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Not really. It depends on each person's metabolism. I know people that get fat just by having regular desserts for a few days, and others (generally very young)

by terio 15y ago

Not really. It depends on each person's metabolism. I know people that get fat just by having regular desserts for a few days, and others (generally very young) that can eat anything until they burst without moving the needle.

sambeau 15y ago
There is no such thing as 'metabolism': just body mass, muscle mass and activity. Big people burn more calories even when still. Active people burn more than still people of the same size. Muscular people burn more calories than the non-muscular as they have to feed their bigger muscles. In sealed room tests fat people use more calories than thin people. Skinny people who can eat anything they want without putting on weight tend to be very fidgety - they never keep totally still. Just wiggling a leg all day can use a large amount of energy.
- abrown28 15y ago
  Awesome... I will tell my coworker who is always complaining about my fidgeting legs that I'm exercising ;)
- jpk 15y ago
  "Skinny people who can eat anything they want without putting on weight tend to be very fidgety - they never keep totally still. Just wiggling a leg all day can use a large amount of energy." Hm, this is interesting. I've never heard that before, but it seems intuitive. Do you have any sources for that idea? (Not that I'm challenging, just curious.)
- ajslater 15y ago
  In the literature its referred to as N.E.A.T. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis Many people's body's response to overfeeding is to up NEAT, up fidgetyness. But not always. Your body thinks getting fat is a good thing. Famine used to be common. When dieting almost everyone down-regulates NEAT. On a severe diet you feel like being very still.
- terio 15y ago
  "There is no such thing as 'metabolism': just body mass, muscle mass and activity." Those factors are not enough. The human body has many more important factors in play there, like hormones, intestinal flora, and so on.
dkarl 15y ago
In general, you can't trust self-reported data, especially not data reported to social acquaintances. Not only do people underreport how much they eat (it's the norm, even for people who aren't overweight), they don't do a good job of measuring their weight and reporting weight loss or weight gain. People really do say and believe that they've gained five pounds in two days, or lost ten pounds in a week, when it's clear they are just measuring fluctuations that have nothing to do with muscle or body fat.

by terio 15y ago

sambeau 15y ago

There is no such thing as 'metabolism': just body mass, muscle mass and activity. Big people burn more calories even when still. Active people burn more than still people of the same size. Muscular people burn more calories than the non-muscular as they have to feed their bigger muscles. In sealed room tests fat people use more calories than thin people. Skinny people who can eat anything they want without putting on weight tend to be very fidgety - they never keep totally still. Just wiggling a leg all day can use a large amount of energy.

abrown28 15y ago
Awesome... I will tell my coworker who is always complaining about my fidgeting legs that I'm exercising ;)
jpk 15y ago
"Skinny people who can eat anything they want without putting on weight tend to be very fidgety - they never keep totally still. Just wiggling a leg all day can use a large amount of energy." Hm, this is interesting. I've never heard that before, but it seems intuitive. Do you have any sources for that idea? (Not that I'm challenging, just curious.)
ajslater 15y ago
In the literature its referred to as N.E.A.T. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis Many people's body's response to overfeeding is to up NEAT, up fidgetyness. But not always. Your body thinks getting fat is a good thing. Famine used to be common. When dieting almost everyone down-regulates NEAT. On a severe diet you feel like being very still.
terio 15y ago
"There is no such thing as 'metabolism': just body mass, muscle mass and activity." Those factors are not enough. The human body has many more important factors in play there, like hormones, intestinal flora, and so on.

dkarl 15y ago

In general, you can't trust self-reported data, especially not data reported to social acquaintances. Not only do people underreport how much they eat (it's the norm, even for people who aren't overweight), they don't do a good job of measuring their weight and reporting weight loss or weight gain. People really do say and believe that they've gained five pounds in two days, or lost ten pounds in a week, when it's clear they are just measuring fluctuations that have nothing to do with muscle or body fat.