Have you ever wondered why some people eat only salads and drink only water but are yet struggling to lose weight? While others junk on anything and everything happily and still maintains their body weight. This is because your body weight is influenced by your genetic makeup, which is unique for each individual.
Do Genetic Factors Influence Your Weight?
The short answer is “yes.” However, there is no one “weight loss” gene. Your genetic makeup can influence various aspects of body weight:
- How you metabolize macros
- How you respond to high-fat diets
- Your tendency to lose weight on protein
- Likelihood of snacking, overeating, and emotional eating
- Your tendency to regain weight
- How your body responds to exercise
- Your risk for health conditions like hypothyroidism that can cause weight gain
These factors come together to play a role in influencing your weight loss/gain tendencies.
Other Factors Influencing Your Weight
Your genes aren’t entirely responsible for your body weight.
It is the product of genetics, lifestyle, and the environment all working together.
Some non-genetic factors contributing to weight gain are
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Chronic stress
- Poor sleep
- Overeating
- Certain medications
- Bad mental health
Healthy Habits Give A Hand
Everyone knows that regular exercise and a refined diet have a great impact on body weight.
In addition to this, habits like meditation to manage stress and following a good sleep schedule can further help with weight loss.
But did you know that how you respond to these healthy habits is influenced by genes?
For example, person A may see more weight loss with a calorie-restricted diet, while person B may shed a lot more weight with regular cardio exercise.
Which healthy habit will have a bigger impact on you is based on your own genetic makeup.
Explore Your DNA Raw Data
Curious about your weight loss genes? Here’s how you can learn about it in 3 simple steps:
- Download your raw data file from 23andMe, Ancestry DNA, or any other ancestry company. If you don't have one, you can get a 23andMe kit from here.
- Buy the Gene Nutrition Report (or Xcode Life Premium Pack for a 70% discount)
- Upload your raw data and get your results in 24 hours.
