To think that obesity mostly has to do with your genes

[penandpaperlife]

I've been living with my best friend for a year now due to some personal issues with my STBXH, and this has been something I've been wondering about. My best friend eats the exact same thing as me, with the same exact portion size. She also snacks on nuts and/or biscuits throughout the day (we're a freelance team so we spend basically all day together) while I don't.

Why then, is she slim and I'm not?

The only difference in our lifestyle is that she goes for a 15min run every morning. I've read studies and charts though and that seems to only burn about 150kcals. Surely that wouldn't even offset her snacks? I come from a 'fat family', she doesn't. We're both almost 30, if that matters. That leads me to believe that genetics do play a huge part here, contrary to what's often being parroted in the press. Is that possible? Does anyone have any experience with this?

Channel 4 (or could have been 5) Secrets of thin people who 'ate all the time but never put weight on' didn't actually eat that much and moved around quite a lot when observed for 5 days.

I remember this program, it’s was really good and clear. People might look like they’re eating loads but they actually make up for it by eating less at another time. E.g. a thin person might dig into a huge take-away but would then naturally or subconsciously counterbalance that by eating less the next day. So within a week they’re calorie intake is actually very balanced.

I eat a lot, lots of unhealthy food and four meals a day.

Can you describe the food and quantities that make up your meals Tunnocks34 ? You say you eat a lot, but your idea of a lot and mine could be miles apart.

I think people don't like to hear that there are differences because it sounds like an excuse or a cop out. I think that it should be seen as a opportunity for a more personalised approch to diet and weight loss

This.

I can tell you I put on weight easily, particularly since I turned 45. For whatever reason, far more easily than my husband who is naturally slim framed. Before lockdown a standard day's stepcount without extra effort was 8-10k and almost never below 7k so not hugely active but not sat on my butt all day. DH used to get 3-4k in his office job. At home I always give him bigger portions. For example, if we are having a quiche, he gets 2/3 of it, I get 1/3, and don't eat the pastry. He will have his with 2 slices of bread and butter plus a salad, I just have the salad. For lunch I might have a bowl of salad with ham and some nuts, he will have two bread rolls with butter and ham, a bag of crisps and a couple of biscuits. We have just had breakfast - I had a low carb seed granola with almond milk, he had 3 crumpets slathered in butter.

I am (just) obese. He has lost 10 lb since we started lockdown as he now walks the dog once a day and doesn't buy crisps on his way home. (I walk the dog the other time of day: same route).

Obviously people can believe what they like but if you are over weight and want to be healthier and have fewer covid 19 effects it might be a good time to eat less.

I am certainly not some kind of 7 stone stick insect. When my very tall thin son was trying to put on a stone and I to lose one the other summer we were both amused to see the differences. He would often get to the tend of the day and not remembered to eat anything - he said eating was an effort and not eating was the easier default. His meal would then be very large but he was eating a lot less often than I was. I think for most people who get larger it is just that they are eating more than they need.

Mind you if it were easy just to eat less we would all so it right away if we wanted to be smaller. It is a very complex process unless someone locks you in a room and only feeds you once a day.

I’m 5ft 2 and 10st 10lb. In my case I have an underactive thyroid. This means my body is predisposed to store fat and not burn it. At the same time the thyroid needs an adequate calorie intake to support its function. I take medication, this relieves symptoms such as depression, brain fog, memory/concentration, feeling tired but it doesn’t make the thyroid behave normally in terms of regulating metabolism. So losing weight is very hard.

For example, if we are having a quiche, he gets 2/3 of it, I get 1/3

See, to me 1/3 quiche is a lot. If we have one of those bought quiches we would cut it in to 6 little slices and I would have one and husband two. It would def last us two suppers.
I completely agree with you that people put on weight/carry weight differently.

Seren you are not massively overweight though.

I know I’ve changed over time can’t eat anything I like like I used to when young and not be overweight.

Still doesn’t change the studies.

Me too. Menopause makes everything more difficult but it can still be done. Just so much harder.

I know I’ve changed over time can’t eat anything I like like I used to when young and not be overweight

Neither can I but when I was younger I went out dancing for hours nearly every weekend, had a more active job and probably just moved a lot more.

I did dance a lot too, not an active job though. I always ran.

The big issue is now is heavy or sugary carbs if I want to stay the same size I do a different woe.

I used to get a packet of walkers and drink beer nearly every night, was skinny then now I can’t look at that stuff.

I’m 45 (not yet menopause though) and can be slim if I don’t eat carby stuff
Probably too personal but anyway

Marsha I find carbs to be the peoblem too! I try not to eat crisps/bread/potatoes/pasta type foods and this has helped.

It is hard though.

This is so interesting, particularly about gut health and diet habits. I've definitely noticed that my shape changes if I deviate too much or too often from my usual quite healthy diet. Menopause on the horizon, I think.

I'm a naturally slim type.
I also have heavy periods (I lose a quarter of a pint a month), and have often wondered if that's a factor - my body has to replace a fair whack of blood every month which must have to be powered from my food intake.

@CHEESENIPS Have you ever got this checked out ? I was similar to you and got diagnosed withe edometrios

@wexone I've long suspected I've had something along those lines - no diagnosis though. I have prescription painkillers and tranexamic acid and regular blood tests for iron levels to help me cope though, and I've been offered the hormonal contraception options but I tend to find the side effects of those worse than the benefits.
I hope you're managing yours ok x

@cheesenips, defoe get it checked out . Was the same in bed for three days each month. lost pints of blood, doc wasnt much help and ended going private. Now 5 laparoscopy later (in 12 years) have the coil fitted and am alot better, can have a life and pain is nearly gone. Have to watch my diet and do mild exercise to help with the tiredness, have learned also though to make sure i rest too.

I know someone who was a model like figure before she was married. Got married, had baby growing old ( baby is 13yrs now).... I dont know how herlife changed but the figure is intact... she has and still eats whatever fook she wants and shops for size 6 later... like a sculptured figure. Can some one up that ?

I’m with the fidget theory and the gut bacteria group, based on my own family. I have 3 children, two are downright skinny and the one who is slim can sit stiller than anyone I’ve ever met. Which makes them a fantastic cuddler, but they must burn fewer calories.
And my mum had an awful childhood, has multiple food intolerances and struggles with her weight. And fits the depleted gut bacteria theory nicely (links to stress closely, iirc).

Cheesenips, I was in your position and turned out to have massive fibroids which stopped my uterus contracting fully each period, so heavy bleeding went on and on. Ablation and fibroid removal didn’t fix everything but massively changed my life for the better. Checking it out could be worthwhile.