Why do some people get fat and others don't??????? Why can some people eat till they are satisfied while others have to starve....

I am married to a beautiful slender woman who has never had a weight issue, even after having all three of our children ( and yes I am grateful and happy for her--she looks great!). She eats what she wants if she is hungry.

I have to be so careful, she does not--why????

Your sentence sums it up for me. She eats when she's hungry. I got fat by eating all the time. Constantly. With a full stomach, I could sit and eat a whole bag of mini-marshmallows.

I don't know but if you do find out please let me know!! My dr. says that it is family genes but I don't really agree-my grandmother never had a problem but my mother always did-I do but my nephews don't and my sister does. My husband didn't until he was in the hospital for a very extended time and his parents both did.

Hi Kurt

Its the same for me, my Mrs can eat what she likes and when she likes, ever put any weight on, but me, if i so much as look at her food on it goes

I believe that Gary Taubes says in his new book, Good Calories, Bad Calories (a book examining the science behind the nutritional, obesity and weight loss theories of recent times) that the tendency to gain fat is simply genetic and those who will put on fat are simply not equipped to handle the carbs in today's diet.

Someone please correct me.

The Gods hates you, that's why.

I have a different variation on the theme...

The Gods have a sense of humor and we are their playthings. That philosophy helps me to make sense of *so many* things.

The good news is, you don't get fat if you low-carb. Focus on the good stuff you can eat, and enjoy! Low carb foods are very filling, so there's less tendency to overeat. Low carbing, you can eat what you want, when you want, and you will still lose weight (or, at worst, maintain a loss).

Rachel

It's definitely hereditary. Some people just get the short end of the stick, sadly. (I got a thyroid problem that runs through half my family, genetic propensity for obesity from both sides, borderline hypoglycemia, AND only my paternal grandmother is dyslexic, but I got that too!)

Genetic predisposition for obesity doesn't really determine that you WILL be obese. Only that you can *become* obese more easily. Your metabolic rate is likely much slower than those who can eat whatever they want and not gain anything. The key is... do things that will increase that rate. Consistent exercise and resistance training are very helpful with this. Don't eat late. Take your vitamins. These will all help.

I believe that Mr Taubes also addresses the practically non-existant science behind this popular belief.

Hmm in my personal experience, the more resistance training I do, the more muscle I build, the more toned I am, the more energy I have, and the more inches I lose... the better I sleep. I did pilates for awhile and it was amazing how much weight I was losing. Pilates isn't exactly cardio intensive.

Anyhow, I am only basing this off of my personal experience and am only trying to help.

I don't have my book handy, but I believe Taubes talks about the lack of science behind excessive cardio, but not resistance training. Building muscle helps burn fat.

From my personal experience, years of doing cardio along with low carb did nothing for me. When I started weight training and eating correctly, I began to drop pounds and inches.

I've heard this discussed and what is usually said is that it is true that these people eat as much as they want, but the key is they usually just don't want much.

Lucky them! I want it ALL!

Haha. I have a history of dating really thin guys that eat like pigs... and never gain anything. It's always pretty interesting. My ex was about 165lbs and ate and ate. Stick thin. My fiance at the moment is really muscular, never works out except for a short walk each day, and eats about 3 times as much as I do. He's only just now started gaining a tiny bit of weight (in the stomach area). I'm guessing it's because he's going on 34 and his metabolism is slowing down. But if I ate as much as he did, I'd probably either explode or be 400lbs. His family on both sides has always been either muscular or thin.

He recently decided to start eating only three cheeseburgers for dinner instead of four and he started losing weight. Such luck. haha

Nothing personal, of course! I was simply stating that it's being addressed as not really being based in science. I saw some nice results from my exercise, too. The question isn't whether you'll firm up or get stronger, the question is that it will accelerate weight loss or increase metabolic rate. That is the thing being questioned in the book-and he purports that hunger and caloric intake will simply increase in response to vigorous exercise...any kind of vigorous exercise--even weight training. That's my understanding. He's not saying it won't have some benefits, it always has benefits to stay strong...he questions whether or not it really accelerates weight loss or increases metabolic rate.

I have got to get the book, but $$ is tight. Maybe I'll ask for it for a xmas gift.