--- title: Weight Loss: 'Thrifty' Metabolism May Make It Harder to Shed Pounds description: A new study that found evidence that physiology, specifically metabolism, plays a role in a person’s ability to lose weight canonical: https://time.com/3856890/excercise-fitness-weight-loss-gain-obesity-research/ author: Kevin McSpadden article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-13T08:35:59.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:41:06.631Z article:section: Health og:title: 'Thrifty' Metabolisms May Make It Harder To Lose Weight og:description: The study marks the first time lab results have confirmed the widely held belief. og:url: https://time.com/3856890/excercise-fitness-weight-loss-gain-obesity-research/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ea45ed41193cfbf/6987ef88e53aba26df4dbcd4/weight-loss-study.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3500 og:image:height: 1969 og:image:alt: File photo dated Thursday October 16, 2014. of a young girl using a set of weighing scales as slimmers should forget what they have been told about avoiding rapid weight loss in favour of slow but sure dieting, according to new research. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 'Thrifty' Metabolisms May Make It Harder To Lose Weight twitter:description: The study marks the first time lab results have confirmed the widely held belief. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9ea45ed41193cfbf/6987ef88e53aba26df4dbcd4/weight-loss-study.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'Thrifty' Metabolisms May Make It Harder to Lose Weight > Sponsored content. 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Health Matters is TIME's daily health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ## Video: Should I Drink Nonfat Half-And-Half? [Watch (HLS stream): Should I Drink Nonfat Half-And-Half?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/OXuvbc41.m3u8) (1:28)  _Published 2015-04-16. Whether you're wondering about the health benefits (or harms) of fat-free half-and-half, or simply wondering what it is, here's why all five of our health experts this week warned against it._ by [Kevin McSpadden](https://time.com/author/kevin-mcspadden/) ## Kevin McSpadden May 13, 2015 8:35 AM UTC  Weight loss Weight loss Chris Radburn—PA Wire/Press Association Images by [Kevin McSpadden](https://time.com/author/kevin-mcspadden/) ## Kevin McSpadden May 13, 2015 8:35 AM UTC Losing those love handles may be easier for some people than for others, says a new [study](http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2015/niddk-11.htm) that confirmed the theory that physiology plays a role in a person’s ability to lose weight. According to a press release, researchers at the Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch studied the metabolisms of 12 obese men and women undergoing a six-week 50% calorie-reduction experiment. After measuring participants’ energy expenditure after a day of fasting and then re-examining them during the caloric-reduction period, researchers found that the slower the metabolism works during a diet, the less weight the person loses. Coining the terms “thrifty” vs. “spendthrift” metabolisms, the experiment marks first time lab results have confirmed a widely held belief that a speedy metabolism plays a role in weight loss. “While behavioral factors such as adherence to diet affect weight loss to an extent, our study suggests we should consider a larger picture that includes individual physiology — and that weight loss is one situation where being thrifty doesn’t pay,” said lead author Dr. Susanne Votruba, Ph.D. Researchers have yet to figure out if the differences in metabolic speeds are innate traits or develop over time. Also, the study was only focused on weight loss, and the team does not know if the body’s response to caloric reduction can be used to prevent weight gain. Over one-third of Americans are obese, and it leads to some of the most common forms of preventable deaths in the country. ### QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?  Which is better for you: Half cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet? Getty Images (4)  Answer: A half cup of ice cream If you eat what you’re craving, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and eat less. And scoop for scoop sorbet contains twice the sugar with none of the filling dairy protein and fat. Getty Images (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter? Getty Images; Tara Johnson for TIME  Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: A turkey burger or a sirloin burger? Getty Images (2) ![Answer: Sirloin burger
Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you \(and for the record, they aren't low-fat\). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings.](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte1b297940ae4e4e0/6986970ce53aba0cb54d318e/sirloin-burger.gif?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp) Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels? Getty Images (2)  Answer: Almonds Almonds are high in protein, fiber and fat and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Give high-sodium pretzels about an hour and you'll feel hungry again thanks to the high-carb no-fat or protein content. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Special K or eggs? AP; Getty Images  Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Fat free salad dressing or regular salad dressing? Tara Johnson for TIME  Answer: Regular salad dressingTo absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamins E and K in vegetables you need to consume them with a fat to aid nutrient absorption. Fat-free dressing, meanwhile, is low-calorie but gets its flavor from added sugar and salt. Tara Johnson for TIME (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate? Getty Images (2)  Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead. Getty Images (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME  Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt? Tara Johnson for TIME  Answer: 2% Greek YogurtA little fat is good in the morning to keep you full—plus it has upwards of 17g of protein per container. Fat-free "fruit" yogurt is high in sugar—7 to 10 g per serving—and lower in protein. 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