eli5: why is gaining weight so easy but losing weight so hard

Question

eli5: why is gaining weight so easy but losing weight so hard

In: 61

Answer 1

Tbh our bodies are smart and designed not to starve, historically dying of undereating was far more common than dying of overeating, and that’s true for living organisms at large.

So most things adapted to eat whenever possible… the catch is that smart human beings created industrialized farming, and now we make waaaaaay more food than our bodies were ready for, and it has significantly more energy content.

To crap on the question though, losing weight is objectively easier. Your body burns energy on its own, in order to gain weight you actually have to do something.