Naturally thin: a myth?

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Sorry, I think you misunderstood, people won't burn more energy resting than those who exercise. I'm just saying that certain people -when in the same state as another- (resting or exercising for example) will naturally burn more energy because they are less efficient at storing the energy.

I'm not saying that this will account for everything, calorie intake and amount of exercise will have more effect than your BMR, but it can still have a fair effect (Such as in the study that showed two similar people with ~80% difference in energy burning rate at rest (and yes, I know this is not common, but it's possible)).

But how will they burn that energy if they're resting?

Reply 61

jusjes

If you can be genetically predisposed towards obesity I don't see why you can't be genetically predisposed to be thin. There is actually a lot of research into the differences between these people. One popular theory is that thin people 'know when to stop eating' it's the age old willpower theory and those who are overweight never get that feeling of being full so consequently just carry on eating. Whether or not you can 'feel full' is determined by your genes but these can be changed throughout your life. The documentary I was watching tried to explain why identical twins with significantly different weights were so different and it's usually due to stress that the overweight twin experienced and that the other one did not. It's a whole new field called epigenetics.

Reply 62

jusjes

Original post by TheGoat

But how will they burn that energy if they're resting?

You're body continuously requires energy for you cells to respire and maintain a constant body temperature.

Reply 63

VSEPR

Original post by jusjes

Perhaps DNA methylation will provide a new treatment for obesity...

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 64

Mr. Tizzy XII

Original post by TheGoat

But how will they burn that energy if they're resting?

All the processes I listed in my previous post. The average BMR (and this means at rest, post absorption etc) is roughly ~1500 kCal/day but can very a lot between people.

If you want an explanation of all these processes then please google it, I don't mean to be rude but there's quite a lot of them. Wiki isn't the best source but here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basal_metabolic_rate

Reply 65

TheGoat

Original post by jusjes

You're body continuously requires energy for you cells to respire and maintain a constant body temperature.

I know but why would they need to burn more energy if they're resting? How could their body be so different that it causes such a significant increase in energy burn than others?

Reply 66

Scienceisgood

Original post by TheGoat

I know but why would they need to burn more energy if they're resting? How could their body be so different that it causes such a significant increase in energy burn than others?

Don't forget, when you are younger, the body repairs and grows at a far faster rate than when you get older, resulting in an increase in energy requirements.

Reply 67

KCosmo

I'm sure it's not a myth, but equally I'm sure that most people who claim to have a high metabolism just don't eat as much as they think. Throughout most of my teenage years I would eat 5-6 good meals a day, with snacks inbetween, and see no aesthetic or weight change. Yet when it came up, lots of my friends said that they must have a high met. aswell, citing an extra bag of crisps as "way too much food"

Reply 68

jusjes

Original post by TheGoat

I know but why would they need to burn more energy if they're resting? How could their body be so different that it causes such a significant increase in energy burn than others?

In terms of temperature you do agree that different people are more sensitive to changes in it. I think it has something to do with the sensitivity of thermo receptors. So if your brain thinks you're cold then you're metabolic rate will increase in order to maintain a constant temperature. This can work conversely also. This goes part of the way to explain why people have varying metabolic rates as we're not all affected by the change of environment in the same way.

Reply 69

detinus

if it wasn't true, a hell of a lot more people would be overweight! Myself included.

Reply 70

ShredMaster

You guys are so lucky -_-

I have to do 2 hours of excercise everyday.

Reply 71

jusjes

Original post by VSEPR

Perhaps DNA methylation will provide a new treatment for obesity...

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

I think the solution is much simpler than that. Giving people back that feeling of 'being full' can be achieved by a gastric bypass surgery which miraculously does this.

Reply 72

Lil Piranha

Original post by heyAmy

Can you elaborate? Do you know of an example?

I'm an example.

I get stupidly hungry if I don't eat when I need to - even missing a meal by a couple of hours will make me feel physically sick and wobbly. As a result I can't do any of this weird "I didn't have breakfast this morning" stuff that I hear so often in early morning lectures. I can out-eat most of my friends at meals. I don't eat 5 or 6 meals a day but the 3 I eat are generally big. Plus snacks etc. Cereal and hot drinks are always made of full fat milk because I can't stand the other stuff.

I don't go in for massive gym sessions. When I'm at home I walk my dogs and when I'm at uni I walk to lectures, but that's pretty much it. I'm still a comfortable size 8! And I'm 5'11'' so on my frame that's pretty skinny!

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 73

Dragonfly07

Yes it's possible. I was like that before I started going on the pill, which makes me gain weight (now I'm normal weight. I used to look like a skeleton before).

Edit: I made no changes to my diet, it's the hormones that made me gain weight, not the food.

Reply 74

RuksanaBegum

When I was younger (from about 0-5) I certainly had a lot more weight, but as I've grown I've lost a lot of it and I'm now and always have been thin as far as I can remember. I'm also one of those friends who eats the quickest, the fastest and I still find It difficult to gain weight. I certainly have an appetite - I just don't know where it all goes! I happen to be slightly underweight. :/. It could be genes? My brother is in the exact same position as me. But neither of my parents have this so called "high metabolism" term that people say it is. Could have skipped a generation, I don't know. But nice to contemplate it

Reply 75

Origami Bullets

I'm naturally skinny.

I eat whatever I want (wayy more chocolate than is good for me) and I eat portions so large that the boys in my flat were shocked at how big they were when I first moved in ("are you really going to eat all of that?")

I don't do much exercise - probably only 60 miles a week on a bike at roughly 12mph over flat land (I try to avoid breaking a sweat!), and I've only recently started doing any exercise, so it's not really had an effect.

And yet I stay a steady 47kg, with a BMI of 21.2.

So yes, there is such a thing as naturally skinny, and no those of us who are skinny aren't starving ourselves to be that way.

Reply 76

Relaxedexams

Being naturally thin is not a myth. I know people who eat loads, do no exercise and are so thin. However, it does not mean they are healthy, they might have a poor digestive system or lose energy easily.

Reply 77

parasitic

It's not a myth.

You have to take into account the size of the persons bones too, some people have a bigger frame than others. Then there's metabolism... I've always been slim and I understand part of it is my problem for not eating 3000kcal a day usually, however considering all the fast food I eat like pizzas and ready made meals daily I should have much more fat on me, but I don't :/ Of course being slim doesn't mean I'm healthy, far from it. We all should still exercise and try to eat healthily...but because we look ok from a first glance, it makes us a bit lazy compared to someone who's a bit overweight and tries hard to become healthy.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 78

-Simon-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/your_weight/medical_myths.shtml

Some light?

Reply 79

Keckers

I'm pretty sure the whole 'fast metabolism' thing is a crock of bull ****. I know in my case that I simply lack any motivation to eat much food, I find eating pretty boring and I don't exactly have a massive appetite.