

02The portions grew

Restaurant portions in the US are often large enough for two meals. Over time the larger size starts to look normal.

03Eating out got easy

Work days are long and there is usually no help at home, so ordering food becomes the easy option.

Restaurant and takeout food usually has more oil and bigger portions than what you cook at home.

04Sleep and stress came along

A new job, visa stress and late calls with family in another time zone all cut into sleep.

Short sleep is linked with changes in the hormones that manage hunger and blood sugar ². Adults need at least 7 hours a night ³.

05It was never one thing

This is why cutting one food does not fix it. You did not gain the weight from rice. You gained it from several small changes to your routine.

Each of those can be changed back.

06How to turn it around

1. 1

   Get your steps back

   Walk after dinner. Take calls on your feet. Park further away. The goal is to replace the walking you used to do.

2. 2

   Cook in batches

   Two hours on a Sunday covers most of your week. When the food is already made, you order less.

3. 3

   Lift something

   Strength training keeps the muscle you have. The guidelines ask for muscle strengthening on two or more days a week ¹.

4. 4

   Protect your sleep

   Set a fixed bedtime and keep to it on most nights.

A small, steady calorie deficit is what moves fat ⁴. You do not need a crash diet. You need more movement, more home cooked meals and enough sleep.