Discover how metabolism works to lose weight, according to science.

One of the main factors that influence weight loss is metabolism. It is responsible for regulating the way the body stores and uses energy, and it must be in full working order to achieve the desired weight in a healthy and effective way.

By converting the food you eat into energy, your body distributes it according to the needs of daily activities, from breathing to running.

There are several factors that contribute to the proper functioning of the metabolism, explains Carolina Leme Viad, Nutrition Coordinator at Clínica Seven, a clinic specializing in Healthy weight loss.

Weight loss myths

It is common to hear that during the process of losing weight, The fewer calories consumed The more physical activity, the more metabolism is activated, but this is a myth. “This is not true, because the body needs a minimum of calories consumed so that it is not under so much stress that instead of losing weight, it starts storing the energy it consumes and has the opposite effect, which would be fat accumulation. A balance in calorie intake is necessary for the body to actually lose fat,” he explains.

Genetics also has a big impact on fat loss. Genetics brings a person’s predisposition to weight gain, obesity, inflammatory responses, food metabolism, or even nutrients that make them tend to gain or lose weight.

“This is currently being studied a lot. Since genes cannot be changed, some strategies involving food and supplements silence the gene. It is as if the defect in the gene, instead of working against it, works for it. Although it is important, heredity only accounts for 20% of what will actually happen during observation; the other 80% is habits.”

After the desired weight loss, there is a theory that when the patient loses a lot of kilograms, the body tends to want to return to the weight that was already stable before, because it understands that this was ideal.

If the weight is lost in a healthy way, along with adequate monitoring, nutrition, supplements and maintaining muscle mass, the risk of the accordion effect is much lower. “If the patient undergoes adequate monitoring, nutritional re-education and is able to change their habits during the procedure, the chance of regaining the weight is much lower,” he adds.