My friend eats all day but doesn't get fat! in Thatcham
We all have that friend........... Yes, you know the one......... We wish we had their genetics.... They can eat and eat but they STILL don't seem to put on any weight! You and I on the other hand just think about a chocolate fudge cake and instantly add on a stone in fat (hmmm!) In there was an experiment to see what hormonal changes take place when our bodies add on a considerable amount of weight. The target was for each person to increase their body weight by 25% Naturally there were those who completed this task, however there were some who couldn't get any heavier than an additional % body weight, even when going to the extreme of eating around calories every day!!!!!! Maybe it really is possible: some people can not get fat There was a more recent study (there's a BBC documentary called "why are thin people are not fat") which yields similar results. After having their calories doubled for the duration of the experiment, the participants seemed to fall into a number of different categories. It was noted that the additional calories were utilised in a variety of ways: Gaining FAT (most of the participants added a great deal of weight in this way) Increased fidgeting/movement Increased MUSCLE MASS (even though they were under strict instructions not to exercise) and the one which I find most amazing; Someone showed very little change in body composition even though they were subject to the exact same criteria as everyone else. This particular participant was found to have an increased BMR (basal metabolic rate) during the experiment meaning that the extra calories were expended by their body temperature increasing! There are many theories as to why our bodies react differently I tend to lean towards that of evolution (I'm sorry if that word offends you) During times of hardship throughout history, the people who have better fat stores would be the ones who were more likely to survive when food was in short supply (survival of the fattest in this case) That's all great news knowing that gene has been passed down to a lot of us but unfortunately it's no longer required. We have way too much food readily available now a days, hence why we have such a massive obesity problem in the western hemisphere There reason I came across this information was that I noticed a blog/post on a question/answers page somewhere, It read something like: "See, I am supposed to be fat and there's nothing I can do about it. I may as well stop trying to diet" I would find it funny if it wasn't such an "alarm bells" situation..... The only thing that person took from the study is that they are genetically predetermined to be over weight Surely the real message is: Don't compare yourself to everyone else (don't take this the wrong way, I'm not talking about just accepting you are obese and living with it) The fact is we have to judge our success and progress on it's own merit Some people will find it harder to stay in shape than others BUT that doesn't mean you should give up, it just means we all have to find our own path to the results we want. No one said it was easy And life definitely isn't fair! It's time to suck it up and do something about it BERKSHIRE FITNESS Core Stability & Functional Training for Real Results! Apply for a FREE consultation at the very bottom of this page.