In fact, there are people who eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, prioritizing healthy foods, yet still gain weight. This is actually quite a common situation.
Eating healthily but still having excess calories.
Healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats don't always help with weight control. In fact, all foods contain calories. When total calorie intake exceeds needs, the body will still store the excess as fat, according to the health website Healthy (USA).
Even a healthy diet can still lead to excess calories and weight gain if you eat too much.
PHOTO: Created by N. Quy from GM
Foods like avocados, nuts, and fruit smoothies are very nutritious but also high in calories. If consumed in large quantities without realizing it, it's easy to exceed your body's needs.
Misconceptions about portion sizes
A common problem is that many people no longer have a proper sense of what constitutes appropriate food intake. Portions in modern life are often larger than before, causing many people to become accustomed to overeating without realizing it.
For example, a bowl of vermicelli or spring rolls might seem light and contain plenty of vegetables, but if you add a lot of fish sauce mixed with sugar or a lot of fatty sauce, such as mayonnaise, the total energy content will increase significantly.
Similarly, an avocado or mango smoothie contains not only fruit but also condensed milk and sugar. Therefore, the calorie count can be equivalent to a snack, not just a simple serving of fruit.
The body "adapts" to the diet.
When following a strict diet, the body reacts by reducing calorie expenditure. This is a metabolic adaptation mechanism, a way for the body to protect itself from energy deficiency.
This is why some people who lose weight through dieting tend to regain it easily. The reason is that the body has changed, causing a slower metabolism, increased hunger hormones, and decreased muscle mass. As a result, even if they don't eat much, their bodies are more likely to accumulate excess fat.
The training was inappropriate.
Eating is only one part of the weight loss journey. Without exercise, excess calories will still be stored as fat. Conversely, some people exercise but not correctly, for example, only doing light cardio without strength training to build muscle.
Meanwhile, muscle mass helps increase calorie burning even when the body is at rest. When muscle mass decreases, due to age or lack of exercise, the body burns fewer calories, making weight management more difficult, according to Healthy .