It’s Not You, It’s Your Genes: The Genetics of Weight Loss
During our virtual consultation, my client tells me about her dieting history. Multiple fad diets initially worked for her, but the weight comes back…Every. Single. Time. Sometimes she even puts on more weight than she started with! She feels discouraged, and is a little hesitant to try yet another thing – but here she is. She tells me she’s embarrassed; she sees how easy weight loss is for others, and when it doesn’t work for her…well, there must be something wrong with her, right?
As she goes on about everything she’s tried, how she’s unhappy in her body, and how she’s currently the heaviest she’s ever been, she looks ashamed. She stops, looking down as tears fill her eyes. Instantly, tears fill my eyes too. I know exactly how this feels. A rapid slideshow of memories flickers through my mind: my struggles with health and weight loss and the hurtful things I believed about myself come rushing to the forefront. “If you would only stop stuffing your face…” “Why am I so weak?” “What’s wrong with me?” I can hear my internal voice: the ghost of the words that played in my head daily for many years. Sounds like a fun environment, right?
I tried allll the popular diets. For example, I lost nearly 100 lbs on the Bernstein Diet, developed an eating disorder, and then spent the next 10 years seesawing between losing 50 lbs and gaining it back. Things didn’t stick. Exercise barely seemed to matter. I had diet culture fatigue. But worse, like my client, I truly believed that there was something really wrong with who I was.
The Science of Losing Weight (and Keeping it Off for Good)
I will never forget when I first read my genetic report. I was shocked. It allowed me to realize that my issues weren’t related to who I was, but rather how I was. What a difference! Discovering that my genetics played such an integral part in everything – they account for between 40-70% of a person’s weight and metabolism characteristics – made me feel instantly relieved. This was concrete, scientific information; it told me that I wasn’t bad or weak and that my issues weren’t the direct result of a character defect. Learning that a series of genetic predispositions were having major impacts on my weight and, in turn, my mental health was, in a word, empowering.
Here are some of the factors my genetics influence:
Increased food-seeking behaviour and desire to snack
Increased association with emotional overeating
Greater stress-related cravings for processed foods
Rapid weight gain on antidepressants and antipsychotics
Yo-yo dieter
Decreased adiponectin, resulting in increased fat storage.
Reduced leptin (the “I’m full hormone”) sensitivity – which means increased food cravings.
How to Make Your Genes Work for You
All of the above are pulled directly from my GeneRx Report – and these are just a few examples of some of the body weight results that were in there! And while some of my gene traits may seem a little bit depressing, or concerning, don’t worry. My genetics have become my superpower. Genetics can carry risk, and be quite overwhelming when they are expressing, but knowing which ones are active helps us turn them off or downgrade their expression. In other words, this knowledge gives us the power to stop the cycle. If I were to tell you all the mindblowing information I discovered about my stress response, hormones, and sleep, and how it changed my life, you’d probably be quitting your job (like I did) just to spread the word to people about the power of knowing your genetics.
As for my client, the one who felt discouraged, embarrassed, and helpless, here’s an update, in her own words:
“Understanding my genetics has changed my life. I was set free when I discovered that my genetics were the cause of my obesity and unhealthy eating addiction. Since working with Morgan, I have been able to easily stick to my genetic nutritional plan. Nothing is off the table and I now know how to identify signs that my genes are expressing again – and I have total control to shut them down! I lost my weight (60 lbs) quickly, but what’s more important is that, one year later, I have kept it off without any fad diets or restrictions. I understand how not only my metabolism but also my detox, hormone, and stress genes were playing a part in my weight. I could have never imagined a life where I wasn’t hungry all the time and I felt truly satisfied, confident, and happy… but here I am. Thank you!”
Helping my clients improve their health, wellness, and overall life by examining, analyzing, and understanding their genetics is incredibly rewarding for me. Providing treatment advice and analysis that gives you choices and has a real impact is a game-changer. It’s so important to have an individualized approach – because there’s definitely no such thing as ‘one fad fits all!’ (Case in point: extra low-rise jeans. Yikes!) If you want to learn more about how a genetic report can set you free, schedule a free 15 minute consultation with me.