I’m now watching my weight more than ever and as a result have become increasingly aware of the reasons for weight gain. As part of this, I recently ran an observation experiment to try to elicit some clues as to why some people seem to continually get heavier over the years while others are able to maintain a fairly constant weight. So with this end in mind, here’s what I observed after spending the day with several people who are slowly, but surely, bulking up.

There is actually only one major learning in this completely unscientific study. And that was that the healthier eater actually tended to eat more volume and more frequently than the weight gainers. .. huh .. But, although they ate less, the weight gainers absolutely hit it out of the park in terms of high calorie, energy dense foods (which of course also tended to be fatty and chemicalized .. the two seem to go hand in hand in today’s society).

For instance, on one of the days the healthy eating guy (myself) had a fresh fruit smoothie. Delicious! The opposing view which suggested that I “quit starving myself with that organic rabbit food”, choose a mess of french fries seasoned with a ton of salt and this chemical mish-mash ”cheese product” as a topper, aka cheese fries.  After such meals they seemed to slow down but I would tend to feel better than before I ate. Maybe they slowed down since their bodies had to divert resources for digestion, who knows. In terms of flavor, to each his own, but I just wouldn’t trade the smoothie for their stuff .. there was actually no willpower involved in making this healthy choice.  Anyway, in terms of calories, the smoothie was about 150 calories, the cheese fries about 2900 (if they are considered similar to those described in this 2008 Fortune Magazine article).  So unless I chose to have 19 smoothies I would maintain, they, unless that was the only thing they ate for the day, (and that’s not going to happen) would gain.

And, this seems to be a recurring theme no matter who I traveled with. For instance, I live on the coast of New England, so you got to have the seafood. I tend to choose steamed options (steamed clams or fresh lobster), use just a tiny dip of butter for flavor. The companion tends to go for either the fried clams (clams covered in batter and then deep fried) or lobster (good) either with mayo as a lobster roll or steamed but soaked with dipping butter and a side of fries. For instance we’re talking about 206 calories for the steamed clams (not counting the tiny bit of butter that’s used) vs. the 900 calories for the 1.5 cups of fried clams (calories according to fitday.com for 1.5 cup servings). Seems that simple choices lead to big differences as far as calories and ultimately your weight (and health) is concerned.

So the next thing to ask is why do we have such different eating styles? Well, there are no doubt many factors but in my opinion one of these is simply the differences in what we’re use to eating. For example, if all you eat is fat-free frozen yogurt and then you have a cup of premium ice cream… forget about it, it will taste really, really, fatty to you. The same with salt, fried food or whatever. I believe that we acclimate to the tastes we eat day in and day out. .. So this would mean that if you switched from whole milk to say 1% it would probably taste watery to you .. at first. But, after a week or two you’ll most likely get use to it and therefore it would be no great hardship going forward.

Maybe consider doing something like this (but seriously only make changes with guidance from your doctor who is the expert regarding your health and your unique situation). Now if your doctor gives you the green light then possibly make small changes towards more healthy alternatives. Be on a constantly evolving path from the totally evil towards the more healthy & natural. The pinnacle of this path of course being the most natural food of all .. organic (the food, the whole food and nothing but the food). … Enjoy your food, cherish your health and be proud of your body.