Why Do Some People Gain Weight Even Though They Eat Little?

It may sound incredible but it is true. Sometimes eating little can cause us to gain weight. How can this happen? What should we consider? In this space, we will seek to resolve these questions.

We all know people who eat a lot and are thin, just as we know people who get fat even though they eat little. They often have difficulty losing weight and feel a sense of failure and guilt in the face of this situation.

The formula for weight loss is almost universal. It is based on the first law of thermodynamics and is quite simple. We lose weight if we spend more than we eat. This scientific basis is proven and many people lose weight thanks to it.

However, to reduce everything to this mathematical equation has its drawbacks, because body weight has many dimensions genetic, environmental, nutritional, psychological, etc. Therefore, when you want to lose weight, you need to consider all of these aspects.

The energy balance

The energy balance is based on two key concepts. The first is based on the calories we absorb from the foods that are our daily fuel; the second is the calories we burn or our metabolic rate. Here, other factors come into play:

• Basal metabolism:  minimum energy required for the body to perform its most basic functions. It is estimated to represent between 70 and 80% of the total daily calorie expenditure
• Exercise and physical activity:  these are the calories we burn by doing daily activities or more intense physical exercise
• The thermal effect of food: this  is the energy we spend on the consumption and digestion of food

If more calories enter our body than calories leave, we gain weight. If this process is reversed, we lose weight. So, based on this claim, one of the most popular ways to lose weight is to restrict calories, or in other words, eat less.

So where is the error in people who put on weight even if they eat little? What can they do wrong? To answer these questions, read on.

Why do some people get fat even though they eat little?

Know the role of metabolism

Our organism is a lover of balance. In every sense of the term. It has its mechanisms to balance pH, temperature, blood pressure and, of course, body weight.

When it detects a significant calorie restriction and the resulting weight loss, it goes on high alert. The priority of our body is not to lose weight, even if it is our will. A series of hormonal reactions are automatically activated in order to save energy.

One of the first things that happens is that your basal metabolism and feelings of fullness drop. In turn, the hormones associated with hunger increase.

As we have already seen, the basal metabolism is of great importance in the total number of calories that we consume throughout the day. So even though we eat less, we also spend less and our weight ends up stagnating. In some cases, it even ends up increasing.

Why do some people get fat even if they eat little? Spend more to lose weight

Eating less is a way to lose weight because we take in fewer calories. But, as we have seen, if the metabolism slows down, we cannot continue to uncontrollably decrease the calories ingested.

Besides being metabolically negative, a very poor diet leads to a lack of nutrients and a lack of energy. These symptoms can then lead to listlessness, lethargy and even bad mood.

This is why it is important to exercise more and not just cut calories. Physical exercise and daily activity are essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism, modulating hormonal regulation in a positive way, increasing muscle mass and decreasing fat mass.

Be aware of the importance of muscle mass

Our muscles are one of the most energy-consuming systems in the body, even at rest. A person with a higher percentage of muscle mass will have a higher basal metabolism than a person with a lower percentage of muscle.

Our muscle mass is often affected the moment we start to diet. When the body lacks glucose from food, it looks for other sources to get it.

One of the main reserves we have is body fat and muscle mass. And it is precisely the latter that we mainly use when there are calorie restrictions. This results in a loss of muscle mass which further reduces energy expenditure.

At this point, we should increasingly reduce the amount of food we eat, with the negative consequences that this entails. This is why some people gain weight even if they eat little, because their expenses have become so low that it is difficult to eat below these amounts.

Paradoxically, eating less or eating little is not always synonymous with weight loss. The best thing to do is therefore to put yourself in the hands of a professional and adopt healthy lifestyle habits that allow us to lose weight regularly and over time.