You began the argument by nitpicking.

I ended it by nitpicking.

Get a life, thumper.

- Warren

 

Ooooh, thumper. I'm so hurt and insulted.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Schatten
[B]
But seriously... I look at the ankles!

 

I find the upper arm to be telling, as well -- and it's normally easier to see than either the ankles or the thighs.

- Warren

 

Do these threads have to degrade to name-calling?

From what i've observed, weight gain/loss is dependant mainly on metabolism rates. Some people cannot stay properly nurished and lose weight, or it is very hard. Some people can burn 2000 calories just sitting on a chair, some people have to excersize a lot to do it. Nobody is fat on purpose, I can tell you that... but for some people, it's just kinda the way it ends up.

 

I once dated a girl who's butt was flat like her mom's. Her boobs were big like her's too. I found it a fair trade.

 

Lesson: Apathy will get you nowhere.

Truthfully, however, there isn't much of a spread in the basal metabolic rate among people. Metabolic heat, brain function, and digestion use the most energy. Individual differences account for a small fraction of the BMR. If you give me a person's weight, sex, and age, I can tell you their BMR within about 10%.

The commonly-held belief that some people "just have higher metabolism" and "can eat anything they want and not gain weight" is a myth. People who are thin are thin because they eat less (and exercise more) than people who are fat.

As I've said, nearly everyone has a choice.

- Warren

 

I find that metabolism varries so little... because it's true that some people can eat what they want and remain thin. I am a good example.... I generally eat a LOT. About as much as I can, twice a day, and my excersize consists of walking to my car and back a few times a day. I have actually somehow managed to lose 10 pounds in the last 6 months by doing this. I also know people who eat a lot less than I do, eat healthier and excersize a lot, and it's all they can do to not gain weight.

Granted, there are other factors at play here, i'm sure... but I was always under the impression that metabolism is what really makes the difference.

 

Hegulator,

Metabolism is not what makes the difference -- it's a myth. The highest and lowest metabolisms possible for a person of a given age, sex, and weight might be different by 200-300 Calories a day. Some people can drink an extra soda, or eat another helping of mashed potatoes -- but that's about the extent.

As you get older, your metabolism slows down. You have to eat correspondingly less. However, your stomach doesn't change, and your notion of being "full" doesn't either -- so people continue to eat the same way as they get older, and they gain weight.

Studies on obese people indicate that only a small percentage actually have abnormally low basal metabolic rates. Surprisingly, the public-at-large has roughly the same incidence of low metabolism. This means that having a low metabolism in itself is not the reason someone is fat -- plenty of people have low metabolic rates and aren't fat. The fact is that most fat people just eat too much and exercise too little.

If you don't eat it, you can't gain it -- no matter what kind of metabolism you have. Most people never sit down and analyze their entire diet -- their approach to losing weight might be to skip a slice of pizza one meal, maybe eat a salad instead of a steak the next, that sort of thing -- but it's sporadic and unplannned. If you're diligent, write down everything you eat, and look up all the nutritional values, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

If a person has the willpower to sit down, plan their daily diets for a nearly-optimal calorie and fat intake, and then actually follow those diets, they will lose weight. It isn't rocket science.

- Warren

 

Which explains why there aren't any fat rockets.