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? asked in HealthDiet & Fitness · 8 years ago

How is it physically possible to eat next to nothing and gain weight?

I hear a lot of complaints from overweight people who starve themselves yet can't seem to lose weight and the most common answer they get is "your body is holding on to every bit of food it gets and storing it as fat." That's all well and good, but if the person only eats 500-1000 calories a day (or less, in extreme cases), how is it physically possible for that tiny amount of stored fat to result in literal weight gain, which requires several times as many calories (3500 calories for a single pound)? If you're burning more calories than you consume, shouldn't the resulting deficit lead to weight loss? At what point does that simple, concrete math flip around and start having the opposite effect? It just doesn't add up.

Those people also say "your body needs a minimum of 1200 calories." Fine. But if it stores everything you put in it, then what is it running on? Isn't saying the body stores any calories it gets like saying a car on empty simply "stores" the next intake of fuel? Then what does the car run on? Its got to burn something to stay alive at all! Any dietitians or doctors out there?

Update:

@Mia: Those are great weight loss tips, to be sure, but you're essentially saying that not following those tips will void the energy deficit. If your body is burning 1000 more calories than it takes in, then you will lose weight regardless of whether or not you skipped breakfast or had oily items.

40 Answers

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  • ?
    Lv 4
    8 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    When you're in a deficit, YOU HAVE TO LOSE WEIGHT. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN WEIGHT IN A DEFICIT. When you're in a deficit, your metabolism slows down. (for example from a bmr of 2000 to 1800) but as long as you're in a deficit, you have to lose weight. It may not be noticeable. But it has to happen.

    Source(s): Nutritionist
  • Anonymous
    8 years ago

    People who are over weight actually strave themselves thinking that if they eat much they put weight. But body weight does not depends on over eating. There are various reasons why u put in weight.

    1. Skipping breakfast

    2. Eating foods at unwanted times

    3. Taking more carbohydrates ( stores as fat)

    4. Eating thrice a day but taking heavy meals

    5. Less water

    6. Having chat ( oily items)

    To be followed

    1. Never skip breakfast

    2. Avoid junk foods

    3. Take less carbohydrates

    4. Exercise regularly

    5. 3-4 liters of water per day

    6. Take little foods 6 times per day

    Keeps you healthy.

    Hope its useful...

  • 8 years ago

    It all depends on the fat/ muscle ratio your body is made up from. A pound of fat need only 2 calories a day to remain a pound of fat, but a pound of muscle needs 50! Turn your fat into muscle by using strength training and you can eat as much as you like

  • 8 years ago

    The common mistakes people makes are starving themselves or skipping meals.

    Starve your body won't make you lose weight quicker. You put your body in "trauma" by starving yourselves. So next time when you eat, your body will naturally absorb all the food.

    Perhaps, you can modify your diet! If you want to lose weight faster you need to eat small portion but regularly. What i meant here is breakfast,morning tea, lunch,afternoon tea and dinner. The reason is to boost your metabolism rate higher. BUT watch what you eat!

    Cut you carbs ,sugar and alcohol intake! Eat more veggies and fruits and make sure you drink plenty of water! NEVER SKIP MEALS!

    For eg: for breakfast you can eat poached eggs,tomato,avocado and toast.

    morning tea : nuts and yoghurt

    lunch: chicken salad and fruit of your choice

    afternoon tea: green tea and muesli bar

    dinner: grilled fish and veggies

    Protein are essentials to fulfill you longer. Try not to eat big portion of dinner! Also make sure you give your body 3-4 hours gap after dinner and before you go to bed.

    Secondly, EXERCISE!

    Its not about calories, if you want to tone your body you have to do exercise.

    When i said exercise here it means CARDIO and WEIGHT TRAINING.

    CARDIO will help your body to burn your fat and calories faster.

    WEIGHT TRAINING ( means by good balance weight training exercises that contains push,pull and leg) will help you to gain more muscles. Muscles will help you to burn your calories and fat even when you are not doing any exercise! Weight training also good for your bone density:)

    That is true to lose weight means calories out needs to be higher than calories in.

    But we are not storing everything that you put in. To breath you need calories. To eat you actually burn your calories. When you are sleeping you burn your calories. For your heart to work, for your cells in your body to work, they are all need calories.

    To empty your "tank" you do need to do exercise.

    So it is about modify your diet and exercise.

    Perhaps you can see personal trainer. They can help you with your exercise and diet plan:)

    Minimum calories per individual is different. Depends on their age,sex, occupation, life style, etc.

    Source(s): self. I am a Registered Nurse and Personal Trainer.
  • 4 years ago

    cutting out white bread and pasta

  • ?
    Lv 5
    5 years ago

    take a break from blue moon belgian white a 164 calorie treat and grab a miller genuine draft which is only 64 cals

  • 5 years ago

    degrease by scrubbing in the shower for 15 minutes then spend 7 minutes shaving 3 minutes toweling off 4 minutes moisturizing and 20 minutes blow drying and styling your hair

  • 5 years ago

    alternate between cat pose cow pose and downward dog 13 times holding each for 30 seconds

  • 5 years ago

    To know how much calories you have to eat just add zero to your weight

  • 5 years ago

    Snap a photo of yourself once a week to know progress that will also increase your confidence level

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