How can some people eat so much junk and gain no weight?
dave_in_ni
Posts: 533 Member
How exactly does this work? I have lost quite a lot of weight in this past 6 months, over 3 stone. But even when at my fattest I never ate as much as 1 little skinny guy I work with.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
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Replies
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dave_in_ni wrote: »How exactly does this work? I have lost quite a lot of weight in this past 6 months, over 3 stone. But even when at my fattest I never ate as much as 1 little skinny guy I work with.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
Maybe he skips other meals. Maybe he has tiny other meals.
And lots of people define "activity" differently.19 -
Maybe that's all he eats all day. Maybe he is active at home and is fidgety. Are you with him 24/7 to see everything he eats and does?8
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Unless you are with him and observe it, you do not know that he eats that every single day. And unless you are with him 24/7, you don't know if he eats anything else that day. Some people eat a highly caloric meal once a day and then barely anything after that. I'm not sure how old you are or how "skinny" he is but what you listed as his food intake likely doesn't meet or exceed his maintenance calories for the day.10
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dave_in_ni wrote: »How exactly does this work? I have lost quite a lot of weight in this past 6 months, over 3 stone. But even when at my fattest I never ate as much as 1 little skinny guy I work with.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
Maybe he skips other meals. Maybe he has tiny other meals.
And lots of people define "activity" differently.
This guy doesn't skip meals, its also not unknown for him to have 2 dinners, one at about 5pm then getting a takeaway at 10pm.
He isn't active at all, my job involves being on my feet all day, I can easily clock up 15000 steps per day, he's seated all day. I also hit the gym 5-6 days per week, he does not exercise. It baffles me.0 -
He is probably a fidget, it burns a lot of calories. Also men below middle age are pretty much constantly building muscle at a low level without having to exercise (that's why they fill out and broaden as they age, whereas we ladies become softer and more rounded and we all know how THAT happens. I also think it's why a lot of men hit middle age and suddenly develop a belly - they're used to eating to feed muscle growth, but the growing's all done). And he probably doesn't eat as much at other meals. Maybe he skips breakfast, and two meals at around 1000cal each would be a plausible day's intake.
A lot of "naturally skinny" people just genuinely don't think that much about food. If they're not actually hungry, it just isn't interesting to them at all. That's completely alien to me, but that is how the weight regulation system is supposed to work. Mine is broken. I'm thinking about the next meal before I've even finished the current one!13 -
dave_in_ni wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »How exactly does this work? I have lost quite a lot of weight in this past 6 months, over 3 stone. But even when at my fattest I never ate as much as 1 little skinny guy I work with.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
Maybe he skips other meals. Maybe he has tiny other meals.
And lots of people define "activity" differently.
This guy doesn't skip meals, its also not unknown for him to have 2 dinners, one at about 5pm then getting a takeaway at 10pm.
He isn't active at all, my job involves being on my feet all day, I can easily clock up 15000 steps per day, he's seated all day. I also hit the gym 5-6 days per week, he does not exercise. It baffles me.
How do you know? Do you live with him and follow him around?9 -
singingflutelady wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »How exactly does this work? I have lost quite a lot of weight in this past 6 months, over 3 stone. But even when at my fattest I never ate as much as 1 little skinny guy I work with.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
Maybe he skips other meals. Maybe he has tiny other meals.
And lots of people define "activity" differently.
This guy doesn't skip meals, its also not unknown for him to have 2 dinners, one at about 5pm then getting a takeaway at 10pm.
He isn't active at all, my job involves being on my feet all day, I can easily clock up 15000 steps per day, he's seated all day. I also hit the gym 5-6 days per week, he does not exercise. It baffles me.
How do you know? Do you live with him and follow him around?
Oddly he sends me pictures of his meals on messenger lol, He is almost proud of the crap he is eating2 -
Worry more about yourself and less about other people. :noway:40
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dave_in_ni wrote: »singingflutelady wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »How exactly does this work? I have lost quite a lot of weight in this past 6 months, over 3 stone. But even when at my fattest I never ate as much as 1 little skinny guy I work with.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
Maybe he skips other meals. Maybe he has tiny other meals.
And lots of people define "activity" differently.
This guy doesn't skip meals, its also not unknown for him to have 2 dinners, one at about 5pm then getting a takeaway at 10pm.
He isn't active at all, my job involves being on my feet all day, I can easily clock up 15000 steps per day, he's seated all day. I also hit the gym 5-6 days per week, he does not exercise. It baffles me.
How do you know? Do you live with him and follow him around?
Oddly he sends me pictures of his meals on messenger lol, He is almost proud of the crap he is eating
Pictures don't necessarily mean he's actually consuming it12 -
Men can eat more, for starters. He may eat less than you think, do exercise he doesn't talk about or he may have a fast metabolism. Try not to worry about others. You do you.7
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dave_in_ni wrote: »singingflutelady wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »How exactly does this work? I have lost quite a lot of weight in this past 6 months, over 3 stone. But even when at my fattest I never ate as much as 1 little skinny guy I work with.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
Maybe he skips other meals. Maybe he has tiny other meals.
And lots of people define "activity" differently.
This guy doesn't skip meals, its also not unknown for him to have 2 dinners, one at about 5pm then getting a takeaway at 10pm.
He isn't active at all, my job involves being on my feet all day, I can easily clock up 15000 steps per day, he's seated all day. I also hit the gym 5-6 days per week, he does not exercise. It baffles me.
How do you know? Do you live with him and follow him around?
Oddly he sends me pictures of his meals on messenger lol, He is almost proud of the crap he is eating
Well, he obviously made a deal with the devil that he can eat whatever he wants, not exercise and still be thin and is taunting you with that fact by sending you the pictures.23 -
You people are so mean.15
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She was just asking a question.4
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I know someone who used to brag about only eating fast food. Once I started watching this person, I realized they always got a small cheeseburger, fed half to the dog, and often did not order fries or only had a few of them. He may not be eating everything he says he is.
Incidentally, on the rare occasion I get a fast food burger, now I'll often skip the fries too. I like to watch skinny people for tips and tricks I wouldn't do what this guy does though LOL.9 -
singingflutelady wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »singingflutelady wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »dave_in_ni wrote: »How exactly does this work? I have lost quite a lot of weight in this past 6 months, over 3 stone. But even when at my fattest I never ate as much as 1 little skinny guy I work with.
I am eating 1500 cals per day at the moment, this is one meal I count over 1000 cals roughly in 1 meal. For lunch he a burger and several bars of chocolate, chips/crips washed down with a bottle of coke, and this is every day. I'm sure the guy easily eats double what I do. French fries and burgers are a daily thing for him. Even at my fattest I never ate anywhere near that amount.
How exactly can he do this? He's not active at all, never does any exercise either.
Maybe he skips other meals. Maybe he has tiny other meals.
And lots of people define "activity" differently.
This guy doesn't skip meals, its also not unknown for him to have 2 dinners, one at about 5pm then getting a takeaway at 10pm.
He isn't active at all, my job involves being on my feet all day, I can easily clock up 15000 steps per day, he's seated all day. I also hit the gym 5-6 days per week, he does not exercise. It baffles me.
How do you know? Do you live with him and follow him around?
Oddly he sends me pictures of his meals on messenger lol, He is almost proud of the crap he is eating
Pictures don't necessarily mean he's actually consuming it
True but why send it then? I can only really go by what he eats at lunch time beside me. I watched him today eat a 4oz burger with cheese and mayo, followed by a snickers bar, and a packet of crisps/chips. This morning he ate another packet of crisps with 3 slices of white bread toasted with butter and a chocolate bar.
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singingflutelady wrote: »
Yeah I am a man last time I checked.8 -
He's a shape-shifting alien. Be careful.14
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my brother in law is a fidgety type, adhd, constantly moving and up until a recent injury that keeps him way more sedentary he was as skinny as a rail, it's just the luck of the draw I suppose!0
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sashayoung72 wrote: »my brother in law is a fidgety type, adhd, constantly moving and up until a recent injury that keeps him way more sedentary he was as skinny as a rail, it's just the luck of the draw I suppose!
Luck of the draw? Nah, he was active and not eating more than he burnt. That's how it works1 -
I'd say there is no good in worrying about it. People burn calories at different rates, and trying to compare two people is useless. Maybe he has a super fast metabolism (some people do, or they fidget a bunch, or they have naturally higher testosterone and build muscle easily) or maybe he has a stomach issue that tkeeps him from absorbing all the nutrition in his food, or who knows. Does it change what you need to do? No? Then stop worrying about it.
I could spend all day obsessing about why my sister eats a bunch and never gains weight, or why my husband can eat double what I'm allowed to, but it doesn't change what I need to do and only breeds discontentment.14 -
singingflutelady wrote: »sashayoung72 wrote: »my brother in law is a fidgety type, adhd, constantly moving and up until a recent injury that keeps him way more sedentary he was as skinny as a rail, it's just the luck of the draw I suppose!
Luck of the draw? Nah, he was active and not eating more than he burnt. That's how it works
I mean he "drew" the faster metabolism, the fidgety helps with that (is part of that) but if you saw the amount of beer this man consumed while staying rail thin you'd be amazed.2 -
heatherheyns wrote: »I'd say there is no good in worrying about it. People burn calories at different rates, and trying to compare two people is useless. Maybe he has a super fast metabolism (some people do, or they fidget a bunch, or they have naturally higher testosterone and build muscle easily) or maybe he has a stomach issue that tkeeps him from absorbing all the nutrition in his food, or who knows. Does it change what you need to do? No? Then stop worrying about it.
I could spend all day obsessing about why my sister eats a bunch and never gains weight, or why my husband can eat double what I'm allowed to, but it doesn't change what I need to do and only breeds discontentment.
My husband too! I know he's more active but i'll take 3 months to lose what he will in 3 days LOL2 -
OP, it just happens. I've known a couple people like that... ate WAY more than me and just never gained weight. One is my sister's boyfriend and she DOES live with him and see how he eats, lol.
And yes it's unfair and there's nothing wrong with venting a bit!14 -
My husband was really active when he was in the military, fidgeted, and had a high metabolism. He was always super skinny growing up. He has always eaten more than me and his habits rubbed off. In the last 4 months, I have managed to lose 20 pounds and he has lost 15. I have tried hard. He hasn't tried at all. He has just cut back on some of his food choices. Me....exercise, less food, weighing everything.
It could be a number of reasons why your friend doesn't gain weight. I find that it is easier for me to focus on myself and what I am doing. I may be frustrated at losing only 20 pounds, but I worked hard for it and am proud.2 -
Unless you're with someone 24/7, you simply don't know what they eat when you're not around.
Also, though the general rules about Calories out>Calories in applies to everyone, some people do have more muscle and burn more calories merely sitting than others do. At my current weight and body fat% I burn more calories at rest than I used to. I maintain at about 2050 instead of 1850 like I used to at this weight.2 -
Anyone have the link to the British show where there were 2 friends, one thin and one obese where the obese friend was so sure her friend had a high metabolism and could eat whatever she wanted? they tested them and in fact the obese friend's metabolism was higher than the thin one9
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Perhaps he has an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)?4
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I know the answer you were looking for was likely along the line of "yes, it is so unfair that he is a special snowflake and can eat endless amounts and not gain weight" but the reality is, he simple just doesn't eat more than he burns. You may get the impression he eats more than he does but unless you monitor his intake 24-7 over the course of months, you simply can't know how much he is truly eating.4
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singingflutelady wrote: »Anyone have the link to the British show where there were 2 friends, one thin and one obese where the obese friend was so sure her friend had a high metabolism and could eat whatever she wanted? they tested them and in fact the obese friend's metabolism was higher than the thin one
I remember that.
I wonder if people who get caught up in "it's not fair" develop confirmation bias when they see these people eat. For a while I just couldn't believe the enormous amount of garbage hubby could eat. He is very tall, very slender. He renovates kitchens and bathrooms for a living. That is very far away from being sedentary. I tried to estimate a couple of days and with doing very hard physical work all day he might eat up to 3500. Given all the factors, it's not as much as it seems in context.4
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