Eat Less, Get More Fat?

Diet and Nutrition
1

Hi guys!

This post probably belong to the beginner section, but since its a nutrition question I figured here’s the best place. Mods, please relocate if I am incorrect.

Anyhow, I have a friend who claims that he’s eating less food now than before, but he’s getting fatter (He is, blowing up like a balloon). I’ve been telling him that’s impossible, that he’s probably overeating and that people usually underestimate how much calories they’re taking, etc etc etc. But he CLAIMS he isn’t, he says he only eats one or two meals a day due to money restrictions.

However, I don’t like arguing something which I don’t believe its 100% impossible, so I come here to you knowledgeable folk.

Is it actually possible to get fat while eating less food? If so, how does that work?

If not, why is he getting fatter? Could it be his activity level is so low that even with so little food he is on a caloric surplus thus his weight gain?

2

Most obese people drastically underestimate their calories…or “forget” some meals.

Your friend either has a metabolic disorder, thyroid problem, an issue with some drugs(like some anti-depressants) or he is lying.

3

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Most obese people drastically underestimate their calories…or “forget” some meals.

Your friend either has a metabolic disorder, thyroid problem, an issue with some drugs(like some anti-depressants) or he is lying.

[/quote]

I agree with you. I used to have that same issue until I wrote down for a week what I ate and had an awesome wakeup call when I saw I was eating a whole lot more than I thought.

I guess I’ll tell him to go see his doctor if he’s serious about his weight issue. IDK about him taking antidepressants, but I find that unlikely. I think he’s most likely lying either to me or himself, but barring a medical disorder you’re saying it’s not possible to get fat under a caloric deficit. Correct?

4

Or he’s eating the wrong shit. Horrible day goes like this:
Wake up - No breakfast, Drink a coffee - probably with sugar (insulin and cortisol through the roof)
Still no meals til lunch - hypoglycemic state, more fat gain specifically around the waist from cortisol levels. Body storing fat because friend hasn’t fed himself yet after a 10-12hr fast through the night
Lunch - Hamburger, Sandwich, whatever - insulin through the roof again. Bread is a fancy word for glucosex2 or 3.
Huge Dinner - Gastro Intestinal distress, probably falls asleep as his body uses all it’s energy to break down this massive meal. It’s probably a shitty one too - full of high GI foods like pasta, bread, etc

Even though your friend isn’t eating a lot he’s likely dealing with chronic inflammation from eating shitty foods and enjoying fluctuating insulin all day - the ups and downs equal fat storage. This is not only making him fat but will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes if he doesn’t fix his ways. Direct him to Paleo eating, and get him to stop being a lazy fuck!

5

…my guess is your friend is eating junk.

Unfortunately most cheap or “poor” food these days is nutritional garbage.

My guess would be your friend is guessing he’s eating less based on how full he feels/satiety levels.

You could eat bags of Funions (sp?) all day without ever feeling full and satiated and get fat doing it.

6

[quote]CoachShredder wrote:
Or he’s eating the wrong shit. Horrible day goes like this:
Wake up - No breakfast, Drink a coffee - probably with sugar (insulin and cortisol through the roof)
Still no meals til lunch - hypoglycemic state, more fat gain specifically around the waist from cortisol levels. Body storing fat because friend hasn’t fed himself yet after a 10-12hr fast through the night
Lunch - Hamburger, Sandwich, whatever - insulin through the roof again. Bread is a fancy word for glucosex2 or 3.
Huge Dinner - Gastro Intestinal distress, probably falls asleep as his body uses all it’s energy to break down this massive meal. It’s probably a shitty one too - full of high GI foods like pasta, bread, etc

Even though your friend isn’t eating a lot he’s likely dealing with chronic inflammation from eating shitty foods and enjoying fluctuating insulin all day - the ups and downs equal fat storage. This is not only making him fat but will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes if he doesn’t fix his ways. Direct him to Paleo eating, and get him to stop being a lazy fuck![/quote]

Extremely useful information. His dad is a fat diabetic tub of goo, and I think his two living grandparents all have diabetes. I know he’s scared to death of that disease, so this info will probably give him a good scare, specially if his doctor confirms this.

Thanks a million man.

7

[quote]CoachShredder wrote:
Or he’s eating the wrong shit. Horrible day goes like this:
Wake up - No breakfast, Drink a coffee - probably with sugar (insulin and cortisol through the roof)
Still no meals til lunch - hypoglycemic state, more fat gain specifically around the waist from cortisol levels. Body storing fat because friend hasn’t fed himself yet after a 10-12hr fast through the night
Lunch - Hamburger, Sandwich, whatever - insulin through the roof again. Bread is a fancy word for glucosex2 or 3.
Huge Dinner - Gastro Intestinal distress, probably falls asleep as his body uses all it’s energy to break down this massive meal. It’s probably a shitty one too - full of high GI foods like pasta, bread, etc

Even though your friend isn’t eating a lot he’s likely dealing with chronic inflammation from eating shitty foods and enjoying fluctuating insulin all day - the ups and downs equal fat storage. This is not only making him fat but will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes if he doesn’t fix his ways. Direct him to Paleo eating, and get him to stop being a lazy fuck![/quote]

I still don’t believe most people are fat from “stress” alone. I have seen people eat way too much, do absolutely nothing afterwards and then months later act like they are lost as to why their belly is bigger. Unless a person is “eating for a goal”, I would expect most sedentary people to eventually have issues like this…simply because food becomes a pleasure source…after that long day at work…so they fill up and do nothing with it…but go back to work the next day and do it again.

The human body was designed to stay active. Most obese people are anything BUT active…and if they are, they throw so much food against it, it remains portly.

Stress may be why they eat…and may be why they feel tired…but it is NOT why they have a 50" waist. That was because of CAKE.

8

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Your friend either has a metabolic disorder, thyroid problem, an issue with some drugs(like some anti-depressants) or he is lying.

I still don’t believe most people are fat from “stress” alone.

Stress may be why they eat…and may be why they feel tired…but it is NOT why they have a 50" waist. That was because of CAKE.[/quote]

Completely agree. I have been ‘stressed’, literally from thyroid disorder and/or adrenal fatigue, for the last two years and I’ve been able to ‘control’ my weight relatively speaking, by working out and monitoring calories.

9

[quote]CoachShredder wrote:
Or he’s eating the wrong shit. Horrible day goes like this:
Wake up - No breakfast, (insulin and cortisol through the roof)
Still no meals til lunch - hypoglycemic state, more fat gain specifically around the waist from cortisol levels. Body storing fat because friend hasn’t fed himself yet after a 10-12hr fast through the night
Lunch - Hamburger, Sandwich, whatever - insulin through the roof again. Bread is a fancy word for glucosex2 or 3.
Huge Dinner - Gastro Intestinal distress, probably falls asleep as his body uses all it’s energy to break down this massive meal. It’s probably a shitty one too - full of high GI foods like pasta, bread, etc

Even though your friend isn’t eating a lot he’s likely dealing with chronic inflammation from eating shitty foods and enjoying fluctuating insulin all day - the ups and downs equal fat storage. This is not only making him fat but will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes if he doesn’t fix his ways. Direct him to Paleo eating, and get him to stop being a lazy fuck![/quote]
sorry mate your post is mostly junk.

OP you friend probably just eats like crap and doesnt exercise, or has no intensity at all if he does exercise.

10

[quote]Gl;itch.e wrote:

[quote]CoachShredder wrote:
Or he’s eating the wrong shit. Horrible day goes like this:
Wake up - No breakfast, (insulin and cortisol through the roof)
Still no meals til lunch - hypoglycemic state, more fat gain specifically around the waist from cortisol levels. Body storing fat because friend hasn’t fed himself yet after a 10-12hr fast through the night
Lunch - Hamburger, Sandwich, whatever - insulin through the roof again. Bread is a fancy word for glucosex2 or 3.
Huge Dinner - Gastro Intestinal distress, probably falls asleep as his body uses all it’s energy to break down this massive meal. It’s probably a shitty one too - full of high GI foods like pasta, bread, etc

Even though your friend isn’t eating a lot he’s likely dealing with chronic inflammation from eating shitty foods and enjoying fluctuating insulin all day - the ups and downs equal fat storage. This is not only making him fat but will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes if he doesn’t fix his ways. Direct him to Paleo eating, and get him to stop being a lazy fuck![/quote]
sorry mate your post is mostly junk.

OP you friend probably just eats like crap and doesnt exercise, or has no intensity at all if he does exercise.

[/quote]

Care to elaborate on why it’s junk?

11

Eating so little that your body is storing all calories as it’s in starvation/survival mode?

12

[quote]Freaky_Frankie wrote:

[quote]Gl;itch.e wrote:

[quote]CoachShredder wrote:
Or he’s eating the wrong shit. Horrible day goes like this:
Wake up - No breakfast, (insulin and cortisol through the roof)
Still no meals til lunch - hypoglycemic state, more fat gain specifically around the waist from cortisol levels. Body storing fat because friend hasn’t fed himself yet after a 10-12hr fast through the night
Lunch - Hamburger, Sandwich, whatever - insulin through the roof again. Bread is a fancy word for glucosex2 or 3.
Huge Dinner - Gastro Intestinal distress, probably falls asleep as his body uses all it’s energy to break down this massive meal. It’s probably a shitty one too - full of high GI foods like pasta, bread, etc

Even though your friend isn’t eating a lot he’s likely dealing with chronic inflammation from eating shitty foods and enjoying fluctuating insulin all day - the ups and downs equal fat storage. This is not only making him fat but will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes if he doesn’t fix his ways. Direct him to Paleo eating, and get him to stop being a lazy fuck![/quote]
sorry mate your post is mostly junk.

OP you friend probably just eats like crap and doesnt exercise, or has no intensity at all if he does exercise.

[/quote]

Care to elaborate on why it’s junk? [/quote]
You’ve basically just spouted a bunch of diet dogma that has no scientific grounding.

Eating or not eating breakfast doesnt do anything for metabolism. Skipping breakfast can actually work as a great fatloss and body comp tool.

The body is a great regulator of glucose and wont go hypoglycemic just because you go a couple of extra hours without food (unless of course you have other health issues) and even if you had gone hypoglycemic how is the body going to store fat without a fuel source? At this point the body is tapping into one of the many forms of energy to fuel itself. Bodyfat is the largest and most available unless something blunts its usage such as insulin from feeding.

I agree bread is basically worthless as a source of nutrition but it can be an easy source of energy for someone who can tolerate it. same with other High GI foods such as Pasta, Rice etc.

And while insulin can be a hazard as far as fat storage is concerned the fluctuations you mention are natural. Eat a meal insulin rises and falls. What you want for fatloss is lower overall insulin which you WONT get if you are eating all day. Hence the idea to skip breakfast.

For more read up on Martin Berkhan’s Intermittent Fasting and John Keifer’s Carb Backloading.

13

[quote]sexyxe wrote:
Eating so little that your body is storing all calories as it’s in starvation/survival mode?

[/quote]

That would be after depletion of muscle as well. People like that look “skinny fat”…not fat.

Most of the fat people you see just like to eat a lot of food. Some even do it on purpose in order to get fatter due to sexual fetishes so I am way past feeling “sympathy” for people because of it unless it is related to medications or true metabolic disorder…which is rare.

Many also lie about how much they eat due to embarrassment or denial. They will go home and eat enough for 3 people but eat like birds when out with others.

Bottom line, this is a math equation. Fat doesn’t appear out of nowhere.

14

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Many also lie about how much they eat due to embarrassment or denial. They will go home and eat enough for 3 people but eat like birds when out with others.

[/quote]
Too true. Unfortunately the reverse also exists. The Skinny bastard type that wont eat anything all day and then go out to dinner and eat “heaps”. People invariably say “How can you eat so much and stay skinny? Id get fat if I ate that much!” but dont realise this person isnt eating enough food overall. Then after that dinner the fatties go home and have some more icecream and booze before bed! LOL

15

[quote]Gl;itch.e wrote:

[quote]Freaky_Frankie wrote:

[quote]Gl;itch.e wrote:

[quote]CoachShredder wrote:
Or he’s eating the wrong shit. Horrible day goes like this:
Wake up - No breakfast, (insulin and cortisol through the roof)
Still no meals til lunch - hypoglycemic state, more fat gain specifically around the waist from cortisol levels. Body storing fat because friend hasn’t fed himself yet after a 10-12hr fast through the night
Lunch - Hamburger, Sandwich, whatever - insulin through the roof again. Bread is a fancy word for glucosex2 or 3.
Huge Dinner - Gastro Intestinal distress, probably falls asleep as his body uses all it’s energy to break down this massive meal. It’s probably a shitty one too - full of high GI foods like pasta, bread, etc

Even though your friend isn’t eating a lot he’s likely dealing with chronic inflammation from eating shitty foods and enjoying fluctuating insulin all day - the ups and downs equal fat storage. This is not only making him fat but will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes if he doesn’t fix his ways. Direct him to Paleo eating, and get him to stop being a lazy fuck![/quote]
sorry mate your post is mostly junk.

OP you friend probably just eats like crap and doesnt exercise, or has no intensity at all if he does exercise.

[/quote]

Care to elaborate on why it’s junk? [/quote]
You’ve basically just spouted a bunch of diet dogma that has no scientific grounding.

Eating or not eating breakfast doesnt do anything for metabolism. Skipping breakfast can actually work as a great fatloss and body comp tool.

The body is a great regulator of glucose and wont go hypoglycemic just because you go a couple of extra hours without food (unless of course you have other health issues) and even if you had gone hypoglycemic how is the body going to store fat without a fuel source? At this point the body is tapping into one of the many forms of energy to fuel itself. Bodyfat is the largest and most available unless something blunts its usage such as insulin from feeding.

I agree bread is basically worthless as a source of nutrition but it can be an easy source of energy for someone who can tolerate it. same with other High GI foods such as Pasta, Rice etc.

And while insulin can be a hazard as far as fat storage is concerned the fluctuations you mention are natural. Eat a meal insulin rises and falls. What you want for fatloss is lower overall insulin which you WONT get if you are eating all day. Hence the idea to skip breakfast.

For more read up on Martin Berkhan’s Intermittent Fasting and John Keifer’s Carb Backloading.[/quote]
Not for all, mate. I did the 16/8 IF for 8 months and saw no difference, so went back to eating breakfast and felt A LOT better and started losing the fat again.

16

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]sexyxe wrote:
Eating so little that your body is storing all calories as it’s in starvation/survival mode?

[/quote]

That would be after depletion of muscle as well. People like that look “skinny fat”…not fat.

Most of the fat people you see just like to eat a lot of food. Some even do it on purpose in order to get fatter due to sexual fetishes so I am way past feeling “sympathy” for people because of it unless it is related to medications or true metabolic disorder…which is rare.

Many also lie about how much they eat due to embarrassment or denial. They will go home and eat enough for 3 people but eat like birds when out with others.

Bottom line, this is a math equation. Fat doesn’t appear out of nowhere.[/quote]

I lol’d. Fat people, sexual fetishes. I am not a fan.

But, I see what you’re saying.

17

You may want to ask him about what liquid calories he is taking in. I have friends who say they don’t eat much and then I see them sucking down starbucks and sodas not realizing how many calories are in them.

18

[quote]LifeIsABeach wrote:
You may want to ask him about what liquid calories he is taking in. I have friends who say they don’t eat much and then I see them sucking down starbucks and sodas not realizing how many calories are in them.[/quote]

I don’t know how I missed this. My buddy is a die-hard Coca Cola drinker. I’ve seen the dude down a half a litter in less than 10 seconds. Most likely that’s where he’s getting the extra cals he’s downing.

19

[quote]Gl;itch.e wrote:

[quote]Freaky_Frankie wrote:

[quote]Gl;itch.e wrote:

[quote]CoachShredder wrote:
Or he’s eating the wrong shit. Horrible day goes like this:
Wake up - No breakfast, (insulin and cortisol through the roof)
Still no meals til lunch - hypoglycemic state, more fat gain specifically around the waist from cortisol levels. Body storing fat because friend hasn’t fed himself yet after a 10-12hr fast through the night
Lunch - Hamburger, Sandwich, whatever - insulin through the roof again. Bread is a fancy word for glucosex2 or 3.
Huge Dinner - Gastro Intestinal distress, probably falls asleep as his body uses all it’s energy to break down this massive meal. It’s probably a shitty one too - full of high GI foods like pasta, bread, etc

Even though your friend isn’t eating a lot he’s likely dealing with chronic inflammation from eating shitty foods and enjoying fluctuating insulin all day - the ups and downs equal fat storage. This is not only making him fat but will eventually lead to type 2 diabetes if he doesn’t fix his ways. Direct him to Paleo eating, and get him to stop being a lazy fuck![/quote]
sorry mate your post is mostly junk.

OP you friend probably just eats like crap and doesnt exercise, or has no intensity at all if he does exercise.

[/quote]

Care to elaborate on why it’s junk? [/quote]
You’ve basically just spouted a bunch of diet dogma that has no scientific grounding.

Eating or not eating breakfast doesnt do anything for metabolism. Skipping breakfast can actually work as a great fatloss and body comp tool.

The body is a great regulator of glucose and wont go hypoglycemic just because you go a couple of extra hours without food (unless of course you have other health issues) and even if you had gone hypoglycemic how is the body going to store fat without a fuel source? At this point the body is tapping into one of the many forms of energy to fuel itself. Bodyfat is the largest and most available unless something blunts its usage such as insulin from feeding.

I agree bread is basically worthless as a source of nutrition but it can be an easy source of energy for someone who can tolerate it. same with other High GI foods such as Pasta, Rice etc.

And while insulin can be a hazard as far as fat storage is concerned the fluctuations you mention are natural. Eat a meal insulin rises and falls. What you want for fatloss is lower overall insulin which you WONT get if you are eating all day. Hence the idea to skip breakfast.

For more read up on Martin Berkhan’s Intermittent Fasting and John Keifer’s Carb Backloading.[/quote]

Absolutely correct, I have been following the intermittent fasting since November, and I’m as lean as I’ve ever been. I also used this method to cut to 135 for my last fight, and it’s the best weight cut I’ve had (first time I used this protocol).
Losing weight is more about what you eat (hormonal manipulation/balance), even though caloric intake does matter (a lot of people disagree, but it matters and it’s basic physics). But if you’re in a caloric deficit and eating foods that disrupt your hormones, then you’ll get nowhere and you’ll be miserable.

20

[quote]Professor X wrote:

Some even do it on purpose in order to get fatter due to sexual fetishes [/quote]

What the hell kind of fetishes?! I’m at work, so I’m not daring to google this.