个子矮,所以减肥更困难?
Losing weight is hard. But it's harder for some people more so than others due to a variety of factors: age, activity level, hormones, starting weight, sleep patterns, and yes-height. You've probably heard that it's more difficult for people who are shorter to lose weight. And if you're on the shorter side, maybe you've even experienced this firsthand. But is it really harder or does it just seem that way because again, losing weight ISN'T easy? And if so, why?! We talked to weight-loss experts to investigate. Fact or Fiction: It's Harder for Shorter Women to Lose Weight So, let's get this out of the way: "Sorry to say it, but it's true that shorter women have to consume fewer calories to lose weight than taller friends if all other factors are equal," says Luiza Petre, M.D., a board-certified cardiologist who specializes in weight loss. In other words, the harsh reality is that even if you have the same activity level and the same level of overall health, your taller friend is going to be able to eat more and still lose more weight than you, a shorter person, can. And because you have to eat fewer calories to see weight-loss results (or to maintain your weight), it can feel ~a lot~ harder, she says. The reason this is true is actually pretty simple: "The more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism works. Taller people have more muscle mass because they are born with it simply because of their height," explains Shari Portnoy, a registered dietitian. Your lean muscle mass has an impact on your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which determines how many calories your body burns at rest. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your BMR will be, and the more you can eat. Of course, activity level plays a role here, too, but the higher your BMR is, the less work you have to do to account for extra calories eaten. |