Ever notice how some people can indulge without gaining a pound, while you just glance at a brownie and feel the weight creeping on? What's behind this frustrating difference?
The saying goes that every pound enters through the mouth—but is that the full story? Do you need ironclad discipline to stay slim, or are there deeper factors making weight gain easier for some?
Read also: '10 myths about losing weight that you should definitely not believe'
Blame your 'heavy bones' all you want, but it's a myth. Weight gain boils down to energy balance: calories in versus calories out. To lose fat, you must burn more calories than you consume daily.
For women, a general guideline is around 2,000 calories per day (men can aim for 2,500). Factors like height, current weight, activity level, gender, and diet all influence your needs. If you're petite, sedentary, and not very tall, 2,000 calories might exceed your requirements.
Hunger isn't just willpower—hormones like ghrelin play a starring role. This 'hunger hormone' peaks before meals and drops after in lean individuals, signaling satiety. In those who are overweight, ghrelin lingers longer, prolonging hunger and leading to overeating.
Leptin, produced by fat cells and dubbed the 'satiety hormone,' normally tells your brain you're full. Overweight people often have high leptin levels, but develop leptin resistance, so the signal fails, and eating continues unchecked.
Crash diets backfire: they plummet leptin levels, tricking your brain into starvation mode and slowing metabolism to conserve energy. Post-diet, hormones rebound, and weight piles on faster than before.
Exercise, especially strength training, suppresses ghrelin and builds muscle, boosting your resting metabolism for greater calorie burn. The best routine varies by individual—consult experts to tailor it. Initial weight loss is often water; true fat loss takes time. Focus on sustainable habits and balance.
After losing weight, recalibrate: lighter bodies need fewer calories. If you dropped from 81 kg (eating 2,500 daily) to 71 kg, cut intake accordingly—everything from breathing to resting burns less.
Even with perfect diet and exercise, challenges persist. Hypothyroidism slows metabolism; many medications list weight gain as a side effect. Stress, poor sleep, and aging all conspire against you.
No underlying issues? Genetics might be at play. About 40% carry FTO gene variants linked to obesity risk—they feel full later. Rare mutations can eliminate hunger control entirely.
Source: Santé Archive
