The weight snowball: why every kilo makes the next one harder

Obesity is not a failure of willpower: it reflects a genetic mismatch with the environment we live in today. Our body is still programmed for a world of scarcity that no longer exists.

The body is never satisfied

One of the most unfair mechanisms of metabolism is that the body never decides it has enough reserve. It keeps storing. And the more fat tissue is already stored, the easier it becomes to store more and the harder it becomes to remove it. It is, quite literally, a snowball.

What this means in practice

It means that waiting to see if it sorts itself out almost never works, and that someone who has lived with excess weight for years needs more help, not less. It also explains why the same effort that took five kilos off you at 25 barely moves the scale today.

The foundation has not changed

Diet and exercise remain the unavoidable basis for reaching a calorie deficit: there is no shortcut that replaces them. But there is help, and today it is better than ever: GLP-1 analogues, the intragastric balloon and bariatric or metabolic surgery in the cases that need it. The key is choosing the right tool for each person, and that is decided in consultation.