Are You An Ali or A Brittany?

I've been thinking a lot about metabolic differences since watching Biggest Loser a few weeks ago. In that episode Jillian decided to mess around with Brittany's salt intake and see if they could get a bigger result. Jillian was talking about how hard and frustrating Brittany's weight loss had been on both of them. In contrast Ali returned to the show that week having lost more than any other woman. And even though she is now the lightest contestant she has been the Biggest Loser on campus the last three weeks averaging a 7 pound weekly loss.

Now I know Brittany is portrayed on the show as whiny and overwhelmed. All I know is that Jillian told the camera that she has never pushed a contestant harder and STILL she only drops about 2 pounds a week. I believe there are metabolic differences. And I see it all the time around the weight loss blogs that I read. Obviously it is hard to know if everyone is working out as much as they should or eating within their limits but it sure seems to me that some you have a harder time losing than others.

I'm the first to say I didn't have a hard time losing the weight. Is that metabolic? Did I have a stronger resolve? Was I just more accurate? Is it because I had no cheat meals? Genetics? Was I just more committed? Who knows? Not to say I didn't work hard. I did. I didn't take a day off. I worked out like I never had before and I accounted for everything I put in my mouth. For me weight loss was a very predictable math equation: burn more than you consume and lose. But it seems to me plenty of people do that and don't see the same results.