Why don't we weight even MORE?

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Replies

  • cordianet
    cordianet Posts: 534 Member
    Actually, the answer is really pretty simple, but you have to adjust your thinking a bit. This concept that there's is one single number that is your maintenance calorie level is just plain wrong. If our bodies really were this sensitive to consumption rates, the human race would have died out long ago. Instead, our bodies have mechanisms in place to up-regulate and down-regulate thermogensis as needed to adapt to under or over consumption. If you think about it, this makes sense, because without this, back when food was not nearly as plentiful or regular, starvation would have been much more prevalent.

    Obviously there are limits to this capacity, otherwise no one would ever be too fat (or too skinny), but to gain weight, you actually have to eat a lot more than you might think because your body can increase your metabolism in response to the over-consumption.

    The interesting thing here is that this same process also explains a LOT of the plateaus we see during weight loss. After a while of basically eating and exercising at the same rate, your body has adapted metabolically and reached a point of stasis. In order to start the weight loss process again, you have to change something.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    Actually, the answer is really pretty simple, but you have to adjust your thinking a bit. This concept that there's is one single number that is your maintenance calorie level is just plain wrong. If our bodies really were this sensitive to consumption rates, the human race would have died out long ago. Instead, our bodies have mechanisms in place to up-regulate and down-regulate thermogensis as needed to adapt to under or over consumption. If you think about it, this makes sense, because without this, back when food was not nearly as plentiful or regular, starvation would have been much more prevalent.

    Obviously there are limits to this capacity, otherwise no one would ever be too fat (or too skinny), but to gain weight, you actually have to eat a lot more than you might think because your body can increase your metabolism in response to the over-consumption.

    The interesting thing here is that this same process also explains a LOT of the plateaus we see during weight loss. After a while of basically eating and exercising at the same rate, your body has adapted metabolically and reached a point of stasis. In order to start the weight loss process again, you have to change something.

    Well put!
  • pinkupooh
    pinkupooh Posts: 155
    I always figured that I should 400lbs, I was literally eating myself sick almost everyday. DISGUSTING!

    how did you get out of it? I think I am in that boat...:(
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    I always figured that I should 400lbs, I was literally eating myself sick almost everyday. DISGUSTING!

    how did you get out of it? I think I am in that boat...:(

    You make one small sustainable change, just for today. Then tomorrow you do that and maybe something more. And you realize that you have a lot of value in the world, so it's worth the time and effort to make you the best that you can be.
  • Jacole18
    Jacole18 Posts: 716 Member
    IDK but it's only by the grace of God that I didn't get to 500 lbs!! I ate like a pig!!!
  • auteurfille22
    auteurfille22 Posts: 251 Member
    I've often thought about this too. Thinking about how much I used to eat, I don't understand how I only weighed 159 lbs and not over 200! It's crazy. But once you weigh more you burn more calories just existing (your BMR is higher) so that may play a role?

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