Comment by ajuc
3 years ago
The article says you can't keep unhealthy diet and get fit just by exercising. Which is true in my experience as well - I was eating over 3000 kcal a day before I started counting calories, and if I haven't reduced that - no reasonable amount of exercise would have helped.
What's tricky is that in early 20s I was eating about as much and it was fine.
There's a huge variation between individuals based on size, sex, and activity level. As a large, fairly active man I have to consume around 3100 kcal per day just to maintain body weight. But a small, sedentary woman might gain weight with even half that consumption.
All else being equal, resting metabolic rate doesn't tend to slow down much as we age. The notion that people in their 20s can eat as they want without gaining weight is mostly a myth. It's more likely that you don't accurately remember what you consumed and your activity level in your early 20s.