So, me and my best friend have very different body types. We both were a bit chubby as kids, and have grown out of it. About 2 years ago we were aprox. the same height and weight. Now she’s super skinny and I’m still chubby. We do work out together, do the same exercises, eat mostly the same (We mealprep together) and we have the same job that requires the same level of movement.
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How come she’s super skinny and I’m chubby? I know its got something to do with metabolism, but how does that work exactly? How come one metabolism is faster than the other?
In: Biology
Weight gain or loss is mostly a factor of calories consumed.
If you both eat the same amount of calories, and all other factors being equal, then you will both either gain, maintain, or lose the same amount of weight. She already has less on her. If you want to get down to that weight, you’ll have to eat LESS than her for a significant amount of time. And it’s super-easy to cheat. Realize that one brownie is equivalent to running a 10-minute mile.
It’s mostly calories consumed. But there are indeed a whole number of other factors. You’ve covered exercise, which takes a LOT to burn significant calories. Body size upkeep for more mass takes more energy. Some is genetic disposition to body types. Your genes dictate where extra energy prefers to get stored. For men it typically goes around the belly. For women it’s typically the thighs. But that doesn’t magically generate more energy. Genes and upbringing plays a factor into natural eating habits. Times of sickness often lead to weight loss because your body is using more energy fighting off the plague or whatnot.
And then there’s the thyroid. Which is the engine control of your body. Your engine can idle high or low. She might have hyperthyroidism or you might have hypothyroidism to various degrees. If she seems more energetic and you seem more sluggish or tired, then that could easily be it. She’s simply burning more calories through the day simply existing.
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