Episode 29- Are Your Genes Making You Fat?

Genes! What are they?

Well, according to The American Cancer Society “Genes are pieces of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) inside each cell that tell the cell what to do and when to grow and divide.”

In other words, they are instruction manuals for your cells.

Think of it as the motherboard of a computer 

Now, by this definition, it is easy to think, yes, that is why!

My genes tell my cells that I am overweight 

Well, let’s talk more.

The question I want to ask is, if you think your genes give instructions to make you fat, then who is designing the instructions?

Well, according to this article from the CDC People get (inherit) their chromosomes, which contain their genes, from their parents. Chromosomes come in pairs and humans have 46 chromosomes, in 23 pairs..

I came across another CDC article that states “Science shows that genetics plays a role in obesity. Genes can directly cause obesity in specific disorders such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome.”

But here is the kicker, it goes on to say “ However genes do not always predict future health. Genes and behavior may both be needed for a person to be overweight. In some cases multiple genes may increase one’s susceptibility for obesity and require outside factors; such as abundant food supply or little physical activity.”

So, yes, we can sit and blame our genes, but that is really a copout 

I was born and raised in Jamaica, where more people, especially younger people tend to be skinny. 

But on the other hand we are more active, we sweat more (remember my episode on heat and fat loss), our diets are different, etc.

Now we are getting somewhere.

In this same article it states that People may make decisions based on their environment or community. For example, a person may choose not to walk to the store or to work because of a lack of sidewalks. Communities, homes, and workplaces can all influence people’s health decisions. Because of this influence, it is important to create environments in these locations that make it easier to engage in physical activity and to eat a healthy diet.

But I tell you that my clients who get the best results are the ones who start to take responsibility for themselves

I can give you the best fitness and nutrition plan in the world, but it is up to you to execute it.

Now that we understand this or I hope that we do, let talk how much do our genes play in obesity vs our environment

This is important to note. 

Believe it, that regardless of what you inherited , it isn’t the end of the world.

I hope you have heard of the word Epigenetics

If you haven’t let me define it.

The prefix Epi is latin and it means above 

So yes, Epigenetics mean above your genetics 

You can change the hand you are dealt by going above your genetics

This article from The National Institute of Health Sciences  states “epigenetics, a rapidly growing area of science that focuses on the processes that help direct when individual genes are turned on or off. While the cell’s DNA provides the instruction manual, genes also need specific instructions. In essence, epigenetic processes tell the cell to read specific pages of the instruction manual at distinct times.”

By now, you are learning that you are not a slave to what you have inherited

In addition,  I want you to think about the future.

Epigenetics is much more than turning genes on and off.

I will finish up with this last article from Utah Valley Pediactrics which states “in a new embryo the epigenome is largely erased and reprogrammed. But recently scientists have found that some epigenetic tags sneak through. This means that parents’ experiences and lifestyle can affect the genes that are passed down to offspring through their epigenetic tags.”

This is the kicker!!

The decisions you make today, don’t just affect you, but what you pass on to your children

Isn’t this awesome?

By making the right decisions you can set your children up for success, alternatively,  by making bad decisions, you can set them up for failure

I am sure you want your children to be better versions of  yourself. 

I am yet to meet a parent who doesnt want that. 

Then ask yourself, will you make their journey harder by putting roadblocks in their way?

Food for thought!