Is Gaining Weight Really a Lack of Will Power?

Since the beginning of our lives, we’re constantly told that weight is directly related to caloric consumption. The more calories you ingest, the more weight you’ll gain. Subsequently, the more calories you cut out of from your diet, the more weight you’ll be able to lose. By this logic, anyone who is overweight, or anyone who experiences weight gain, is lacking in “will power” to do anything about it.

If we look at the First Law of Thermodynamics, the equalizer scale has calories consumed from food on one side, and calories burned during physical activity on the other. The total energy of the system is constant. It’s either calories coming in or calories coming out.