Overweight? Maybe You Really Can Blame Your Metabolism

CycleGuy9000
CycleGuy9000 Posts: 290
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm wondering what you guys think about this article, do you feel like it's an overweight person's fault or are the odds just stacked against them?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/19/health/overweight-maybe-you-really-can-blame-your-metabolism.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
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Replies

  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    fast metabolism
    slow metabolism

    burns donuts by yawning
    or take all day to burn away a carrot

    still comes down to over consumption
  • RyeJD1994
    RyeJD1994 Posts: 7
    I think that metabolism is a big factor in gaining weight but there are easy cheap ways to speed up your metabolism. For example I have a pretty pants metabolism, I just look at food and put weight on, so I drink green tea a lot. There are supplements out there for metabolism but some are a bit pricey.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    fast metabolism
    slow metabolism

    burns donuts by yawning
    or take all day to burn away a carrot

    still comes down to over consumption

    yep
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
    Will reply later. :)
  • lmarshel
    lmarshel Posts: 674 Member
    I think that metabolism is a big factor in gaining weight but there are easy cheap ways to speed up your metabolism. For example I have a pretty pants metabolism, I just look at food and put weight on, so I drink green tea a lot. There are supplements out there for metabolism but some are a bit pricey.

    I'm not exactly sure what a pretty pants metabolism is, but none of those supplements makes much of a difference in metabolism. I have an autoimmune disease that causes my metabolism to speed up, and there's a green tea drink that I really like. I asked my doctor if it would compound the problem with my metabolism, and he laughed. He told me to drink as much as I wanted and it wouldn't make much difference. Most studies I've seen on green tea are based on changing from a sugery drink to green tea and losing XXX pounds a year. You could sub water and get the same thing.

    The only thing proven to make a real change in metabolism is exercise, and that effect is temporary. So you gotta hit it all the time. :bigsmile:
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I've never had a problem with my weight and I do not feel superior to others who struggle. It is just what is natural for me. If I gain a few pounds I really feel crummy, and the weight comes off until I get down to my normal, regular weight. I am also super active and that is just natural for me. I really love moving! I NEED to move!
    It is not because I am disciplined. It is just normal for me.
    For some people, then, yes! Natural metabolism is all.
    Maybe it is not true for everyone, though.
  • A_Fit_Mom
    A_Fit_Mom Posts: 602 Member
    Hmm, I haven't read the article yet. But you should watch the UK show "Secret Eaters". It is on youtube and is quite entertaining.


    They are all the same. They think "there is no way I weigh this much, when I eat so little". Then they realize that they actually eat 2-3 times as much as they thought. They eat huge portions and snack throughout the day.


    So I still think it comes down to the basics, overeating and not moving enough.
  • CycleGuy9000
    CycleGuy9000 Posts: 290
    Hmm, I haven't read the article yet. But you should watch the UK show "Secret Eaters". It is on youtube and is quite entertaining.


    They are all the same. They think "there is no way I weigh this much, when I eat so little". Then they realize that they actually eat 2-3 times as much as they thought. They eat huge portions and snack throughout the day.


    So I still think it comes down to the basics, overeating and not moving enough.

    Interesting... Secret eaters lol I'll have to check this out!
  • soccerdog693
    soccerdog693 Posts: 73 Member
    Never watched the show - but I have definitely been a secret eater before.... One of my friends told me "you don't even eat that bad!" and I'm like, yeah, you didn't see that box of milk duds I just ate....

    Logging makes it impossible for me to lie to myself.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    I think it's a cop out. I have slow metabolism, just means I have to work harder in the gym, and be more vigilant about my food. If someone is overweight they have no one to blame but themselves, like me, nobody put a gun to my head and forced me to eat a dozen whoppers (exaggeration alert) for lunch.

    Rigger
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    Hmm, I haven't read the article yet. But you should watch the UK show "Secret Eaters". It is on youtube and is quite entertaining.


    They are all the same. They think "there is no way I weigh this much, when I eat so little". Then they realize that they actually eat 2-3 times as much as they thought. They eat huge portions and snack throughout the day.


    So I still think it comes down to the basics, overeating and not moving enough.

    Ha, my mom was like that when I was a kid. She weighed something around 350lbs., but always talked about how she didn't eat at all. Then one day she decided to lose weight and started tracking what she ate, and lost 200 pounds in two years.

    It's bizarre how people lie to themselves about food.
  • LINIA
    LINIA Posts: 1,159 Member
    I'm wondering what you guys think about this article, do you feel like it's an overweight person's fault or are the odds just stacked against them?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/19/health/overweight-maybe-you-really-can-blame-your-metabolism.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

    ***thanks so much for posting this article. The research basically supports the theory that it is much more difficult for some people to stay thin than others. So, if it harder for some people to lose weight, then that is a Major obstacle standing in the way of many people who do not want to be overweight.
    No, it is not impossible for those people to maintain a healthy weight , but if we expect someone to eat half as much food/and also workout twice as long, that becomes a major problem.
    Just by observtion, this seems to be the case----few are willing to be that disciplined and many are obese.
    The only question I have is: IF it comes down to a gene variation, then why was it rare 40 years ago to see a fat person. There was, at that time, a very low rate of obesity, this article doesn't address that question.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    The article doesn't address the question because the answer has nothing to do with genetics. 40 years ago we ate about 500 calories a day less than we do today, and we were far more active, both at work, and leisure time, due to not having the advanced technology that automates so much of our lives nowadays.

    It's really a simple issue to comprehend. We eat more and move less. To fix the problem everyone needs to eat less and move more.
  • librarianjenne
    librarianjenne Posts: 66 Member
    I'm wondering what you guys think about this article, do you feel like it's an overweight person's fault or are the odds just stacked against them?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/19/health/overweight-maybe-you-really-can-blame-your-metabolism.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0


    The only question I have is: IF it comes down to a gene variation, then why was it rare 40 years ago to see a fat person. There was, at that time, a very low rate of obesity, this article doesn't address that question.

    This is a good question and in some ways, I think it comes down to food availability. We just have so much more food available now, especially high calorie, low nutrition, cheap junk food. There are more calories available to us. At the same time, we've zoned away our chances for accidental activity-- work is miles from home, the store is miles away, it's so convenient to drive... And we spend much of our free time sitting and passively consuming entertainment. It's a terrible combination for those who do not want to be overweight.

    When I moved to the States, I gained 30 pounds. I have a friend now who grew up in a similar lifestyle to mine. She's been in the States for only a few weeks and she says she has already gained noticeable weight. (She's only on vacation, so she'll be able to get back to her normal lifestyle soon.)
  • CycleGuy9000
    CycleGuy9000 Posts: 290
    I think it's a cop out. I have slow metabolism, just means I have to work harder in the gym, and be more vigilant about my food. If someone is overweight they have no one to blame but themselves, like me, nobody put a gun to my head and forced me to eat a dozen whoppers (exaggeration alert) for lunch.

    Rigger

    Right! No one forced me to eat an entire pizza! Like I used to.
  • CycleGuy9000
    CycleGuy9000 Posts: 290
    I'm wondering what you guys think about this article, do you feel like it's an overweight person's fault or are the odds just stacked against them?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/19/health/overweight-maybe-you-really-can-blame-your-metabolism.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0


    The only question I have is: IF it comes down to a gene variation, then why was it rare 40 years ago to see a fat person. There was, at that time, a very low rate of obesity, this article doesn't address that question.

    This is a good question and in some ways, I think it comes down to food availability. We just have so much more food available now, especially high calorie, low nutrition, cheap junk food. There are more calories available to us. At the same time, we've zoned away our chances for accidental activity-- work is miles from home, the store is miles away, it's so convenient to drive... And we spend much of our free time sitting and passively consuming entertainment. It's a terrible combination for those who do not want to be overweight.

    When I moved to the States, I gained 30 pounds. I have a friend now who grew up in a similar lifestyle to mine. She's been in the States for only a few weeks and she says she has already gained noticeable weight. (She's only on vacation, so she'll be able to get back to her normal lifestyle soon.)

    Yes you're right food is everywhere especially cheap junk food/fast food. So many people drive from there home to the store where I live when it's right across the road so I ride my bike and bring my backpack, it only takes 2 minutes to get there and it saves me money on gas. I might have to go to the store 2-3 times a week because I can't carry that much but I get more exercise this way and I don't mind.
  • joolsmitchell
    joolsmitchell Posts: 53 Member


    The only thing proven to make a real change in metabolism is exercise, and that effect is temporary. So you gotta hit it all the time. :bigsmile:



    This :-)
  • aNewYear123
    aNewYear123 Posts: 279 Member
    I do think that genetics plays a part in how the body metabolizes food and it can make it harder for someone to lose weight or easier for someone to gain weight. Losing weight is harder for someone with a slow metabolism, but it is certainly doable. I think one of the big issues is motivation. If you have to fight even harder than most people to try and lose weight, or not gain weight, not a lot of people will win that fight.

    That being said I doubt that this is the problem for most people who are overweight. Some may have a slight issue, but not as severe as described in the article.
  • kazhowe
    kazhowe Posts: 340 Member
    bump
  • AverageUkDude
    AverageUkDude Posts: 371 Member
    Its very interesting but, i feel people will be thinking they have it as an excuse rather than a genuine medical disorder.
    So far, only one person — a severely obese child — has been found to have a disabling mutation in the same gene
    This rare gene-disabling mutation

    So its very unlikely you have it.
    studied the data on 500 of the children, searching for mutations that disabled the same gene they had deleted in mice.

    One child clearly had a gene-disabling mutation and three others had mutations that the investigators suspect might render the gene nonfunctional.

    1 out of 500....yet
    35% of adults aged 20 and over were overweight in 2008, and 11% were obese.

    Don't think this is the case for 99% of people overweight.
  • Melissa11412
    Melissa11412 Posts: 145 Member
    I think it's a cop out. I have slow metabolism, just means I have to work harder in the gym, and be more vigilant about my food. If someone is overweight they have no one to blame but themselves, like me, nobody put a gun to my head and forced me to eat a dozen whoppers (exaggeration alert) for lunch.

    Rigger

    1z64ec1.gif
    that is all.
  • Juliejustsaying
    Juliejustsaying Posts: 2,332 Member
    Human being are complex, complex animals. There isn't just one answer to anything. and I do mean ANYTHING! and if you don't believe me take an anatomy & physiology class and then tell me differently. There are diseases and conditions that will impact your metabolism and how your body absorbs food...ie hypo/hyperthyroidism, PCOS, Diabetes etc.

    Yes, a slow metabolism will make it easier to gain and more difficult to lose. I've had hypothyroidism for 20 years...so yeah. I'm also 5'1" and a 5lb weight gain on me looks like 15lbs on a woman who is 5'8". Normal weight according to the BMI chart is anywhere from 96-132 lbs. and yes 133lbs is considered overweight. My TDEE is lower than the average woman etc etc etc. When I step on the Wii Fit scale and am over 132lbs the little *kitten* says "oof" and makes my Mi balloon up. I kid you not.

    However, while I have been overweight, I have never been obese...because I have always tried to eat well and exercise. So the answer, IMHO, is yes to everything. Yes metabolism, yes determination, yes eat less move more...yes!

    tumblr_mq6sc4e2fG1snefxio1_500.png
  • CarmenSRT
    CarmenSRT Posts: 843 Member
    Are there a few people with egregiously slow metabolisms? Yes. Even for them being overweight still comes down to consuming more than their particular metabolism needs. Does it kind of suck for them? No doubt. That doesn't change reality though.

    Back in the day, being a mondo math geek I figured out that with regular vigorous exercise my body required 19 calories per pound of body weight for maintenance. These days, with MORE exercise I manage 75% of that. The aging process itself can be a brake on metabolism. It sucks, but it is what it is.
  • Leather_N_Lace
    Leather_N_Lace Posts: 518 Member
    All the women in my family are over weight. I'm Irish and German and a recovering meth addict... .
    I could blame all of these on my current metabolic rate but I don't..
    Doesn't make any sense to me to do so... I am the weight that I am because of not practicing common sense..
    I have since educated myself and blame only my ignorance and lack of discipline for my weight gain. Since I started tracking my food and hitting the gym, I have noticed a significant change in my physique... Down 40.5 cumulative inches:heart:
  • ctalimenti
    ctalimenti Posts: 865 Member
    Love reading the responses. Bump for later reading.
  • SarahRose35
    SarahRose35 Posts: 127 Member
    Hmm, I haven't read the article yet. But you should watch the UK show "Secret Eaters". It is on youtube and is quite entertaining.


    They are all the same. They think "there is no way I weigh this much, when I eat so little". Then they realize that they actually eat 2-3 times as much as they thought. They eat huge portions and snack throughout the day.


    So I still think it comes down to the basics, overeating and not moving enough.

    I love this show, I actually finished the two seasons in under a week....
  • jerber160
    jerber160 Posts: 2,607 Member
    I think it's a cop out. I have slow metabolism, just means I have to work harder in the gym, and be more vigilant about my food. If someone is overweight they have no one to blame but themselves, like me, nobody put a gun to my head and forced me to eat a dozen whoppers (exaggeration alert) for lunch.

    Rigger

    Right! No one forced me to eat an entire pizza! Like I used to.

    when I think of the days I came home from high school and popped a box-pizza into the oven..... and still ate dinner later. Healthy snacking wasn't in the picture then... as for article. well. rare mutations are possible but RARE
  • ctalimenti
    ctalimenti Posts: 865 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tunPqk8S9yI

    Wow, this is incredible! I've never seen this before. I totally agree with it.
  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
    I will go read the article now, but my initial thought when reading the title of the thread is:

    Sure, you can blame your metabolism. . . but then you'll just be overweight with a slow metabolism.

    You might have to work harder, and maybe it isn't fair, but a slow metabolism isn't a reason to raise the white flag and accept a body size you're not comfortable with.
  • maybeazure
    maybeazure Posts: 301 Member
    That's a really good article. Thanks for posting it. I have always believed that my genes were partly responsible for me being overweight. My whole family is either overweight or has to really work hard not to be. But it's like having a gene that predisposes you to diabetes. You are more likely to get diabetes, but you can still do things to prevent it...like exercise and diet. It's just harder to avoid it than it is for people who don't have the gene.

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