How To Hack Genes That Impact Weight Loss

Did you know that your genes play a significant role in your health and weight loss? This is a fact, and you may find yourself battling too much weight or working to shed excess pounds because of your parents and grandparents.

Your immediate family may also be struggling with this situation. Being at your ideal weight is important for your health, and although you don't hear about it very often, you can be underweight. Knowing some detailed ways to increase your weight despite your genetics can be helpful.

It's true that genes play a role in weight loss, but that's no excuse to give up. Some people just accept that they're built a certain way, and that's it. It's true that your genes make you who you are, but when it comes to weight, you don't have to accept being overweight as a fact of life. Remember, you CAN lose weight!

Your Genes Are A Blueprint, Not A Destiny

Research shows that genetic predisposition accounts for 40–70% of weight-related traits. While this is a significant figure, it also means that a substantial proportion is influenced by lifestyle and environment. Your genes may create tendencies, but it is your actions that create results.

While it's easy to accept being 'built a certain way' as an unchangeable fact, you shouldn't have to accept being overweight as a fact of life. With determination and the right strategies, you can combat your genetic tendencies and successfully lose weight.

Just because your parents were overweight does not mean that you will always be too. You can achieve and maintain a healthy weight despite your genetics.

Female Body Types

Your genetics determine your body type. That is a fact. Women come in different shapes, such as hourglass, round, diamond, pear and others.

So your shape is not really something you can change drastically, but you can get toned no matter what shape you are. This may be why some women have trouble losing the stubborn fat on the back of their arms - the bat wings. Check your type using a Body Type Calculator.

Learn From Your Genetics

Because of genetics, your body may react differently to certain foods, so you should keep a food diary. Some people who eat high-fat or high-sugar foods crave them more when they eat them.

If you seem to be prone to these cravings. You need to cut these foods out of your diet. If you do not eat them, your body will start to crave them. Choose good foods and find ways to have the foods you love by making them healthy.

Slow Metabolism And Genes

Although genetics can affect your metabolism, there are ways to boost it and lose weight. For example, exercise boosts your metabolism, and weight training helps you build lean muscle tissue, which in turn helps you burn calories even when you are at rest.

The right diet can also help boost your metabolism. You should eat a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. And eating six smaller meals a day, rather than three large ones, can help keep your food-burning engine going throughout the day.

Genes Can Be Influenced By What You Eat

The field of epigenetics shows that your lifestyle choices, especially your diet, can significantly influence how your genes express themselves, without altering the genes themselves. Put simply, your daily habits can activate or deactivate certain genes, impacting everything from metabolism to appetite.

A diet rich in nutrients, fruits and vegetables promotes healthy gene expression and supports weight management. However, certain foods may trigger cravings if you have a genetic predisposition to them.

One practical way to understand your unique responses is to keep a food diary. By noting how you feel after consuming particular foods, especially those high in sugar or fat, you can recognise personal triggers and make informed decisions to address them.

Manage And Reduce Stress

Chronic stress can hinder weight loss by having a direct biological impact on your body. When you are stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol, which can prevent your body from working efficiently. Practising stress reduction techniques, such as meditation and yoga, has been proven to reduce stress and lower cortisol levels.

Chronic stress can lead to sustained high cortisol levels, which can epigenetically signal cells to increase fat storage and hunger signals. Specifically, elevated stress hormones can negatively affect the expression of genes such as POMC, which is involved in regulating appetite and leptin production, and can even influence pathways controlled by the FTO gene. 

This makes the body more prone to weight retention and increased caloric intake. Therefore, effective stress management acts as a direct epigenetic countermeasure against these undesirable genetic expressions.

Positive Thinking

While meditation helps you relax, it also puts you in a subconscious state where your mind is more receptive to suggestions. You can use this time to visualise yourself as you want to be and fill your mind with positive images and thoughts to help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Your genetics make you who you are, but there is some leeway when it comes to making changes to lose weight. You don't have to accept that because your parents were tall, you will always be overweight. You can achieve and maintain a healthy weight despite your genetics.

Exercise Wisely

This is something you don't hear very often, but if you're trying to gain weight, you're going to want to be a couch potato for a while. Be mindful of what you do each day and weigh yourself often to see if this is working for you.

However, you should carry out your daily activities and maintain your flexibility by doing some stretching every day. Consult a registered dietitian or doctor to ensure weight loss is achieved safely and sustainably. If your weight starts to rise, you can start an exercise programme again.

Optimise Your Sleep

Never underestimate the importance of a good night's sleep. Getting enough high-quality sleep can help regulate the expression of genes that control your appetite and metabolism.

By consistently making healthy choices — fuelling your body well, moving with purpose, managing stress and sleeping soundly — you can empower yourself to combat any genetic predispositions and take charge of your health.

Your Path Forward

Rather than trying to look like a supermodel, your goal should be to become the healthiest version of yourself. The real aim is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and Body Mass Index (BMI), allowing you to live a full and vibrant life.

Remember that your genes are just the starting point of your health journey, not the end goal. With determination, a healthy diet, regular exercise and effective stress management, you have the power to shape your own health journey, one positive choice at a time.