The reason why you do not lose weight

“It is not what you eat, but how you metabolize it” is a repeated phrase until satiety that, a priori, seems to make sense, but that It is not appropriate. Metabolism influence Ingieres and what Gastas.

Neither miracle pills nor blame a Slow metabolism They will lower the fat if you lead a life sedentary And you eat disappointed. With the help of Francisco Pita Gutiérrez (Nutrition area of ​​the Seen) We clarify the basics: what is metabolism, what alters it and why move It is still the best natural accelerator to maintain weight.

Metabolism is the set of processes that, after digesting and absorbing nutrients, gives us energy and manufactures molecules to grow, defend and repair tissues. He basal energy expenditure, The calories you consume being at rest, depends on sexthe agethe size and the Muscle mass. To that we must add the expense for processing food, for diseases and, above all, by the Physical activity.

“This is one of the reasons why it is always recommended to ensure and increase physical activity and physical exercise in health programs for weight loss,” says this SEEN specialist.

The age It does not “slow down” metabolism by magic: what happens is that, over the years, the body needs less calories. The diseases They can change total consumption:
“Diseases increase total energy consumption or expenditure, so some patients lose weight (fat and muscle) with some diseases and suffer malnutrition. This type of malnutrition is called Malnutrition related to the diseaseand is very frequent in hospitals. It is estimated that almost 1 in 4 patients admitted to hospitals have malnutrition. “

Some ailments, such as HypothyroidismThey reduce spending and facilitate weight gain if they are not well controlled. That is why the recommendation is always medically as possible endocrine causes before looking for easy guilty.

Can you “accelerate” metabolism?

Not with herbs or pills: “The Physical activity Increase energy or calorie consumption. Therefore, if a person needs to lose body fat, in addition to a healthy eatingit is necessary to implement physical activity and physical exercise, to increase the expense and that there is greater Caloric deficitor negative balance to consume the calories accumulated in the form of fat. “

You have to understand two key processes: Catabolism (obtain energy breaking nutrients) and anabolism (Use nutrients to create tissues). “These two processes, catabolism and anabolism, constitute the metabolism” Pita precise.

The simple explanation: if you eat more calories than you spend, excess accumulates in the form of fat. As an home example: if you earn 2,000 euros and spend 1,500, you have 500; Something similar happens with calories. And although there are nuances for diseases or activity, the basic rule is maintained: Caloric excess equal to accumulation.

The expert says with his exact words: “For example, if a person ingests along day, and in a sustained way, more calories than he spends in anabolism and their vital functions and with physical activity, he will accumulate calories in the body in the form of fat. The caloric excess is transformed into fat. As similarity, and simplifying the metabolic processes, if a person wins 2,000 euros per month, and spend each month month 1,500 euros, every month saves or accumulates 500 euros.

Many people fattening because of metabolism?

There are genetic or endocrine conditions that influence, but they are A minority of cases. The key is a Medical assessment When there is suspicion and one Comprehensive assessment: Real calorie intake vs real spending. If you do three exercise sessions a week but otherwise you lead a life Very sedentarythe balance will probably be positive and you will gain weight. That is why Pita insists that the programmed exercise is accompanied by daily activity: climb stairs, walk, move.