Sports, genetics and calorie reassessment

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It's not the number of calories or the amount of exercise we do that determines whether we'll be slim or fat, lose weight or stay chubby despite diets. Studies show that different factors determine what we can do.

When we lose weight and when we don't

These facts are actually confusing, as there are so many diets and weight loss programs out there.

“It’s long been known that most diets fail. 90 percent of those who try to lose weight actually weigh more than they did before they tried the diet and are victims of the yo-yo effect,” says a nutritionist.

Dietologists are only now gradually uncovering the reasons for this. One of the most important conclusions is this: a simple equation that was once considered the first and most important law of weight control simply doesn’t apply to many overweight people.

The Calorie Balance Mistake

A negative calorie balance is not always associated with weight loss. Many overweight people who constantly beat themselves up and eat little, but do not lose weight, can tell you something about this. On the other hand, there are many people who eat more than they burn every day and remain slim.

The brain is the main calorie burner

The second law – those who exercise daily become slimmer – has also been called into question by recent studies. In a study of weight loss through exercise, female subjects tended to gain weight and did not become slimmer as expected.

“Except for top-level sports, exercise is vastly overrated as a way to burn calories. It’s not just a little bit of fun exercise that burns a lot of calories, but our brain is actually a real energy guzzler. It uses about a quarter of all energy, even though the brain makes up only two percent of our body weight.

But anyone who thinks they can lose weight by “brain jogging” and learning languages ​​is also wrong. The calorie requirement only increases slightly. The brain processes most of its energy, exclusively in the form of glucose, in activities that we are not aware of, such as producing hormones and controlling metabolism and organ functions.

It doesn’t matter whether you work at a desk or are a gardener: your calorie needs are the same

Then lifestyle must be the deciding factor: our Western sedentary lifestyle is often seen as the main cause of the obesity epidemic. Scientists compared the daily calorie needs of typical (sedentary) Americans with those of an African food-gathering tribe.

The calorie needs of both groups were the same: about 2,600 kilocalories for men and just under 2,000 for women, although the Africans, who still lived in their original state, were constantly moving and rarely sat during the day.

The influence of food on weight loss success

However, Africans were slimmer than sedentary Westerners.

“There are several explanations for this. The obvious conclusion is that those who do little exercise consume many more calories per day than they need. More than 500, which is certainly significant in the long run.”

However, a much greater influence on this can be made by the foods they eat. And these differed significantly between the two groups.

Studies have shown that the following foods lead to obesity particularly quickly:

• Potatoes – boiled or fried (due to their high starch content)
• White flour products
• Sugar

On the other hand, the following measures contribute to weight loss:

• Non-starchy vegetables
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Yogurt

Fiber neutralizes calories

“The explanation for this lies in the fiber, which is abundant in vegetables, fruits and nuts. The body excretes unused calories with indigestible fiber. Plant fiber has been shown to make you slimmer.”

In this study, two groups of people trying to lose weight were allowed to eat the same food with the same daily calorie intake. However, in one group, all the grains were whole grains, while in the other, all the grains were refined and processed.

The group that ate whole grains burned about 100 more calories per day – an amount that could lead to a weight loss of three kilograms per year.

Crucial roles: metabolism and genes

Thus, fiber has a positive effect on metabolism.

“However, metabolism, satiety, hunger and the number of fat cells cannot be influenced in principle. Most of this complex interaction is conditional.”

That's why some people easily lose weight or stay slim and stay that way, while others constantly struggle with excess weight despite all their efforts.

Program your brain to eat the right food

“With proper nutrition, appetite changes. This increases the desire to eat healthy foods that make you slimmer, not fatter: fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein-rich foods such as fish, poultry, and yogurt.”

Outsmarting genetic predisposition

Even though losing weight is difficult, especially for people with a genetic predisposition, it can still be achieved with proper nutrition and a little perseverance.