True or False: I Have To Eat a Lot Because I Have a High Metabolism

Some people believe they have a “high metabolism” and therefore have to eat often and a lot, despite the fact that they might be gaining weight. This is a mistaken notion, however. Let me explain.
There are two different meanings of the term metabolism.
1. Efficiency of Energy Extraction
The first refers to the amount of energy your body gets out of each ounce of food; this is your efficiency of energy extraction. Each person is different in this sense of the word. Some people are more efficient than others in converting the potential energy in each ounce of food into usable energy.
This is like the differences in the efficiency of solar panels made of different materials to convert sunlight to electricity, which can range from 15–23%. Whatever your efficiency, it does not significantly change as you age.
However, a person with a more efficient metabolism—in terms of needing less food energy to do their work—risks gaining weight if they consume more food than they need for their energy.
2. Daily Energy Needs
The second meaning of metabolism refers to the total amount of energy you need to use on any given day. This sense of metabolism depends on:
- Your body type (i.e., how much muscle mass you have)
- The energy needs of your brain and organs
For example, let’s say two people each consume 2,500 calories per day and do the exact same actions during that day. Each person is different, however, in how many of those calories they need to use. One individual may use 2,200, while the other needs only 1,800 because of their different body types.
Here too, the person who needs to use fewer calories each day may gain weight if they consume more calories than they use.
Balanced Metabolism vs. High Metabolism
- A person eating to satisfaction but not gaining weight has a metabolism that is able to use all the calories they consume. Their metabolism is balanced.
- A person who is eating a lot of food but losing weight is someone with a truly high metabolism.
Beware, however: this situation can be an indication of a health problem such as hyperthyroidism. They should consult their medical provider if they fall into this category.
Metabolism and Aging
Regardless of your metabolism in using food energy, everyone is subjected to nature’s will when it comes to aging. What I mean is that the amount of work you can do—and the use of energy for that work—inevitably decreases as you get older. This is because wear and tear results in:
- Loss of muscle volume
- Loss of strength
- Reduced muscle power compared to when you were younger
The Bottom Line
You must regulate your food intake as you age and your energy expenditure reduces. Without a corresponding reduction in food intake, you will likely gain weight.
Think of it this way:
If you use 100 fewer calories per day while consuming the same amount of food as before, you might gain 10 pounds a year.
To prevent weight gain, you need to increase your caloric expenditure through exercise. However, the level of activity necessary to succeed at that is extremely difficult to achieve—if not impossible—especially when you have less muscle mass as you age.
The Good News
Becoming overweight is largely preventable by achieving an energy balance between:
- Calories consumed
- Calories used
For most people over age 35, weight gain is due to fat deposits or water retention.
The best way to deal with this:
- Check your weight daily
- If it’s higher than expected, make adjustments
- Eat a little less during each meal until you lose the excess weight
This proactive approach helps you stay in control and maintain a healthier balance as your body changes over time.
The author of the award-winning book, Diabetes: The Real Cause and the Right Cure, and Nationally Syndicated Columnist, Dr. John Poothullil, advocates for patients struggling with the effects of adverse lifestyle conditions.
Dr. John’s books, available on Amazon, have educated and inspired readers to take charge of their health. You can take many steps to make changes in your health, but Dr. John also empowers us to demand certain changes in our healthcare system. His latest book, Beat Unwanted Weight Gain, reveals the seven most essential strategies for shedding pounds—and keeping them off for good.
Follow or contact Dr. John at drjohnonhealth.com.
John Poothullil practiced medicine as a pediatrician and allergist for more than 30 years, with 27 of those years in the state of Texas. He received his medical degree from the University of Kerala, India in 1968, after which he did two years of medical residency in Washington, DC and Phoenix, AZ and two years of fellowship, one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the other in Ontario, Canada. He began his practice in 1974 and retired in 2008. He holds certifications from the American Board of Pediatrics, The American Board of Allergy & Immunology, and the Canadian Board of Pediatrics.amazon.com/author/drjohnpoothullil
During his medical practice, John became interested in understanding the causes of and interconnections between hunger, satiation, and weight gain. His interest turned into a passion and a multi-decade personal study and research project that led him to read many medical journal articles, medical textbooks, and other scholarly works in biology, biochemistry, physiology, endocrinology, and cellular metabolic functions. This eventually guided Dr. Poothullil to investigate the theory of insulin resistance as it relates to diabetes. Recognizing that this theory was illogical, he spent a few years rethinking the biology behind high blood sugar and finally developed the fatty acid burn switch as the real cause of diabetes. Dr. Poothullil has written articles on hunger and satiation, weight loss, diabetes, and the senses of taste and smell. His articles have been published in medical journals such as Physiology and Behavior, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, Journal of Women’s Health, Journal of Applied Research, Nutrition, and Nutritional Neuroscience. His work has been quoted in Woman’s Day, Fitness, Red Book and Woman’s World. Dr. Poothullil resides in Portland, OR and is available for phone and live interviews.To learn more buy the books at:Visit drjohnonhealth.com to learn more. You can also contact him at john@drhohnonhealth.com.
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