Naturally skinny people exist, as do naturally heavy people. I mean no disrespect, but frankly, the idea that they don't is in very direct contradiction to every bit of my "lived experience". I've been close enough to genetically different other people in my life to know how much we were both eating, and it was not a misestimation. Th…
Naturally skinny people exist, as do naturally heavy people. I mean no disrespect, but frankly, the idea that they don't is in very direct contradiction to every bit of my "lived experience". I've been close enough to genetically different other people in my life to know how much we were both eating, and it was not a misestimation. The same kind and amount of food did not have the same effects. Period. My very thin husband can eat damn near anything and routinely stuff himself silly without gaining a pound, while I look twice at a salad and gain weight. I am more active than he is. One of my best friends growing up hated being extremely thin, and she couldn't put on weight to save her life. She ate easily *way* more than me (much less healthy food) and was not particularly active. There are plenty more examples.
Yes, people can gain and lose weight -- obviously they can. It isn't as set as height, sure, but it is definitely impacted by genetics. I think it's more outlandish to argue that it isn't. It's akin to the people who think practically every human trait is influenced by genetics, except intelligence. Never intelligence. I understand the allure and simplicity of believing weight is just a "calories in, calories out" matter of hard work and moral fortitude, but like most things in life, it's just not that simple.
If you want to have at me with the "laws of thermodynamics" stuff, be my guest. Obviously, I don't think the laws of physics are somehow magically suspended -- I just think the particulars that impact the equation are complicated, and that's the part we likely don't agree on. Bodies have ways of conserving (or not) energy. There are so many bodily processes we have little to no active control over that could impact how our bodies do or don't expend energy. We're no more at the End of Science than we are at the End of History. We do not have enough data of sufficiently high quality to be confident we have every factor that impacts weight worked out. I wish we did. It would make my life -- and many others' -- much easier.
Anyway, despite my inability to refrain from adding my two cents this time, I'm really not in the market for a protracted back and forth on this topic. Not meant as a cop-out, just the truth. So, I probably won't respond further, and you can have the last say, if you like. No hard feelings, hopefully, and I'll continue to see you around, I'm sure.
I said of the same height and bodyfat percentage. I'm guessing your husband and taller and has a lower bodyfat percentage. That's going to lead to a substantial difference in BMR.
Naturally skinny people exist, as do naturally heavy people. I mean no disrespect, but frankly, the idea that they don't is in very direct contradiction to every bit of my "lived experience". I've been close enough to genetically different other people in my life to know how much we were both eating, and it was not a misestimation. The same kind and amount of food did not have the same effects. Period. My very thin husband can eat damn near anything and routinely stuff himself silly without gaining a pound, while I look twice at a salad and gain weight. I am more active than he is. One of my best friends growing up hated being extremely thin, and she couldn't put on weight to save her life. She ate easily *way* more than me (much less healthy food) and was not particularly active. There are plenty more examples.
Yes, people can gain and lose weight -- obviously they can. It isn't as set as height, sure, but it is definitely impacted by genetics. I think it's more outlandish to argue that it isn't. It's akin to the people who think practically every human trait is influenced by genetics, except intelligence. Never intelligence. I understand the allure and simplicity of believing weight is just a "calories in, calories out" matter of hard work and moral fortitude, but like most things in life, it's just not that simple.
If you want to have at me with the "laws of thermodynamics" stuff, be my guest. Obviously, I don't think the laws of physics are somehow magically suspended -- I just think the particulars that impact the equation are complicated, and that's the part we likely don't agree on. Bodies have ways of conserving (or not) energy. There are so many bodily processes we have little to no active control over that could impact how our bodies do or don't expend energy. We're no more at the End of Science than we are at the End of History. We do not have enough data of sufficiently high quality to be confident we have every factor that impacts weight worked out. I wish we did. It would make my life -- and many others' -- much easier.
Anyway, despite my inability to refrain from adding my two cents this time, I'm really not in the market for a protracted back and forth on this topic. Not meant as a cop-out, just the truth. So, I probably won't respond further, and you can have the last say, if you like. No hard feelings, hopefully, and I'll continue to see you around, I'm sure.
I said of the same height and bodyfat percentage. I'm guessing your husband and taller and has a lower bodyfat percentage. That's going to lead to a substantial difference in BMR.