Your friend who you think has a "faster metabolism" than you and that's why they can eat whatever they want- they don't. There is no statistically significant difference between his Base Metabolic Rate and yours. Even people who have a lot of muscle (or fat) don't have a significantly faster metabolism because of it. Your internal organs burn around 26kcal/hr/lb. Your muscle? 6 kcal/lb/hr. Fat? 2 kcal/lb/hr. Bone? 1 kcal/lb/hr. The reason why one person might not gain weight fast when you might is because they engage in NEAT, or Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis. NEAT includes all activities that don't include exercise, including fidgeting, pacing while standing, shaking your legs subconsciously, etc. Someone who fidgets in their chair at work will burn around 88 more calories per hour than someone who sits still. That's about 640 calories burned a DAY. These activities in general when performed over say, and 8 hour workday, will account for anywhere between 300-864 additional calories burned. Keep in mine 3500 calories = 1 lb fat.
NEAT has been shown to have a genetic component, families of High Neat-o-type people tend to be together.
One of the main reasons people who diet and lose weight gain it back is because their bodies reduce their level of NEAT activity- this overall effect of this reduction of NEAT activity means that previously overweight/obese people have a caloric expenditure 75% that of what would be expected for their body, because their bodies have reduced their NEAT levels, and they won't feel like doing anything. Research also shows that in addition to lowering your NEAT levels when you are dieting, your NEAT levels will increase when you are fed increased extra calories. A study where 48 people were overfed 1000 calories a day showed that those who were high-neat-o-types gained almost no weight because they were compelled by their bodies to do other things to compensate, expending the excess calories.
So the moral is, your friend doesn't have a "fast" metabolism, he's a NEAT-freak. You don't have a slow metabolism, your body just doesn't have a high level of NEAT. To compensate, get a pedometer and try and walk more.
NEAT has been shown to have a genetic component, families of High Neat-o-type people tend to be together.
One of the main reasons people who diet and lose weight gain it back is because their bodies reduce their level of NEAT activity- this overall effect of this reduction of NEAT activity means that previously overweight/obese people have a caloric expenditure 75% that of what would be expected for their body, because their bodies have reduced their NEAT levels, and they won't feel like doing anything. Research also shows that in addition to lowering your NEAT levels when you are dieting, your NEAT levels will increase when you are fed increased extra calories. A study where 48 people were overfed 1000 calories a day showed that those who were high-neat-o-types gained almost no weight because they were compelled by their bodies to do other things to compensate, expending the excess calories.
So the moral is, your friend doesn't have a "fast" metabolism, he's a NEAT-freak. You don't have a slow metabolism, your body just doesn't have a high level of NEAT. To compensate, get a pedometer and try and walk more.
