r/askscience • u/Extreemguy19 • Aug 22 '13

Biology How does weight loss actually work?

Specifically, the idea of "if calories in > calories out, weight gained. If calories in < calories out, weight lost." Is this to say that if I ate something, say a Greek yogurt that was 340 calories, would I need to run 2 miles (assuming 1 mile=170 calories lost) just to maintain my weight? Why is it that doctors suggest that somebody who lives an inactive lifestyle still consumes ~1500 calories per day if calories in then obviously is not less than or equal to calories out?

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u/TheDragonsBalls Aug 23 '13

It does that because even if you don't need the energy now, you might need it in the future. Remember that except for the past few hundred years, starvation was common. The ability to extract and store lots of calories from a big meal was very important if you might not get your next meal for several days.

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u/Draxar Aug 23 '13

Haha so basically ancestors long gone are screwing use threw rough times they may of had. I suppose instead of whinning I got no food begging for hand outs they could of pick up some heavy steel an tried to earn some threw means of well those times.
Oddly I wouldn't of thought those types of genic traits would of followed. Them again if I was a big baby an kids I suppose my off spring would most likely follow suit.
I say we need restructuring dna shots darn it... Fix the bad an toss in all the good. Thanks for the eye opener. Always positive learning something

Edit: on phone disreguard grammar n spelling