# Slow metabolism = Fat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 10, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468 "2004-07-10T19:39:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/67e7ee/32.png) [@Nim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nim)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/1 "2004-07-10T19:39:20Z")
People always say that people who are overweight are that way because of a slower metabolism. Don’t small animals have faster metabolisms than we do? My cat is pretty small and it’s fat. ---
**Author:** ![Zagadka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zagadka/32/7272_2.png) [@Zagadka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zagadka)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/2 "2004-07-10T19:47:46Z")
Your OP is equating “Small = fast metabolism = skinny”, which is a fallacy. While the kitty’s metabolism may beed relatively faster, it may be slow for a cat. Anyway, you’re talking about two dramatically different physiologies, and a compelx issue (weight gain) that we don’t fully understand yet. ---
**Author:** ![Nim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/67e7ee/32.png) [@Nim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nim)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/3 "2004-07-10T20:00:10Z")
> [@Zagadka](#): > > Your OP is equating “Small = fast metabolism = skinny”, which is a fallacy. Which is why I made this post. I don’t believe that. > [@Zagadka](#): > > While the kitty’s metabolism may beed relatively faster, it may be slow for a cat. I never said it was fast for a cat. I said it was faster than ours. I figured there would have to be other issues other than the speed of your metabolism, but many people try to boil weight gain down to just that. > [@Zagadka](#): > > Anyway, you’re talking about two dramatically different physiologies, and a compelx issue (weight gain) that we don’t fully understand yet. Complex as in your metabolism is complex or complex as in your metabolism isn’t the only thing to consider? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/4 "2004-07-11T02:32:14Z")
At bottom, if you eat more food than you use for fuel, you’ll gain weight. There’s more to fat loss/fat gain than that, but the laws of thermodynamics still apply. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/5 "2004-07-11T02:42:14Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > At bottom, if you eat more food than you use for fuel, you’ll gain weight. There’s more to fat loss/fat gain than that, but the laws of thermodynamics still apply. True, but a lot of people have bodies which are very, _very_ efficient in turning excess calories into stored fat, and sending signals to the brain requesting more calories to work with. Others have bodies which do not do this very easily. It’s nothing so simple as “slow metabolism = fat”. Nor is it “fat people are just lazy pigs who eat too much and don’t exercise”. It’s a complex issue. More research is needed. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![whatsittoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@whatsittoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatsittoya)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/6 "2004-07-11T17:52:49Z")
I can say from personal experience that metabolism has to be a major part of it, at least for me. I am 6’4” 450 lbs. 35 yrs. My dad is 5’10 160 lbs. 60 yrs. We both work at the same job (construction and farming) doing the same work. We both eat about the same number of calories a day. You would think if all else were equal I would burn more calories just by moving my bulk around all day but it doesn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/7 "2004-07-11T18:12:56Z")
Something else to consider is that matching your metabolism (calories burned) to your intake (calories consumed) won’t make you magically thin. You will just not gain or lose weight. If you’re already fat, you’ll stay that way. ---
**Author:** ![whatsittoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@whatsittoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whatsittoya)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/8 "2004-07-11T18:36:17Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > If you’re already fat, you’ll stay that way. I agree with that and I can’t say that I am trying very hard to lose my excess pounds it’s just annoying(to me 😉 )that my 450 pound body uses the same calories as my 160 pound dad. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slow-metabolism-fat/254468/9 "2004-07-11T18:54:22Z")
I dont know. I have a relatively fast metabolism and as a result i feel starved on calories that some people would be perfectly comfortable with. I feel comfortable on at least 3000, 2500 or less makes me feel light headed. I know a guy who is very muscular, works out very hard and he claims he feels he is starving on 4000 calories a day, he prefers to eat 6000-7000 (he is 9% bodyfat by the way). So even if you have a slower metabolism, you would assume that (within reason) your appetite would change to accomidate that. If i had the appetite of a 110 lb woman with my metabolism i would be thin but i don’t.