---
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
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## 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. 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. Tara Johnson for TIME (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
## Transcript
[00:00] [ MUSIC ] Should you drink fat free half and half? We
[00:03] put that question to Doctor David Katz. His response?
[00:07] Hell no, what is that? Unfortunately, that
[00:11] response was echoed by all five of our experts this
[00:13] week. Half and half math is simple. It's whole milk plus
[00:17] cream. But the fat free version requires some more
[00:20] advanced calculations. Julie Zumpano says that milk fat
[00:24] is typically replaced by corn syrup and thickeners.
[00:27] Kristi King agrees that the real thing is better than all
[00:30] those additives. It might have half the calories as
[00:33] regular half and half, but it also has about twice the
[00:36] sodium and sugar. It exists, of course, because people
[00:39] want the rich texture and flavor. Plus calcium benefits
[00:43] without the fat or calories. But our full fat dairy phobia
[00:48] is misguided. Mario Kratz researches dairy. His
[00:51] findings might sound shocking. Full fat dairy might
[00:54] actually be healthier for you than non- fat dairy,
[00:57] especially when it comes to things like obesity,
[01:00] diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even weight
[01:03] gain. That not chugging a carton of regular half and
[01:06] half is a good idea. Just that drinking the non fat
[01:09] version might be a worse one. Andrew Weil says that
[01:13] milk contains natural sex hormones. And that making it
[01:16] non fat seems to mess up the balance between male
[01:19] and female hormones in the milk. Without the fat, half
[01:22] and half just isn't quite whole.
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