Burning Fat After a Meal
Post-meal changes in body temperature differ between normal and overweight people.
Here’s a novel reason why it can be hard for some people to shed pounds: Their burn rate is less after eating a meal. A study presented at the virtual American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions found that people with higher body mass index levels produced less body heat after an oral glucose tolerance test than those with lower BMI levels.
Since post-feeding thermogenesis (involved in digesting and metabolizing food) contributes to total daily calorie burn, lower rates in people who are overweight could be another reason why weight loss can be oh-so-challenging.
See also: Fast and Furious Fat Burning
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
