Hi. Hormonal weight gain in women happens around the change-of-life business; occurs quite suddenly (or appears to, anyway); occurs no matter how you are eating or how active or inactive you are; and the main symptom is a roll of fat around lower abdomen. And you cannot lose it without some help. Relora does help some people. It is a stress response, they say. Some blame it on the thyroid, but it is not that simple where glands & hormones are involved, so interconnected are they all. As for men, the appearance of fat around the abdomen is one symptom; I don't know the whole picture for men, and am sorry I cannot be more helpful.